[15469] in APO-L
The 1976 Agreement
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (William B. Rugh)
Mon Nov 11 19:26:05 1996
Date: Mon, 11 Nov 1996 19:23:58 -0500
Reply-To: "William B. Rugh" <wbrugh@BRIGHT.NET>
From: "William B. Rugh" <wbrugh@BRIGHT.NET>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
As there has been a lot of talk about the "1976 Gentlemen's Agreement" I
have been digging in my files to find a copy. I have a copy of the
proposed doscument (but not all the changes made to it on the floor) and
I have what was printed in T&T.
The so-called gentlemen's agreement was actually a resolution (or series
of resolutions) voted on accepted by the chapters in attendance. As
such it is !not! a gentlemen's agreement; it has the full force and
power of any Convention Resolution.
Much of it is not germane to the discussion as it concerns continuing
efforts to secure Exemption from Title IX, funding of that effort, etc.
The pertinent part is:
"Nothing in the National By-Laws or Articles of Incorporation shall be
construed to require any chapter to accept any student as a pledge or
active member of its chapter." (T&T, Vol 52, No 3, pg 8)
The intent of this statement was to protect the right of all-male
chapters to so remain. After all 3/4 of the then all-male chapters had
to vote in favor of allowing chapters to determine their own mebership
as freqards women. Had this not been passed, many of our chapters were
prepared to leave us and form a new fraternity. There are good resons
not to put such a statement in the By-Laws and theose resons were
recognized at the time, even though a resolution only needs a majority
vote to be overturned. The all-male chapters concerned WERE given an
open-ended promise by the fraternity.
Does this agreement bind us forever? No, obviously, it can be changed.
However, we should have a COMPELLING reason to go back on our word. Is
there such a compelling reason?
Bill Rugh
Former Member of the National Board
