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POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS

Presidential Regulation Number 5 - Regulation Denying Official Status to Fraternities and Sororities

Description: Denies official status to fraternities and sororities

Notes: Approved by President: 1990/01/01; Date Effective 1990/01/01

Approval Authority: President

Signature: "H.W. Arthurs"

Preamble

From its inception, York University sought to discourage the appearance of fraternities and sororities on campus and to dissuade students from membership in such organizations. The University has been concerned by three potentially negative aspects of the fraternity/sorority system:

  • A. Such organizations might deflect students from active participation in the College system and other campus organizations.
  • B. Their commitment to exclusivity is inconsistent with the character of a university which is particularly concerned to foster accessibility and tolerance among its many and varied student constituencies.
  • C. Various forms of inappropriate conduct, while not necessarily endemic to sororities and fraternities, are sufficiently common to raise apprehensions.
However, in 1989, a long-standing Senate resolution forbidding membership in fraternities and sororities was revoked. This was due in part to the fact that Senate possessed no jurisdiction over the matter, in part to the conviction that a university should not attempt to regulate with whom or in what organizations students choose to associate.

Since matters of student conduct and organizations are consigned to Presidential authority under the York University Act, this presidential regulation has been enacted in order to establish the policy of the University in this area.

Policy

York University does not recognize fraternities and sororities and will provide services or facilities to them only on the same basis as it does to other off-campus groups: when available, subject to appropriate conditions, and upon payment of reasonable charges.