National College Policies Inhibit Dartmouth Sororities

The Dartmouth
June 1, 2006
By Kelsey Blodget, The Dartmouth

The introduction of Alpha Phi as the College's seventh sorority will provide a new female social space in what many view as a male-dominated social scene. But with 13 fraternities and only three sororities permitted to throw alcoholic parties in their physical plants, many feel the social scene still has a long way to go before this gender imbalance is corrected.

Director for the Center of Women and Gender Xenia Markowitt said that during the 10 years she has been here, "the number one complaint I hear is that women do not have control of the social space.""Women always talk to me about what they call a Jekyll-and-Hyde campus," Markowitt said. "They can be in a classroom, partnered with a guy on a project on an academic level, and they're treating each other with tremendous respect. Later that night in the social scene she feels that same man will be treating her as if she's worthless."

Alpha Phi will participate in rush for the first time this fall, and its national organization will buy a physical plant for the chapter when property becomes available. National sorority rules, however -- which preexisting College sororities Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Alpha Xi Delta are already well familiar with -- prohibit alcohol in chapter houses. National fraternities on campus are not held to this standard and many sorority women blame the differing policies for some of the social scene's flaws.