Sorority presidents on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan have been asked how not being able to live in a house affects their chapter.
The traditional Greek life experience for someone in a sorority is to have a common ground, a safe space for all sisters to reside. At Ohio Wesleyan, this experience has been compromised. In the city of Delaware, Ohio, it is considered a “brothel” if only women live in a house together, leaving the sorority sisters of Ohio Wesleyan homeless. As each chapter on campus has a living space there are rules against staying overnight in these shared spaces.
Although sororities cannot live in these houses, they are still in use. Events such as recruitment, sisterhood events, study tables, and chapters are all held at each house multiple times a year.
Avery Ponozzo, president of Tri-Delt, conveys that even with these activities, she still feels that her chapter needs to include certain luxuries that other campuses get to experience.
“Of course, we spend a lot of time at our house, but living together can foster stronger connections and closeness among members. I feel that a sorority house can also be a source of pride and identity for a chapter,” said Ponozzo.
Mickey Alfano, president of Delta Zeta, discussed how a lack of sorority living makes the Delta Zeta chapter closer and stronger, not due to the lack of time spent but because of the effort put into maintaining and growing within the sisterhood bonds that already exist.
“Since we’ve never been able to live in the houses, I don't think it alters the Greek life experience. I think people just find ways to combat it like living in apartments or other dorms together,” said Alfano.
As recruitment comes around for OWU sororities, potential preferred new members weigh the pros and cons of rushing. Some of their perspectives may be altered as they have potentially seen or been to the fraternity houses on campus. Preferred new members may automatically think that sororities get the same treatment and option to live together. Unfortunately, they will go through recruitment and learn the sad truth.
Mariam Samkharadze, president of Kappa Kappa Gamma, speaks about why this affects people's choice to go Greek.
“I do think that it does alter Greek life because living in a house is part of the reason people want to go Greek,” said Samkharadze.
This reasoning speaks for the closeness women search for when they decide to go through recruitment. Instead of chapter members being able to show their home, which gives the preferred new member an automatic sense of closeness, they have to find proof in other ways that other aspects of Greek life foster their bond of sisterhood.
Fortunately for the sorority chapters of Ohio Wesleyan, living together isn’t a make-or-break situation. Sisters have overcome challenges by spending time together and enjoying one another, even by finding other ways to live together. Sure, Greek life could be strengthened through sorority living, but Ohio Wesleyan sorority members have no lack of strength within their sisterhood bonds. These women have a home, and it is their job to foster connections because the “home” they are searching for, lies within the bonds.