Pledged

by Alexandra Robbins

  255 Some sororities also force their pledges to wear similar hairstyles: Interviews; See also Nuwer, Hank. Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing, and Binge Drinking. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1999.

  256 As one recent Phi Mu said, “We were essentially slaves to the sisters”: Ibid.

  256 In 2001, Northeastern University . . . separating candy with their noses: See Abel, David. “Campus Hazing Reportedly Increasing—in Sororities.” Boston Globe. December 15, 2001.

  257 One sorority made its pledges call fraternity brothers . . . they were coming over: See Wright, Esther. Torn Togas: The Dark Side of Campus Greek Life. Minneapolis: Fairview Press, 1996.

  257 A Phi Mu . . . “Nose, tits, and toes!”: See Nuwer. Wrongs of Passage.

  258 pledge class was told to prick . . . prayed the blood wasn’t contaminated: See Wright. Torn Togas.

  258–259 In 1997, in accordance with a tradition . . . wearing a fake penis: See Vargas, Elizabeth, Diane Sawyer, and Sam Donaldson. “Sorority Hazing: Tales of Abusive Initiation Rituals.” ABC 20/20. April 28, 1999; See also Nuwer. Wrongs of Passage. After the pledges complained to the school, DePauw issued one-semester suspensions and social probation to the branders, put the chapter on social probation, and cut its quota in half for the next two years. The chapter voted to keep the offending sisters. A sister who wanted to expel the hazers moved out of the house after other sisters ransacked her room. (Branding is hardly new to sororities. In 1988, a sorority at the University of Maine blindfolded sixteen pledges at a cemetery and branded them on their lower backs with a hot metal stamp of the sorority’s letters.) See “No Charges in Sorority Pledge Branding.” UPI October 13, 1988.

  259 circle the fat was described . . . “‘It’s just going to make you a better person’”: See Soos, Margaret J. “With Friends Like These.” OC Weekly. August 27, 1999.

  260 In 1970, Alpha Gamma Deltas . . . died of injuries sustained to her head: See Nuwer. Wrongs of Passage.

  260 In 1993, Sarah Dronek pledged . . . able to save her toes: See Vargas, Sawyer, and Donaldson. “Sorority Hazing: Tales of Abusive Initiation Rituals.”

  260 started referring to Hell Week with the euphemism “Inspiration Week”: See Wright. Torn Togas.

  262 The National Panhellenic Conference had declared March 3 “Badge Day”: For more information on Badge Day, see the description on the National Panhellenic Conference’s web site, at http://www.npcwomen.org/newsevents/n_badgeday.php.

  262 the “Panhellenic Creed” . . . “tenet by which we strive to live”: See, for example, Speaking of Sororities: A Guide to Understanding the Privileges, Responsibilities, and Benefits of Sorority Membership. First edition, 1961. Revisions by NPC Publications Committee, 1989, 1995, 2001; see also the National Panhellenic Conference web site, at http://www.npcwomen.org/about/ an_creed.php.

  269 In the 1990s, national Greek organizations . . . Greek deaths had been attributed: See, for example, Yee, Kelly T. “Fraternity, Sorority Hazing Under Increased Scrutiny.” Times-Picayune. September 11, 1994.

  269 In May 2002, Alfred University . . . because of a beating during pledging: Interview, Daryl Conte, Alfred University’s associate dean of students and formerly the administrator in charge of Greek life. For more on the issues that led Alfred to abolish its Greek system, see Goetschius, Sue. “Greek Life at Alfred: Proud Tradition, Uncertain Future?” Alfred: The Magazine for Alumni and Friends of Alfred University. Spring 2002.

  269 Other schools . . . terminated their Greek systems because of hazing violations: See, for example, Macpherson, Doug, reporter; Simon, Scott, host. “Controversy Over Faculty Proposal to Abolish Greek System at Dartmouth College.” All Things Considered. National Public Radio. May 18, 2001.

  269 forty-three states passed antihazing laws . . . House Committee on Education and the Workforce: See, for example, Hank Nuwer’s web site www.stophazing.org, a clearinghouse for information on the subject. See also Haynes, V. Dion. “Across U.S., Hazing Lives Despite Laws.” Chicago Tribune. May 26, 2003.

  269–270 “Any action or situation . . . in a chapter or colony of an NPC member fraternity”: See, for example, the definition available on the National Panhellenic Conference’s web site, at www.npcwomen.org/policies/p_resolutions.php.

  270 “Hazing is anything that distinguishes one member from another”: Many of the students at the Northeast Greek Leadership Association Conference were grappling with this definition, while some current sorority sisters whom I interviewed outside of the conference (like Vicki) were unaware of it.

  270 NPC has two levels of policies . . . “tougher on students”: I gleaned this information from the National Panhellenic Conference web site, specifically from www.npcwomen.org/policies/ p_agreements.php, and confirmed the details in an interview with Sally Grant.

  270 When Arika Hover pledged . . . Framed, Arika was tossed out of the chapter: Interview with Arika Hover. I originally learned about Hover’s story from: Mahoney, Erin. “Ex-Sorority Member Alleges Harassment.” Arizona Daily Wildcat. August 26, 1999.

  272 “They’ve actually done studies . . . lowest common denominator”: See Rivera, Geraldo, host; Pretlow, Jose, executive producer. “When Hazing Becomes Torture.”

  272 when I asked Brothers . . . “somebody else’s book”: Telephone conversation with Dr. Joyce Brothers.

  273 A 1980s study . . . hazing was important to Greek life: See Blair, John L., and Patrick S. Williams. “Fraternity Hazing Revisited: Current Alumni and Active Member Attitudes toward Hazing.” Journal of College Students Personnel. Vol. 24, No. 4 (1983): 300–305. Cited in Wright. Torn Togas.

  273 In 2000, a sorority president posted . . . “crossing streets, rock climbing etc.”: See www.stophazing.org.

  274 In December 2001, Michael V. W. Gordon . . . “hazing in sororities is increasing in frequency as well as severity”: See Abel. “Campus Hazing Reportedly Increasing—in Sororities.”

  274 require pledges to wear a “pledge pin” distinguishing them from sisters: The pledge pin tradition was general knowledge among the sorority girls I interviewed; I confirmed this in an interview with Sally Grant.

  274 don’t allow pledges to wear the sorority’s crest: Interview, Sally Grant.

  274 exclude pledges from ritual ceremonies: This was general knowledge among the girls I interviewed; also, the purpose of initiation for most sororities is to finally introduce the pledges to the sorority’s rituals and secrets. Sally Grant explained to me that pledges cannot wear the sorority crest because they do not know the meaning of it (and won’t know until they are initiated).

  274 refuse to initiate pledges until they pass a pledge-only test: See, for example, Pi Phi Forever, which states, “A Pledge Shall Be Initiated Into Pi Beta Phi Only After . . . She has passed the pledge test.”

  TRADITIONS AND SECRET RITUALS

  277 “Earn Yo Beads Mardi Gras Party” . . . “Free Bongs for All Party Patrons!!”: This information was printed on brochures handed out to partygoers, as well as posted on signs in the area.

  279 While Spring Breaking on South Padre Island . . . “I’m really glad I did it”: See Ovaska, Sarah. “Girls Gone Wild Holds Competition; Not Everyone Is Wild about the Nudity on the Beach.” Valley Morning Star. March 15, 2003.

  280 Dissatisfied with the results . . . had not made a final decision on the girls’ sorority fate: I learned this from SMU sorority members. The Delta Delta Delta national office did not return repeated calls for comment.

  280 “a symbolic and often emotional expression . . . between the individual and the organization”: See Callais, Mari Ann. “Sorority Rituals: Rites of Passage and Their Impact on Contemporary Sorority Women.” A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership, Research, and Counseling. May 2002.

  281 In 1999, the national pres
ident of Alpha Sigma Alpha . . . “we would never lose our way”: See Kilgannon, S. M. “The Ritual Provides Direction for Alpha Sigma Alpha.” The Phoenix of Alpha Sigma Alpha. Fall 1999. Cited in Callais. “Sorority Rituals.”

  281 An Alpha Delta Pi document . . . “The ideals remain unchanged”: See Hensil, K. Alpha Delta Pi History Workshop I–III. Atlanta: Alpha Delta Pi Fraternity, 1994–1997. Cited in Callais. “Sorority Rituals.”

  281 Kappa Alpha Theta was the first university Greek-letter fraternity for women: See Kappa Alpha Theta’s web site, at www.kappaalphatheta.org. Several sororities like to claim to be the “first.” In 1851, women at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia, founded the Adelphean Society—the country’s first secret society for college women—which later became Alpha Delta Pi. (See, for example, MacDonald, Jessica North, editor. History of Alpha Delta Pi: From the Founding of the Adelphean Society in 1851 at Wesleyan Female College, Macon, Georgia, to the Establishment of the Fifty-fourth Chapter of the National Organization at the University of South Carolina in 1928. Ames, Iowa: The Powers Press, 1929; See also 100 Years of the National Panhellenic Conference.) The following year, Wesleyan women formed the rival Philomathean Society, later known as Phi Mu. (See, for example, Nuwer, Hank. Wrongs of Passage: Fraternities, Sororities, Hazing, and Binge Drinking. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1999, for the rivalry.) In 1867, I. C. Sorosis (eventually Pi Beta Phi) was established at Monmouth College as the first women’s college secret society to be modeled after men’s fraternities. (See Pi Phi Forever; see also Pi Beta Phi’s web site, at www.pibetaphi.org.)

  In 1882, Gamma Phi Beta at Syracuse University was the first to call itself a “sorority,” at the urging of the members’ Latin professor. (See Owen, Christopher Kent. “Reflections on the College Fraternity and Its Changing Nature.” Baird’s Manual of American College Fraternities. Menasha, Wis.: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Primary, 1949–, 15th ed.; 100 Years of the National Panhellenic Conference; Callais. “Sorority Rituals;” Gamma Phi Beta’s web site, at www.gammaphibeta.org.) “Soror” is Latin for sister, but many sororities still officially continue to refer to themselves as fraternities. See, for example, Thornton, Bonnie, and Debbie Thornton. Ready for Rush: The Must-Have Manual for Sorority Rushees. Nashville: Hamblett House, 1999.

  281 In 1870, Bettie Locke . . . wear their badge only if she agreed to be their mascot, she declined: See Kappa Alpha Theta’s web site, at www.kappaalphatheta.org.

  281 At her father’s suggestion . . . only begun to admit women three years before: See Johnson, Clyde Sanfred. Fraternities in Our Colleges. New York: National Interfraternity Foundation, 1972. Cited in Benjamin, Faye. “Fraternity Girls” [a Brown University term paper]. December 2002.

  281 Ida Shaw Martin argued that . . . “residence in a dormitory will tend to destroy right ideals”: See Martin, Ida Shaw. The Sorority Handbook. Boston: privately printed, 1907.

  281 “were reminded not to disgrace themselves, lest they bring shame on their sorority”: See Nuwer. Wrongs of Passage.

  282 state laws prohibiting sororities . . . as “inimical to the public good”: See Oklahoma State Legislative Council Research Department. States with Anti-Fraternity and Anti-Sorority Laws: A State Legislative Council Compilation. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, March 24, 1953.

  283 Mega-author Sue Grafton . . . “hasn’t contributed anything to my success”: Grafton included this statement in a response to a set of written questions I faxed her.

  283 sororities developed rituals to reflect the values . . . “made the group special and unique”: See Callais. “Sorority Rituals.”

  283 the crest of the national sororities’ . . . “inscribed the name of the National Panhellenic Conference”: See 100 Years of the National Panhellenic Conference.

  284 “What is really exciting . . . Kappa stories became one”: See Strength, D. W. “These Are Our Stories.” The Key of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Summer 2000. Cited in Callais. “Sorority Rituals.”

  284 encompass formal readings . . . she should be asked to leave: See Callais. “Sorority Rituals.”

  284 These oaths, however, are not necessarily steadfast: I learned about most of the secret rituals in the following section from interviews with scores of sorority sisters.

  285 Delta Zeta has a sorority whistle . . . G, G, high E, high C: See Miner, Florence Hood. Delta Zeta Sorority 1902–1982: Building on Yesterday, Reaching for Tomorrow. Columbus, Ohio: The Sorority, 1983.

  285 “The roots of the flower are the Founders . . . petals stand closely united around these to defend and protect them”: See Pi Phi Forever.

  287 National Song of Alpha Delta Pi . . . “For Alpha Delta Pi”: See MacDonald, editor. History of Alpha Delta Pi.

  287 In “hard-core” Chi Omega chapters . . . pronounced dead, and then reborn as sisters: According to the web site www.chiomegasecrets.com, run by Kristin Verzwyvelt, the former Chi Omega who alleged her sisters arranged her date rape, a Chi Omega initiation song entitled “Unto Persephone” goes as follows:

  Unto Persephone

  Maiden now we yield thee

  Rest thou in deepest dream

  Til comes the wak’ning gleam

  Spirits attend thee

  Light and love to lend thee

  In Chi Omega

  (pause)

  To a new life rise

  Blest by Demeter wise

  In these bonds to find

  Strength in friendship kind

  Sister, we greet thee

  Ever one with us to be

  In Chi Omega

  287 Kappa Delta’s First Degree Ceremony . . . “virtually unchanged since 1897”: See The Norman Shield of Kappa Delta.

  288 crucial that the pin not “fall into the possession of a nonmember” . . . or alumnae association: See Isbell, Lila A. “Deep the Sweet Significance . . . What You Should Know About Your Kappa Badge.” The Key: A Kappa Kappa Gamma Publication. Vol. 120, No. 1 (Spring 2003).

  288 at the National Panhellenic Conference Centennial Celebration . . . “secrets must be maintained to maintain intimate association”: See Letitia Fulkerson, Chi Omega Fraternity, 1st Alternate Delegate. NPC Summary 2002. “Celebrating 100 Years of Leadership, Values, and Friendship”: the National Panhellenic Conference Centennial Celebration and Interim Session. Held at the Marriott Oak Brook in Oak Brook, Illinois, October 10–12, 2002.

  APRIL

  293 Sisterhood is not as strong as brotherhood . . . “boys can pierce it”: Interview, Lisa Handler.

  294 I visited Zeta Delta Xi . . . Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island: I am grateful to the brothers of Zeta Delta Xi for allowing me to use their actual names and affiliation.

  294 Faye, who wrote a paper . . . encouraged experimentation: See Benjamin, Faye. “Fraternity Girls” [a Brown University term paper]. December 2002.

  295 The Zetes originally were affiliated . . . “fraternity founded on principles of equality”: See the Zeta Delta Xi web site at www.zete.org.

  297 “Well, that’s not as much fun . . . you do anyway”: Interview, Melody Twilley.

  305 I attended a Subrosa meeting at the University of Pennsylvania: I am grateful to the women of Subrosa for allowing me to use the name of their club and school.

  306 joined Subrosa after their Phi Sigma Sigma chapter was shut down in the fall: Phi Sigma Sigma’s national office did not return repeated calls for comment on the closing of the chapter.

  306 In 2002, the Phi Sig chapter had the highest sorority GPA . . . “Outstanding Greek Leader”: See the chapter’s web site, at http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~phisig/awards.htm.

  306 one of the few sororities on campus that hadn’t broken rules in recent memory: See, for example, Tamber, Caryn. “Phi Sig Troubles Due to Low Numbers; Nearly All Members of Penn’s Chapter of the Sorority Resigned Wednesday.” Daily Pennsylvanian. November 8, 2002.

  306 three other sororities at Penn were under investigation for alcohol violations: See Dulberg, Andrew. “O
SC Concludes Investigations into Six Greek Houses.” Daily Pennsylvanian. April 10, 2003.

  307 option to deactivate . . . seventy-five sisters resigned: See Tamber. “Phi Sig Troubles Due to Low Numbers.”

  307 chapter president stated . . . “no longer want to be associated with such an organization”: See Maak, Jamie. “Phi Sig Sorority Members Resign; The Group’s National Organization May ‘Reestablish’ at Penn.” Daily Pennsylvanian. November 7, 2002.

  307 My daughter will make friends . . . opportunities for continued camaraderie, service, and personal development: See the National Panhellenic Conference publication Women’s Fraternity Membership: A Perspective for Parents, 2001.

  CONCLUSION

  320 Greeks are more likely to graduate from college than unaffiliated students: See the National Panhellenic Conference publication Unlocking the Secrets to Success in College: Words of Wisdom from Sorority Women.

  320 two-year survey . . . “show stronger inclinations to give financial support to non-profit agencies”: See Women’s Fraternity Membership: A Perspective for Parents; Thornton, Bonnie, and Debbie Thornton. Ready for Rush: The Must-Have Manual for Sorority Rushees! Nashville: Hamblett House, 1999.

  320 higher occurrences of binge drinking: See Wechsler H., G. Kuh, and A. Davenport. “Fraternities, Sororities and Binge Drinking: Results from a National Study of American Colleges.” National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. Summer 1996; 33(4).

  320 academic cheating and weaker levels of “principled moral reasoning”: See Callais, Mari Ann. “Sorority Rituals: Rites of Passage and Their Impact on Contemporary Sorority Women.” Ph.D. dissertation, Louisiana State University. May 2002.

  320 a 2003 Penn State survey . . . experiencing unwanted sexual advances: See Freyvogel, Colleen. “Survey Finds Penn State Sororities, Fraternities Drink More.” Daily Collegian. Pennsylvania State University, Via University Wire. March 4, 2003.

  320 which has an Academic Excellence Committee that distributes a seasonal newsletter: See, for example, The Scholar: Academic Excellence News. Vol. 10, No. 1 (February 2003).