1 minute read
Stand up to Harvard
In Fall 2018, Harvard University began to enforce the 2016 policy imposing sanctions against students who belong to single-sex social organizations, including sororities and fraternities. Members of those organizations have been stripped of opportunities to hold leadership roles in other Harvard organizations and athletic teams, and to obtain post-graduate fellowships and scholarships influenced or controlled by the university.
The impact on women's organizations has been particularly devastating. Because of Harvard's sanctions, almost all sororities and clubs open to Harvard women have closed or renounced their status as women's social organizations. In December, several sororities, fraternities and students filed federal and state lawsuits challenging Harvard's policies regarding violations of rights protected by Title IX and the First Amendment. While Pi Beta Phi has no Harvard chapter, we believe students have the right to shape their own futures. We know the inherent value of the lifelong friendships, leadership development opportunities and personal growth the sorority experience provides to women. We feel that a threat, such as this, to any fraternal organization is a threat to the future of our own sisterhood. That's why we proudly stand with our sister and brother organizations challenging Harvard in the courts.
You can take action by signing a petition against Harvard's sanctions at www.standuptoharvard.org. You can also join your NPC sisters making their voices heard on social media using #standuptoharvard.