While its clear that Dartmouth Coed Fraternity and Sorority organizations have their own stakes in keeping Greek life at the College, national Greek headquarters with Dartmouth chapters have an interest in the continuation of the system as well.
The national organizations have been in constant contact with their undergraduate members on campus and local alumni since last February when the controversial Dartmouth Greek issue first began with the Five Principles announcement.
Defending the Greek system as a positive influence on the Dartmouth campus, the nationals expressed a desire to work with the administration in the future to further improve the system.
Survival is the key
Although largely appreciative of Dartmouth's efforts to improve the social and residential life on campus, most of the nationals that spoke with The Dartmouth said they were primarily concerned with their continued existence at the College, adding that they will consider all possible options toward this end.
"We've been very concerned," Sigma Alpha Epsilon's national Manager of Media and Alumni Relations Brian Ott said. "We don't want to see the Greek community die at Dartmouth."
Mark Williams, executive director of Psi Upsilon Fraternity -- which has three chapters nationally that accept women members -- told The Dartmouth that Psi U it will allow its Dartmouth members and alumni to make the decision of going coeducational if it had to in order to survive.
"My reading of the situation, however, is that the undergraduate members won't want to take that option," Williams said.
Zeta Psi fraternity and Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority nationals, in contrast, ruled out the possibility of becoming coeducational saying that there was no such provision in their bylaws.
"Kappa believes the single-sex sorority experience is valuable," National Vice President of Kappa Anne Truesdale said. "It fills a need for women supporting women."
"If the College wants only coed houses, then we would have to withdraw our charter," Executive Director of Zete national Greg Plezia, said.
The national headquarters are skeptical of the recommendations' clause that gives the Dean of the College the power to recommend the complete elimination of the Greek system at any time.
"Five years from now we could have done everything that was called for in the report and the College could still make a decision to end fraternities," Williams said.
Williams added that Psi U and other fraternities need a "good-faith long-term assurance" from the College.
Steering committee report
The nationals that spoke with The Dartmouth had mixed feelings about the steering committee recommendations. Although they agreed with some aspects of the report, they felt the other parts of the report -- if implemented -- would undermine the Greek system at Dartmouth.
Most of the nationals objected to moving rush to Winter term, stipulating which people who can live in the house, and specifically requiring houses to make stringent improvements.
Plezia said deferring rush by one term would reduce the number of members that join.
The Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and Zete nationals said the College should not stipulate who can live in or what changes should be made to private property.
However, most of the nationals that spoke with The Dartmouth said they approved of the decision to remove kegs from the basements.
Jacques Vauclain, executive director of Sig Ep, told The Dartmouth the national decided to eliminate kegs in the 1980s, adding that the national had made an exception for Dartmouth due to College rules.
"It's nice to see Dartmouth College is catching up with us in this regard," Vauclain said.
Vauclain approved of the recommendations calling for the renovation of Greek house basements and the upgrading of fire and life-safety measures.
Financial and legal concerns
The nationals are prepared to request funds from the College and other alumni to meet the physical plant standards set in the report.
Some nationals are also willing to take loans and mortgage property to raise the necessary funds to make changes to their private property.
"Our chapter alumni will be willing to support the effort, Williams said of Psi U.
Derecognition of houses could also lead to some legal ramifications for the College.
However, legal battles could prove long and expensive.
"Even if you are right, how long can you fight," Williams said. "You've got be practical," he added, referring to the much greater financial resources of the College than the national organization.
Following through
The Greek nationals have been closely following the Dartmouth controversy since last February, when the Trustees announced the Five Principles and it was generally believed that single-sex Greek houses would be eliminated.
In the last year the national headquarters have been extremely supportive of their undergraduate members at Dartmouth, giving them advice and guidance. More recently, some national headquarters have also been helping some of the houses form a response to the steering committee recommendations.
"There are several fraternities keeping close tabs and always wondering what's going on," Ott said, adding that several people in the national office have visited and provided support to the Dartmouth SAE chapter.
Truesdale said she is very aware of Dartmouth's Greek issue and is "completely behind our chapter."
As the Initiative process enters its next phase and the Student Response Task Force starts writing its report, the interest for the Initiative among the nationals is likely to remain high.
According to Vauclain, Sig Ep's national organization will continue to monitor the process until at least 2005 -- the recommended year for the Dean of the College to hold a five-year review of the Greek system.
