Delta Lambda Phi denied recognition

Delta Lambda Phi, a fraternity working to become an active member of the greek system, was denied colonization status last week. \nCatering to the gay, bisexual and progressive male population on campus, the fraternity is open to males of any sexual orientation. So far, the fraternity has already recruited 14 members for the colony, which is seeking official IU recognition.\nBut recent votes by IU's Expansions Committee and the Inter-Fraternity Council denied Delta Lambda Phi official colonization status on the Bloomington campus.\nIn a letter sent during the weekend, Delta Lambda Phi President senior Steven P. Ary, Jr. identified the four reasons why the Expansions Committee and the IFC denied the fraternity recognition of colonization status.\nAccording to Ary's letter, the primary reason for denial was that "both councils were 'presumably' under the impression that they were voting on affiliation with the campus as a chapter rather than a colony."\nOther reasons given by the councils are that the fraternity's National Headquarters had not yet given the colony chapter status, the group does not have required insurance policies and the group has not adopted a policy that would allow the fraternity to accept particular North-American Inter-Fraternity Council (NIC) policies.\nIFC president senior Colin Godecke said the reasons given by Ary are actually recommendations for the next time the fraternity petitions to be recognized.\n"These were not necessarily reasons, but recommendations given to (Delta Lambda Phi) to help them next time they petition for recognition," Godecke said. "(The councils) felt these things were very important and that the frat should make them a priority next time they petition." \nGodecke said the main reasons for the denial was the fraternity's liability to the campus and the councils, as well as their lack of higher organizations.\n"Mainly, the reason for the refusal was their lack of liability insurance," Godecke said. "Our other concern was that they were not a part of the North-American Inter-Fraternity Council (NIC), which all of our other chapters are. (Delta Lambda Phi) has a National Headquarters, but each chapter we have has nationals and NIC affiliation and guidelines. Delta Lambda Phi doesn't have any larger organization body to fall back or rely on for policies besides their nationals."\nIn his letter, Ary argued against the concerns voiced by the councils, offering explanations as to why the fraternity should not have been denied colony recognition. For the first concern, the issue over the use of "chapter" over "colony," Ary said it was the idea of voting status which may have had a slight effect on the vote.\n"The only difference as to what the IFC might be concerned with, is that we would be a sitting member and would have no voting privileges," Ary said. "Only chapters have voting privileges. It was not a big difference, but a simple process of just changing the word would have been fine."\nThe second concern voiced by the councils was that Delta Lambda Phi is not recognized as a chapter by its nationals, but rather as a colony. Expansion Committee policies maintain that an organization must be recognized by its nationals before seeking recognition by the Expansion Committee as a colony. Ary said the fraternity not only has colony recognition by its nationals, but it shall soon have recognition as a chapter. Delta Lambda Phi went before the Expansion Committee because that organization has to approve of the colonization process.\nAccording to Ary's letter, liability insurance, one of the major concerns voiced by the IFC and Expansion Committee, will be given to the Delta Lambda Phi colony within the next two to three months. The delay in coverage for the IU colony is due to the events of Sept. 11, as explained to Ary by the national headquarters.\n"Nationals was in the process of getting the insurance, but then everything went haywire on Sept. 11. There was a jump in insurance premiums, so they had to restructure everything. We are working on getting it in the next two to three months through nationals," Ary said.\nGodecke maintains it was the risk of not having the insurance which hurt the fraternity's petition for recognition.\n"We're not wanting to risk adding another chapter that might add liability to the campus." Godecke said. "We want to add diversity, but not at the cost of adding liability to the campus and our councils."\nAlthough not recognized members of the IFC, Delta Lambda Phi was offered a position in the Fall 2002 Men's Formal Rush, which is organized by IFC. Ary declined the offer due to its false implications. Although the fraternity would be participating in a greek event, there would be a chance of misleading those involved into thinking the frat was officially a part of the greek system and IFC.\nGodecke felt that giving the colony the chance to recruit along with all IFC chapters was a fair thing to do.\nInstead of participating in Men's Formal Rush, Delta Lambda Phi will be doing its own informal recruiting through the use of flyers, IUTV and other means, Ary said.