DZ 'reorganizes,' loses 29 women

Twenty-three members of Delta Zeta sorority - half of the chapter - were asked in early December to leave the house in a move national organizers say will strengthen the house by its centennial at DePauw in 2009. Six others have since chosen to leave.Trouble started last August, when junior Sarah Carlson, a former officer, said national representatives gave the officers two options: improve recruitment or choose not to participate in rush. Too small a pledge class or a vote not to participate in rush would result in the closing of the house.

The officers brought the matter before their sisters, and after one deadlocked vote, the women chose not to participate in rush.

Carlson, who was asked to leave, attributed the vote to a sense of disillusionment with recruitment.

"We were just tired of fighting all year," Carlson said. "We were tired of trying to fight the system. ... We just wanted to enjoy the year together."

But everything changed Sept. 12, when two Delta Zeta national representatives met with Greek Life Director Tom Hansen and Dean of Students Cynthia Babington. Closing the chapter, Hansen said, would not guarantee Delta Zeta a place on campus when it came time to reopen - their proposal to start a new chapter would be one of many.

The sorority's national Executive Director Cindy Menges was surprised by the news.

"Wow, OK," she said. "What do we do now?"

Of the alternatives Hansen presented to Menges and the sorority's national Vice President Kathi Heatherly, the two chose to conduct a membership review to identify the women willing to commit to recruitment.

For years, DZ has been DePauw's smallest sorority. Menges said the chapter's struggle with recruitment was caused by the perception of the chapter as being unsuccessful.

"Delta Zeta was the odd man out because we just didn't have as many numbers as the other groups," she said.

Senior Morgan Murphy, who is one of six women staying in the chapter, sees overcoming these perceptions as the task awaiting those women who remain.

"I've seen a lot of girls go through Delta Zeta's recruitment process and seem like they're having a great time ... and everybody thinks they're going to go there, but when it comes right down to it, they won't go there," she said. "And it's not because of the women, it's because of the stigma of being a Delta Zeta. ... We're trying to move beyond the stigma."

Two consultants from headquarters are now living in the house and have spearheaded a marketing push to distinguish the Delta Zeta of last semester from the house they're attempting to build. The effort has included the posting of flyers around campus and the delivery of letters and even desserts to other greek chapters.

One of the consultants, Liz Urso, said the chapter has participated in formal recruitment this week but is focusing on a more informational approach.

The move, termed a "reorganization," sent a ripple through the campus community.

"I do not think it's fair to disrupt a chapter and the lives of women who thought they were going to live in that house for a year to tell them in the middle of the year they have to move," said University President Robert G. Bottoms in a mid-December interview. "I also do not think matters were handled in a very sensitive manner. Even if you're justified in taking the actions that they took, why in the world would you do it the week before finals?"

Communication breakdown

DZ women said things first got fuzzy at the Sept. 12 meeting. They said the national representatives told them things - particularly about the membership review conducted in mid-November - that would turn out to be false. Uncomfortable with the situation, four women took alumnae status even before the review began.

Menges said Delta Zeta as a national organization does not typically conduct member reviews.

"We're not saying that we're free of mistakes," Menges said, admitting the process could have been clearer.

Sophomore Lindsey Kinker, who was asked to leave, remembers being told that women uncomfortable with the plan could take alumnae status voluntarily. Carlson and sophomore Joanna Kieschnick, who was invited to stay but chose to leave, recalled Heatherly saying similar things.

Heatherly said even if she can't recall her exact words Sept. 12, she knows her intentions were good.

"What they thought we meant wasn't what we meant, and we're sorry for that," Heatherly said. "We're certainly willing to say that we're sorry."

At the same time, Heatherly said, the women may have "heard what they wanted to hear" at the meeting.

Menges said if the women recommended for alumnae status had fought to remain in the sorority, they could have circumvented the recommendation. No one has done so, she said.

During the membership review, however, Kieschnick and Carlson each recalled asking their interviewer whether they could remain active members if they were recommended for alumnae status.

"We were told that if we were recommended for alumnae status we would have no say in the matter," Carlson said. "If we tried to challenge it they would deactivate us."

Kieschnick said she received the same response.

Junior Rachel Pappas, the chapter's former secretary, took unofficial notes at the Sept. 12 meeting. Her notes showed Heatherly suggesting the women bend the rules and perhaps party more.

"I am a ... national vice president, and if you think that I'm going to go out to a chapter and tell them to bend our national rules and risk my 25 years of service in Delta Zeta ... then I'm sorry, but I would not do that," Heatherly said, but added: "There is a social climate to the DePauw greek community ... I'm not talking about drinking, I'm talking about socializing and getting out and meeting people and making friends."