[15355] in APO-L
Re: all males
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Thomas W. Strong Jr.)
Fri Nov 8 10:26:21 1996
Date: Fri, 8 Nov 1996 10:11:10 -0500
Reply-To: "Thomas W. Strong Jr." <strong@DEMENTIA.ORG>
From: "Thomas W. Strong Jr." <strong@DEMENTIA.ORG>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
In-Reply-To: <199611072152.QAA11530@alycia.dementia.org>
On Thu, 7 Nov 1996, Roger Lee Stearns Jr. wrote:
> > I feel that we [vague] made a promise in 1976. (Some people
> > will disagree, because it's not in EXPLICIT black and white, but I
> > believe such a promise was made). We are honor bound to support that
> > promise. That's part of being a leader, being trust worthy... if
> > people can't trust your word what good are you as a leader???
> > We are all leaders to one degree or another.
> How does Title IX affect the schools where there are all-male chapter?
> Especially since the social Greeks are starting to be forced to go co-ed?
I'm going from memory here, and in this case memory of documents from the
sectional archives, but what I remember of the circumstances around APO
going co-ed are as follows:
in the mid-1970s title IX was passed, barring gender discrimination at
schools receiving public support, and in organizations at those schools,
if the organizations received the support of the schools (free use of
rooms and the like were considered support, so APO was usually"supported"
by the schools under this definition)
There was a specific exemption in title IX for "Social Fraternities",
which upon later interpretation was ruled not to include service,
honorary, or professional fraternities. Thus, APO had a few choices - be
removed from campuses of schools receiving public support, act in
violation of federal law, or accept women as full members. There were
apparently advocates for all three options at the time.
Somewhat prior to this, several chapters had taken it upon themselves to
begin admitting women - Kappa chapter in 1972 by initiating C. S(usan)
Robinson, and Alpha Chi by admitting women as "auxiliary members" (please
correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the general idea. I believe there
were other chapters as well)
Given the above circumstances, several groups started to form within the
fraternity, each advocating different actions. The most vocal seemed to
be one group attempting to raise money for a legal battle to fight title
IX, a group campaigning to repeal/amend title IX, and a group wanting to
make the fraternity co-ed.
The next event was the 1976 convention, where te fraternity finally went
co-ed on the national level, but apparently not by a landslide vote. The
outcome was something to the effect of: All chapters at schools that must
go co-ed to survive shall become co-ed. All chapters at schools that do
not have to become co-ed to survive _may_ become co-ed if they choose to,
but will not be forced to do so, either then or at any other time.
Moving forward about 20 years, we currently have a bit less than 30
all-male chapters left, and the number is gradually shrinking each year.
Over time the individual chapters have either decided to become co-ed, the
schools they were at began to admit women, or for one reason or another
lost their charter. If the trend continues, in 25-30 years there will
probably only be a handful of all-male chapters left. For perspective,
rumors are starting to fly that by then you might have already seen the
first female Eagle Scout as well... (that was from "a highly placed
source in the council") it might sound far-fetched to you now, but think
about how a proposal to force all chapters to go co-ed would have sounded
in 1970.
Once again, I'm going from memory on this. Please correct me if I got my
facts wrong.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Thomas W. Strong Jr. strong@dementia.org
------------------------------------------------------------------
