Sorority rules outlaw fraternity shirts, events

Sorority women are no longer allowed to wear men’s fraternity shirts due to a ruling from the National Panhellenic Conference.

“It eliminates half of my T-shirt wardrobe,” said Julie Graff, dance performance senior and Alpha Chi Omega member. “It’s really weird being told what to wear as a senior.”

The National Panhellenic Conference is an advocacy organization for the college sorority experience.

The conference supports and guides its 26 national and international sororities and is a voice for modern issues for sorority life.

The ruling on fraternity shirts was put into effect through The National Panhellenic Conference’s Unanimous Agreement X.

“It’s intended to help protect the rights of sororities to remain women-only organizations,” said Alexis Miles, dance performance senior and Gamma Phi Beta member.

Sororities must ensure their bylaws are up-to-date and include the correct language regarding the Unanimous Agreement X.

“The Unanimous Agreement X includes that sorority women are not allowed to attend men’s rush or bid day events,” Miles said.

The Unanimous Agreement X also states that Panhellenic women are to avoid promoting one particular fraternity during the men’s recruitment process.

“Shirts that aren’t allowed are fraternity rush shirts, big or little brother shirts, and shirts with one fraternity’s Greek letters hugely emblazoned on their chests,” said Hannah McCue, acting senior and Gamma Phi Beta member.

All four of OCU’s Panhellenic sororities are required to abide by the rules.

Some fraternity members have mixed feelings about the rule.

“We don’t want them to be walking billboards for us,” said Montray Fox, political science senior and Lambda Chi Alpha member. “But I do think that they should be allowed to wear what they want to wear.”

Certain shirts still are allowed including those for sorority and fraternity social events, formals, sweetheart, philanthropy, and Homecoming, as long as the organization’s letters are not widely visible.