Diversity & Inclusivity
Greek Life’s Commitment to Action
The Lafayette College Panhellenic Council is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members. We recognize and celebrate the diverse and intersecting identities of our members, such as age, ability, ethnicity, gender, race, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. These diverse experiences strengthen our community and help us build a more inclusive and equitable Panhellenic.
We acknowledge the historical inequities and exclusion that have shaped sorority life, both nationally and within our own community. We recognize that these patterns of elitism and discrimination have perpetuated forms of oppression, and we are committed to actively dismantling them. Understanding this history is essential to ensuring we do not recreate the same barriers, but instead transform them into opportunities for progress. Our goal is to build an environment that reflects Lafayette’s diversity and provides meaningful support to every member.
The Panhellenic Council is taking concrete steps to build a more diverse and equitable sorority community. While our agenda includes many layers, some of our initiatives include:
- Structural Inclusion: Establishing a mandatory Diversity & Inclusion Chair on every sorority’s executive board, including the Panhellenic Council.
- Mandated DEI Training: Ensuring all chapters participate in annual diversity and inclusion education, including Safe Zone Training.
- Community Partnerships: Strengthening relationships with organizations representing marginalized groups through consistent and meaningful collaboration in academic, philanthropic, and social initiatives.
- Recruitment Statements: Each chapter provides a statement during recruitment to ensure all potential new members understand the chapter’s standards for equity, inclusion, and respectful community conduct.
- Financial Transparency: To reduce financial barriers, ensure chapters make membership more accessible by providing a straightforward, easy-to-read dues breakdown so every potential new member can clearly understand their options.
- DEI Resources Hub: Implementing a DEI Resources Hub on the Panhellenic website to provide clear information on financial assistance, campus identity-based centers, reporting processes, and upcoming DEI events.
This statement marks the beginning of a broader discussion within our community, and we are committed to the work ahead to create meaningful, lasting change. We value our members’ perspectives and welcome any feedback or suggestions to strengthen our efforts.
Sincerely,
Emerson Casper, Panhellenic Council Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity