[17637] in APO-L
All-male chapters, co-education, and Rose-Hulman
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Alvin L. Bennett)
Wed Nov 19 13:33:48 1997
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 1997 13:32:01 +0000
Reply-To: "Alvin L. Bennett" <bennetal@NEXTWORK.ROSE-HULMAN.EDU>
From: "Alvin L. Bennett" <bennetal@NEXTWORK.ROSE-HULMAN.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
Brothers,
Since Tau Lambda was mentioned on this list as a chapter at a former
all-male school, I felt it only proper to talk a little bit about what has
happened to Tau Lambda as Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology went co-ed.
Our by-laws had always been co-ed, but RHIT was all male. Then in the Fall
of 1995, RHIT went co-ed. I pledged in the fall of 1994, one year before
RHIT went co-ed. However, my pledge class included 2 women, one a graduate
student at RHIT (grad school had always been co-ed as far as I know) and
one a "consortiom" student--an agreement with ISU allowed technically ISU
students to take RHIT classes and transfer in the following year as
sophomores. Since then RHIT has become co-ed and Tau Lambda has a good
percentage of women members and officers. Tau Lambda has greatly benifited
from RHIT's going co-ed.
However, before the last Nationals, we discussed the Gentleman's
agreement. It was a nice long debate and in the end, the chapter voted
almost unanimously to support the Gentleman's agreement. In the words of
one woman "integration beats segregation any day, but forced integration is
counter-productive." I couldn't agree more.
Do all-male chapters have the right to remain the way they are? Yes. Of
course they do, no ex post facto law and all that jazz. Is there benifit
is staying all-male? Probably. Is there a lot to be gained by going co-ed?
Definately. Is it right for the majority to beat the minority upside the
head until they capitulate? Definately not. I would love to see every
chapter co-ed, but co-ed by their own choice, not because a national gun
was placed to their head. Each chapter should be allowed to decide its own
fate without a mandate from on high, not just because they have the right
to, but because when left to their own devices, each chapter will make the
decision that is right for them.
In L, F, and S,
Alvin L. Bennett
President
Tau Lambda Chapter, Alpha Phi Omega
"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest."
-- Mark Twain
