Stepford Sorority

Blog #2 - 3rd Quarter
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana is facing the issues of looks and biases in sororities. While one is described as a group of “daddy’s little princesses,” another group is described as hippies. The Delta Zeta sorority was seen as socially awkward, before they began reorganization.
Delta Zeta’s membership was declining and in November the 35 members were tested on their commitment, of which 23 were seen as unsatisfactory. The black, Korean, Vietnamese, and overweight were asked to vacate the sorority house. Of the dozen conventionally pretty girls who were allowed to stay, half left after seeing the discrimination that had occurred. Those who withdrew of their own will felt that the reorganization, which removed the chapter president and secretary, was unfair. Members of the sorority who had done good things while there were asked to leave while those who had done almost nothing for the chapter since joining stayed. Dr. Hershberger, chairman of the modern languages department, said “We were especially troubled that the women they expelled were less about image and more about academic achievement and social service.”
The members were shocked when they were asked to stay upstairs while freshmen were welcomed by the plastic members and women from the Indiana University chapter of the sorority. While the goal of the reorganization is supposed to increase membership by 2009, it seems to have created more negative than positive attention.
The DePauw Greek system has faced criticisms before. In 1982 a great deal of attention was brought to the Delta Zeta chapter when they wouldn’t allow a black student join. In 2006, a letter was sent to the school newspaper commenting on the poor leadership of the sorority.