Gawker: sororities

Sorority Hazing Scandal Continued: Tales of Grave-digging and Branding

Sheila — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:41:51 EDT

In response to Long Island's Hofstra University sorority scandal, in which 19-year-old Courtney Holt said she was brutally hazed (the Phi Epsilon sorority responded that she was a mean drunk), a Hofstra alumn has written in. Surprise: the sorority is def evil, she says, and those girls are just as horrible as you might have imagined. "Although this Holt girl def seems like a psycho, a lot of the other information that she states is true... For one being Branded... yes they're branded with a three pronged fork to represent their three values (which is why they have a effing cow as a sorority symbol, and they always say 'love x3')."

Hello I am an alumni of Hofstra

My former friend pledged phi ep. b/c I had no interest in buying my friends in greek life. These girls were always mean to me simply b/c I wasn't greek. I have no problem validating this story

Although this Holt girl def seems like a psycho, a lot of the other information that she states is true.

For one being Branded... yes they're branded with a three pronged fork to represent their three values (which is why they have a effing cow as a sorority symbol, and they always say "love x3 )

Also this "Sister Dinner" they state in their letter left my friend traumatized during pledging. They made the pledge prepare a nice decorated beautiful dinner then basically threw the whole thing in their face and had a horrible pledge event.

I am not sure if anyone else can validate this but I heard they also have to dig their graves the first night of pledging. Then later on they are placed in a coffin on hell night and "reborn as a phi ep"

Second these girls are vindictive and cruel they have always harassed depledges to make them transfer and not tell their secrets. Phi Ep is a local sorority so they don't have to answer to anyone but themselves. they are out of control and I hope Hofstra kicks them off for good.

So funny their sorority is "respect" when clearly they lack it

Or maybe the "3-pronged fork" symbolizes the forked tongue of Satan?

Columbia Gals Learn Art Of Man-Catching

Doree Shafrir — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:22:18 EDT

The other evening, the sisters of Columbia's Sigma Delta Tau sorority gathered to hear a speaker who could figure very prominently in their futures: matchmaker Janis Spindel, of Janis Spindel Serious Matchmaking and 365 Proven Ways to Find Love in Less Than a Year. Why, did the lovely ladies need some help learning how to attract the fine male specimens of Columbia University? Yes, it turns out!

Jennifer Smokler, BC '08 and the event's organizer, said, "I was just so sick of girls saying that Columbia guys suck, that they're ridiculous. There are men outside of Columbia. I think at this event there will be tips on how to find those guys." Smokler knew Spindel through her daughter-the two were roommates at Syracuse University before Smokler transferred to Barnard.

She also had some interesting advice about dating black people.

As Spindel sat answering the sorority sisters' questions, her rapt listeners sat on the floor, gripping note-cards with questions and copies of her book.
Spindel didn't hold back. In response to a question about dating outside of one's religion, she replied by way of example, "Jewish men will date shiksas. They won't marry them. You don't want to set yourself up for something you're not going to finish." The same went for interracial dating. "You're in New York. Find someone from your own tribe."

Also, don't live with boys before you marry them, because of that whole cow-buying-free-milk you're-a-whore thing.—Doree

Make Me A Match [Columbia Spectator]

DePauw Banishes Fattie-Hating Sorority

Emily Gould — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 14:05:08 EDT

DePauw University president Robert Bottoms proved Monday that, when it comes to defending students from lookist sorority presidents, he's the tops! Sorry. Anyway, he has disbanded the remaining "pretty" members (pictured!) of the DePauw Delta Zetas, and one of the reasons was apparently their president's website nonapology for booting chunky gals: "Bottoms said the school was unhappy with Delta Zeta's policies and actions, and with some of the postings on its Web site in response to the controversy that followed the evictions. 'I came to the conclusion that our approaches to these issues are just incompatible.'" Delta Zeta national President Debbie Raziano could not be reached by the AP for comment, but we imagine her comment would have been something along the lines of "I'm sorry you think you have to feel that way."

DePauw Cuts Ties With Troubled Sorority [AP]
Earlier: Fattie-Hating Sorority Prez Admits "Mistake"

Remainders: Britney's Rehab Shopping Spree

Doree Shafrir — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 17:13:31 EST

Britney Spears understands that leaving rehab to go shopping is a really, really good idea. Especially if you stop by a friend's house to pick up a "bag." [US]

All the ex-lawyers at HuffPo think the Libby jury is stoopid. [HuffPo]

Atoosa's MySpace tribe is totally against cutting! [The 'Toos]

Columbia student opines that the exiled DePauw sorority sisters were merely lazy. Being fat had nothing to do with it. [Spectator]

The Teen Vogue interns have a blog now, and all the reality show girls have lots to say. It's gripping really! In its inability to grip us. [Teen Vogue via Fashionista]

Regret the Error blogger Craig Silverman is looking for submissions for his book about media mistakes. [Regret the Error]

DePauw Alpha Phis Take The 'SELF' Challenge

Emily Gould — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 14:00:43 EST

Hey, did you know that SELF magazine is offering members of "woman's fraternity" Alpha Phi, including the members of the DePauw chapter, a unique opportunity? These lucky girls will win a special Welcome Back celebration to kick off the Fall 2007 semester, but only if they all participate successfully in the SELF challenge, which involves tracking eating and exercise in an interactive online journal. Empowering! Unfortunately, only Alpha Phis are eligible. Delta Zetas just can't win, can they?

Alpha Phi Contest [SELF]
Earlier:Fattie-Hating Sorority Prez Admits "Mistake"

Fattie-Hating Sorority Prez Admits "Mistake"

Emily Gould — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 12:10:59 EST

Delta Zeta national president Debbie Raziano wants you to know that that Times article—the one that implied that her sorority's DePauw branch had kicked out everyone but skinny white girls—was "inaccurate and grossly mischaracterizes the situation." Raziano maintains that the evicted DZs (like former DZ secretary Rachel Pappas, pictured) were booted because they "no longer wanted to engage in day-to-day recruiting," though at least one ex-DZ told the Times that many of the evicted women "declared their willingness to recruit diligently." But Raziano is still sorry about one thing: the way the news got broken. "We misjudged how these communications would be received. Delta Zeta deeply regrets that." We're sure they do!

Delta Zeta and DePauw University [Delta Zeta]
Earlier: We Know Why These Sorority Girls Got Evicted

We Know Why These Sorority Girls Got Evicted

Emily Gould — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 11:45:16 EST

When the national office of the Delta Zeta sorority kicked out 23 members of DePauw University's chapter, they said it was because those sorority sisters were "insufficiently committed" to "recruitment." And, well, judge for yourself. Don't these women look insufficiently committed? Especially that one in the upper right hand corner. You can tell just from looking at her that she's not on board with the national office's goal of "enrichment of student life at DePauw." It's something about her expression, or the look in her eyes. Or maybe some other intangible quality. Just kind of a vibe we're getting.

Sorority Evictions Raise Issue of Looks and Bias [NYT]
[Photo: Andrew Hancock]