Three things in life you can count on

Death.
Taxes.
Controversy involving the Greek system at DePauw University.

Long story short, Delta Zeta Nationals is looking to boost membership of the DePauw chapter and booted (excuse me, granted alumna status) to those members they deemed not thin enough or pretty enough. And did I mention some of them were also minority women? Because pretty girls are more capable of attracting members than not so pretty ones.

The story has gotten so big it has even attracted the attention of the New York Times. And Paula Zahn over at CNN devoted 15 minutes to the story at the top of the hour. My dad called to tell me about that one.

I was a Greek woman at DePauw (thought not Delta Zeta). The sad thing is that this doesn't surprise me in the least. And while I think the actions of DZ Nationals are petty and the antithesis of "sisterhood," the reality is that the social climate at DePauw added the fuel to the fire. For all it's academics and awards, DePauw is 70% Greek and the influence of the system has permeated into every aspect of the University. . . .academics, social life, alumni involvement, fundraising, etc. Abolish the Greek system at DePauw and millions of alumni contributions will disappear too. Hot fraternity guys want to party with hot sorority girls and vice versa. And everyone, men and women, want to be associated with the in-crowd. So if you have a bad rush and don't attract the "right" people, others fraternities and/or sororities aren't as inclined to socialize with you because you don't have the right reputation. That's how DePauw was before I got there and how it was after I left. And if you don't have the right reputation you're rush numbers will continue to dip. It's not about sisterhood, it's about perception.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/education/25sorority.html?ei=5087%0A&em=&en=c8f0c116efb32f25&ex=1172638800&pagewanted=all