Trinity College, a prominent bastion of the liberal arts in Hartford, Conn., plans to revolutionize its social scene in about a decade by requiring fraternities and sororities to go coed. The announced reform comes as the school ponders its upcoming bicentennial, in 2023.
The plan has thrust the school and its president, James F. Jones Jr., into the national spotlight, drawing howls of protest from current fraternity and sorority members, reports the Hartford Courant. Some alumni are outraged as well and are threatening to withhold donations.
Recommended Stories
More than 4,200 supporters have signed an online petition asking Jones to reconsider.
Trinity’s determination to do away with the single-sex Greek experience is one of many modifications suggested by a committee of trustees, administrators, faculty and students after a period of interviews and substantial data accumulation, according to Inside Higher Ed.
A surge in the number of alcohol poisoning incidents and drug-related hospitalizations among students caused concern among school officials and committee members. The problem is “far more severe among members of fraternities and sororities,” said the committee.
