With last year’s successful creation of Delta Lambda Phi, a fraternity for the gay, bisexual, and progressive men of Syracuse University, others are looking for new options to old traditions.

Jen Spinner, a student assistant for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center and a junior in The College of Arts and Sciences, is trying to create a sorority for lesbians, progressive women and others who don’t feel comfortable pledging other sororities on campus.

‘The girls are amazing, and I have nothing against the sonority system here, but I knew that because of my sexuality I did feel uncomfortable,’ Spinner said. ‘A lot of the conversations at the (informational meetings) were based around finding guys and I definitely felt I didn’t fit in, and that was why I didn’t continue to rush.’

In 2002, there were two student LGBT organizations, Pride Union and Open Doors. Now, LGBT groups and their presence on campus continue to increase: There are six student groups, including Delta Lambda Phi, and two discussion groups for students.

‘Since the LGBT community is diverse, having different kinds of organizations – It provides more places for people to feel like they belong,’ said Adrea L. Jaehnig, director of the LGBT Resource Center.

The idea for a lesbian sorority began last year when Spinner learned of other colleges that had started their own local chapters of a progressive sorority named Lambda Delta Omega, but was deterred when learning that there was no national chapter to back it.

‘SU won’t recognize any fraternity or sorority that doesn’t have a national base. The thing with Delta Lambda Phi is that they have a very established base,’ Spinner said. ‘The lesbian sorority doesn’t even have official Greek letters.’

This is an obvious frustration to Spinner and all who are involved in the project.

‘It’s just difficult, because the name changes every other week. Right now it’s Lambda Delta Omega, but I guarantee you that it’s going to change in a few weeks,’ Spinner said. ‘We also don’t want to proceed if SU isn’t going to recognize it, because then it’s not a viable alternative.’

The history behind LDO started in 1988 at the University of California at Los Angeles where, under the name Lambda Delta Lambda, the first local chapter of a lesbian sorority was formed. This chapter would later fold, but not before giving colleges like Pennsylvania State University the idea to form one for themselves. The women of PSU were displeased with the campus social scene for women, observing that most parties were created by men, and wanted to do something about it. Then in 2001, after learning that a fraternity already existed with the letters LDL, they changed their official letters to LDO, and continued to grow and show others, like Spinner, that a lesbian sorority is a feasible option.

‘Having our own sorority would be a great opportunity for girls who want to get involved in greek life but can’t find themselves fitting in with what exists right now,’ Spinner said. ‘I think it’s very important, too, having alternatives, because greek life is such an amazing thing and does create such a sense of together and unity.’

Syracuse University defended its policies on identifying greek-letter organizations, claiming that fraternities or sororities must have a national organization to back them or they won’t be as successful, said Carrie Grogan, assistant director of the Office of Greek Life and Experiential Learning.

‘It’s important to us that a fraternity or sorority has the support of a national organization and it helps them function better,’ Grogan said. ‘Fraternities and sororities are complicated in their policies and their processes and their membership policies; running those procedures is more successful when there is a national origination assisting them with that process. You’ll probably notice that on campuses where there are local organizations, they’re not as successful as the organizations that are supported nationally. And that is a priority for us here, that all of our organizations, no matter what kind, are as successful as they can be.’

Although there seems to be nothing that can be done at the moment, Spinner is looking into other options on changing policies or banding together with the local chapters of LDO and the LGBT center to try and make something happen. Many who know Spinner believe that she has what it takes to make something like this happen.

‘Spinner has an amazing personality that I can only describe as infectious,’ said Joan Kump, a sophomore art history major. ‘If she’s excited and motivated about something, you know it, and that energy transfers to anyone she comes in contact with.’

Jaehnig was optimistic about the project, if it is handled by the right people.

‘There hasn’t been sufficient student interest in the past to get a group like this started here,’ Jaehnig said, ‘but that doesn’t mean that couldn’t change if there was a group of students who were committed to creating something and defining their purpose.’

Although a sorority is the final goal, there are other options for a group to take if it becomes absolutely impossible for one to be created.

Grogan said there were other ways to create a student organization, which was not necessarily recognized as a fraternity or sorority.

‘If they are interested in forming a student organization, we can help them through with that process: The organization doesn’t necessarily have to go the sorority route,’ Grogran said. ‘We’d be glad to work with the organization to figure out what is best.’

Yet many feel that with the success of DLP, a sorority is the only way for women looking for other options to be accepted.

‘I know a lot of the people in DLP, the gay fraternity, and I really thought that there should be one for all of us girls,’ Kump said. ‘I think it would be a really good place. People always use the word ‘safe space’ and this really could be one.’

Published on November 3, 2004 at 12:00 pm