As Greek Life continues to be ever-present on campus, a group of female students has decided to organize a series of unaffiliated women meet-ups (turn to page 5 for more information). For those who decide not to rush a sorority or withdraw from the recruitment process, the group aims to provide support and a space to be oneself. The Editorial Board of the Old Gold & Black applauds these women for working to create a sense of community outside of sorority affiliation. 

It is the hope of the women who founded this initiative that they can provide the support and guidance  they wish they had following their recruitment processes. In organizing the meet-ups, these women fill a gap in resources that were not previously offered at the university. Although the Office of Student Engagement works to regularly provide and remind women of the availability of counselors before, during and after recruitment, talking to students who they can directly identify with can be more helpful and feel more natural. 

Though the Greek community can be welcoming … it can also be quite isolating for unaffiliated students.”

Though the Greek community can be welcoming for those involved, it can be quite isolating for unaffiliated students. Unfortunately, the presence of social media can often heighten feelings of loneliness that unaffiliated women feel. Especially during the first weeks of membership when there are many new member events, it can be hard not to feel excluded. These women are providing the university’s community a service that can help alleviate some of the stress unaffiliated women may feel. 

While this endeavor specifically aims to help unaffiliated women, the Editorial Board of the Old Gold & Black also acknowledges that the rush process for fraternities can also be alienating for the unaffiliated male community on campus. Even further, the Greek system in and of itself excludes the gender non-conforming and non-binary population at the university. 

The establishment of the unaffiliated women meet-up is ultimately the first step in confronting the status of our campus’s social ecosystem. The Editorial Board of the Old Gold & Black is confident that students will continue to participate in a healthy Greek system, while also working towards creating a more inclusive campus community. Groups that focus on promoting friendships outside of a fraternity or sorority will be key to fostering an expansive sense of belonging for all of campus.