stanford pledges to lose housing privileges

Stanford University is moving to withdraw standard housing privileges from anyone pledging a housed fraternity or sorority, starting immediately. These “underprivileged” fraternity members have the option of later petitioning for so-called “unpreferred” housing, which places them at a severe disadvantage to non-greek students in terms of obtaining plum housing assignments — or housing at all. Alternatively, a pledge who drops before initiation may request removal from the underprivileged list. But there appears to be no allowance for greeks who opt not to live in chapterhouses or who cannot for lack of space, reflecting the university belief that “once a student pledges a fraternity or sorority, the responsibility of providing housing to the member falls to the house.” Noble sentiments and perhaps a step to equalize greek and indie options, but with the greek system growing at Stanford, space concerns may multiply. Moreover, if greek housing is to be officially recognized as replacements for university housing, serious consideration should be given the College Housing and Infrastructure Act pending in Congress, which would permit funding for greek housing under the same standards as college dorms.