tmL

I'm curious about the fraternity scene at Colgate. I read 33% of students (I think I'm remembering that correctly, but correct me if I'm wront) join fraternities, does it feel like that? Does the greek scene dominate the social scene? Is there a substance free dorm? Are parties mostly fraternity parties?

stonecold23

im curious about the first two... but i can answer ur second 2 questions

there is a substance free dorm, and there are apartment parties as well as frat parties, iwent to some during my april visit days (the guy i stayed with said that apt parties are so much more fun, and that fraternities get lame after a while)

xLxJxCx

im transferring to colgate so im not sure how it really is in terms of frats, but i remember reading before (maybe on this forum) that the percentages on how many people are involved with greek life is kinda decieving because freshmen can't rush. supposedly the percentage of just the classes that are allowed to be involved in greek life - sophomore to senior - is around the upper 40s. however, ive also heard that while a lot of people are in frats or sororities, it's not a big deal if youre not.

gellino

This is correct that it is deceiving because the 33% includes three classes. If you gross this up for eligible students, it comes out to 44%. I was actually at Colgate during the transition from freshman rush to sophomore rush and saw the percentages go from 60% to ~45%, so this change really caused the fraternity scene to be de-emphasized somewhat and it looks like it has maintained relatively the same level ever since.

I have to disagree and say that I always enjoyed fraternity parties more than apt parties. A lot more people, a lot more interesting, a lot more spirit; many times with bands. They are both fun and have their place, though.

ticklemepink

gellino- for my dad's curiosity sake, when did Colgate change its rush policies? He was really surprised when I told him that people can't rush until his sophomore year because back in his days, anyone could rush anytime.

Yup, frat parties are soooo lame now- I was actually turned away by a couple of bouncers (what... hello? A single pretty girl?!). But I did join in a frat party with my sorority and it was just okay.

It's really not a big deal- if anything, you can see who's in a frat by watching IM sports (as they make their own teams and sign up) and sorority girls wear their letters over the weekend (sweatshirts, sweatpants) and Fridays. Otherwise, we're just really normal and have other interests that we'd like to pursue besides this social life.

gellino

The class of '97 at Colgate were the last freshmen allowed to rush fraternities. A lot of changes were made to fraternities in the northeast in the '90's. Dartmouth, possibly the bellwether of the northeast private school fraternity system, went to sophomore rush starting with the class of '92, I believe and places like Bowdoin, Middlebury, Colby went to coed fraternities to, in some cases, no fraternities.

arcadia

At Middlebury, frats were abolished in 1990. They're now called social houses, and men and women can be members.

MADad

Colby abolished frats in the 80's. The old frat houses are now small dorms.

Union seems to be trying to offer an alternative to frats with their Minerva house system.

chochu444

Kenyon still has fraternities but the administration is trying to seriously crackdown on all fraternity activities.

gellino

Middlebury frats were not abolished as long ago as 1990 because I had friends in them through the mid '90's unless you mean in the traditional sense as I know they were coed by then. They weren't necessarily social houses, though because weren't they still connected to national fraternities?

arcadia

Actually, the initial movement to ban frats at Middlebury began in 1989, and all were either gone or had become co-ed by 1990--with one exception. Kappa Delta Rho (KDR), which was established at Middlebury in 1905.

Here's their story (from their website):

"In 1989, the administration at Middlebury College decided that all organizations on campus would be coeducational. Most fraternities at Middlebury were unwilling to accept this change and simply closed their doors. However, the brothers of Alpha Chapter decided that it was a better decision to accept women into their brotherhood than cease to exist. There were no provisions in the National Constitution allowing women into our organization, so the National Fraternity had to end affiliation with the chapter until a solution could be approved and implemented. The brothers at Middlebury continued on alone, still identified as KDR. The National Fraternity was unsure of the right step to take, as it did not want to lose its rich history at Middlebury and the strength of the chapter there. On the other hand, it did not want to lose its identity as a male fraternal organization. Throughout the 1990's, solutions were proposed and debated. In 1997 a solution was brought before the National Convention in Norfolk, Virginia. We would expand our organizational structure to include the Kappa Delta Rho Society, of which Alpha of Middlebury College was to be the first and at this time only permitted chapter. The KDR Society at Middlebury received its charter in October, 2000, thus restoring the ties that the National Fraternity had to its founding chapter."

gellino

thanks, that fills in the gaps. I was actually KDR at Colgate (Delta chapter) and knew that KDR at Middlebury was the initial chapter. I subsequently met people from Midd KDR and knew their fraternity was coed, but didn't know the timing, reasoning or logistics behind it.

Me2

the social houses at middlebury seem to play a much smaller role in the social life of Middlebury than the frats do at Colgate. Only about 10-15% of the student body belongs the five houses (one of which is a sub-free house), and anyone who wants to belong to one is allowed to join.