Carleton has recently prohibited fraternities and sororities from tabling in the University Centre (UC) atrium and Residence Commons.
Jen Sugar, director of student affairs, said in an email that Carleton is aligning their tabling policy with the university’s Accreditation of Student Organizations policy.
According to Sugar, Greek societies are considered discriminatory because “membership in fraternities and sororities is not open to all students.”
Under section six of the policy, sororities and fraternities are not accredited by Carleton because they “limit their rights of membership and involvement and they exist to serve mostly or only their own membership.”
According to Lauren Konarowski, Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) vice-president (internal) and member of the Alpha Pi Phi sorority, Greek societies usually book space in the UC atrium or Residence Commons under umbrella organizations accredited with CUSA, such as the Carleton University Greek Council (CUGC) or the Panhellenic Council for Carleton.
“Dealing with administration is always something Greeks have to maneuver around,” Konarowski said. “Greek letter organizations on campus have never been recognized groups ever. That’s a policy that’s been in place for 20 years, and that’s fair. Typically, Greek organizations aren’t recognized.”
“Another issue that administration could have is [that Greek organizations’] constitutions are private,” Konarowski said. “Obviously you don’t want to endorse a group that has a private constitution because it seems secretive, and that could seem a little bit scary from a risk perspective.”
“You don’t want to endorse a group that you don’t know what it’s all about . . . I completely understand that aspect,” Konarowski said.
CUSA president Fahd Alhattab said Carleton’s policy on fraternities and sororities trumps that of CUSA’s.
“CUSA’s always been willing to work with any group or society. We’re very, very open in terms of engagement,” Alhattab said.
Alhattab said the university has identified complaints from students who feel uncomfortable and pressured by Greek groups.
“I don’t buy the argument because every club or society is there reaching out to students, and during election time we do the same thing,” Alhattab said. “We’re always trying to reach out to students and be engaged.”
CUGC president Oliver Nacey said he met with Sugar this past week to clarify what the CUGC is allowed to do on campus.
Nacey said members of his organization are still allowed to congregate in non-bookable spaces, such as the academic quad and tunnel junction, as well as book classrooms for use.
He said the groups under the CUGC “give equal opportunities to anyone to come out and see what our organizations are all about, but given the process of our recruitment and the process of our membership, the school believes that we don’t give that equal opportunity to all students.”
Nacey said Greek life on campus will enter a period of adaptation, saying it will be particularly difficult to do tabling for sororities’ and fraternities’ philanthropic causes.
“The biggest thing that the CUGC is concerned with is that the dialogue is continuous and that we’re aware of any changes or any things that are being enacted by the school because there was a lot of confusion last week, given the proximity to recruitment season that this decree was made,” Nacey said.
Nacey said his organization still plans on going forward with their agenda for the year.
“We simply have to find ways to make sure they’re going to happen within the school rules and making sure they know we’re willing to work with them,” Nacey said.
