Shortly before WVU announced its 10-year ban on five dissociating fraternities, the fraternities formally announced the creation of a new Independent Fraternity Council (IFC) in Morgantown.
The fraternities are Alpha Sigma Phi, Kappa Alpha Order, Phi Sigma Kappa, Sigma Chi and Theta Chi, they said in a joint release.
“The new IFC will be supported by the members, fraternity alumni leadership, and the respective national organizations,” they said. “Our member fraternities who want an alternative experience will find support amongst peers, accountability to shared health and safety policies, and a positive social and leadership development outlet.”
For more on the WVU fraternity ban: https://www.dominionpost.com/2018/09/27/wvu-puts-10-year-ban-on-five-fraternities-forming-independent-council/
They are opening their doors to others who wish to leave the WVU fold. “We encourage additional membership from currently recognized organizations or we will also accept dual membership from them, if supported by their national organization. We invite additional fraternities not currently represented here to join our IFC, if supported by their national organizations, and expand a positive and sensible fraternity presence in Morgantown.”
Formation of the new IFC is still in process, they said, with the local chapters, national organizations, and chapter alumni leadership working to complete all the steps.
Gordy Heminger, president and CEO of Alpha Sigma Phi, commented on WVU’s 10-year ban.
“Alpha Sigma Phi’s decision was made completely by the undergraduates and with no pressure from the fraternity headquarters who supported the initiative and activism they demonstrated,” he said. “I’m disappointed in how the university has responded but it does validate and legitimize the concerns many students and student organizations have about a conduct process that lacks due process or fundamental fairness.
“I’m not sure how a public institution can prevent a student organization from even applying for recognition, nor where in their published policies and procedures it states that a student organization who chooses not to be recognized can’t even apply for recognition for 10 years.
“If WVU is like most colleges,” Heminger said, “every year student organizations come and go, only to return when students are interested in being recognized by the university. Unless this rule, which seems arbitrary, is applied across the board, I could see some challenges and headaches for the university in the future.”
Regarding the new IFC, the fraternities said they’ve communicated with members’ parents to explain their concerns with the university’s actions, “to defend the preservation of students’ rights, and to underscore our commitment to health and safety.
“While our chapters are not recognized by WVU,” they said, “each member is a WVU student. Standing up for what they believe in is one of the best qualities of leadership. Any form of harassment or retaliation against them or their chapters will not be tolerated.”
The Dominion Post posed a question about loyalty to the new IFC, given that the fraternities felt free to leave WVU’s Interfraternity Council. What prohibits them from moving on if they again encounter issues?
Jesse S. Lyons, assistant executive director for advancement and editor of The Kappa Alpha Journal, said, “Each fraternity must do what is right and what they feel is best for their members and their local and national organization. Currently, we are bound by our mutual priority of health and safety, agreement about concerns regarding WVU’s overreach and our mutual defense of student rights.”
The fraternities said student health and safety are their highest priorities, they enforce policies to maintain high education standards and they’ve been leaders in risk management for decades.
“WVU’s policy of deferred recruitment is not only an infringement of rights,” they said. “Studies suggest that deferred recruitment can increase high risk behavior. In fact, prohibiting students from joining for a semester does not prohibit recruitment.
“One study has shown that deferred joining’ increases unhealthy behaviors by prohibiting first semester membership from interested freshmen. These students are drawn to events during their first term, yet remain non-members, and not held to the standards and bylaws of the chapters.”
The fraternities said they believe in partnerships where partnerships are valued, but “the actions taken by WVU have negatively affected all organizations, and more importantly negatively affected all students.
Regarding the process to reclaim recognition following suspension, the fraternities said “To date, WVU has been unwilling to accept, agree to, or negotiate any of our ideas. In fact, WVU forced organizations who were previously in good standing, without incident, to develop and present a “rehabilitative action plan” in order to “rejoin” the WVU Fraternity and Sorority Life Community.”
WVU wrongly removed recognition of some organizations, they said, when issues had already been adjudicated and in many cases found not punishable or were agreeably concluded.
“Additionally, the new ‘plan’ gives one staff member the summary power of removing any student from a fraternity or sorority. The absence of any procedure that resembles due process is simply wrong.”
First semester freshmen, they said, face a variety of adult choices. “They should be allowed to join, or wait to join, or not join, as they see fit. To suggest that a young man or woman does not know what is ‘right’ for them in selection of a fraternity or sorority is insulting to their intelligence. … Deferred recruitment is arguably unconstitutional in that it limits the rights of students to freely associate and is purposely crippling to chapters.”
They said data shows that students who find a home early in college – such as a fraternity or sorority – fare better overall and can experience increased long term wellbeing. “We have not seen any data, despite requests, that supports any health and safety benefit from deferred recruitment. Further, requiring a chapter to make a 2.75 GPA, or suffer the loss of all privileges, not just social events, is also onerously punitive. Each of our organizations already have similar or higher standards.”
