Five sororities individually have decided not to co-sponsor open parties with fraternities during Winter term, with all five citing liability issues as a major reason.
Delta Delta Delta, Epsilon Kappa Theta, Kappa Delta Epsilon, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Sigma Delta sororities will not co-sponsor with any fraternity for at least the duration of the term.
Delta Gamma sorority will still co-sponsor open parties, according to social chair Kim Papa '97, and Delta Pi Omega sorority will assess each offer of co-sponsorship for a party as it arises, according to president Andrea Stenger '99
This is the first term KKG has voted not to co-sponsor a party with a fraternity, according to president Kristen Hinman '98.
Under the definition of co-sponsorship, a sorority would normally just provide funds for the disc-jockey but not participate in any of the "party duties," Hinman said.
But according to College policy, both the sorority and the fraternity can be held liable and be subject to appear before the Coed Fraternity Sorority Council Judiciary Committee to answer for any alleged CFS rules violations, she said.
Four fraternities are currently on probation, and the College de-recognized Beta Theta Pi fraternity last term.
"The Judiciary Committee has seen too many cases recently, and Kappa feels it does not need to align itself with the risky behavior being presented [before the committee]," she said.
Spiros Maliagros '98, president of the Interfraternity Council, said he does not blame the five sororities for declining to co-sponsor with fraternities.
"It's only common sense for [sororities] not to co-sponsor if most of the fraternities are already on probation," Maliagros said.
Maliagros calls the recent actions, "a wake up call" for fraternities to be more responsible.
He said the 14 fraternity presidents are planning on meeting this term to find out how the fraternities can get off probation and also to discuss how they can be more responsible.
"And as we try to change, we are going to have to work closely together with the sororities," he said.
Tri-Delta President Jessica Ellsworth '98 said the sorority presidents met earlier in the term and discussed a number of issues relating to the Greek system, including co-sponsorship.
"We decided that each individual house could decide whether or not to co-sponsor open parties with fraternities this term," Ellsworth said.
Susan O'Bell, president of Sigma Delt, said the house had already been voting on the issue every term.
O'Bell said Sigma Delt did vote to co-sponsor smaller, closed social events involving only "our membership and that of the co-sponsoring Greek organization."
Another reason some sororities chose not to co-sponsor is that local sororities can hold open parties in their houses.
O'Bell said, "If we do co-sponsor we'd want to ask the national sororities first because they are not allowed to hold open parties in their houses."
Aside from liability concerns and the fact that some sororities can throw open parties in their house, Hinman said Kappa can use its money more efficiently.
