Alabama sororities desegregated, but has anything changed?

It's been five years since sororities at the University of Alabama were formally desegregated. Fifty years after George Wallace blocked African-American students from campus, a second stand in the schoolhouse doors was organized -- this time to protest racism, not to support it. But has anything really changed?

According to data released by UA in January 2018, 92 Black or African-American students (3.9 percent of the 2,338 students total) were members of Alabama Panhellenic Association sororities, up from 10 in 2013. The number of Hispanic and Asian-American women in APA sororities rose as well from 164 to 336 and 26 to 53 respectively.

APA sororities at UA have steadily increased the number of minority students in predominately white houses sine 2013.

The University of Alabama has four governing bodies over Greek life. The APA oversees traditionally white sororities, the Interfraternity Council governs traditionally white fraternities, while the Alabama National Panhellenic Council oversees historically black sororities and fraternities.

Each summer, a week before classes begin, APA hosts sorority recruitment in a process commonly referred to as "Rush Week." Thousands of freshmen girls attend with the hopes of matching with their sorority of choice. And until recently, African-American women were denied "bids" to join traditionally white sororities. The issue came to a head in 2013 when Kennedi Cobb, granddaughter of John England, a prominent judge and a member of the University Board of Trustees, was denied a bid despite her decorated resume. Melanie Gotz, a student at the time, brought attention to the discrimination and spoke openly of her sorority's involvement in denying Cobb.

Cobb avoided attention but the issue quickly drew media to Tuscaloosa from around the country, forcing the school to reconsider its sorority recruitment process.

Bonner, UA's president in 2013, said sorority integration was the result of students wanting change. After days of student protests, meetings with sorority presidents, and a visit by then-still-beloved-icon Bill Cosby, Bonner facilitated a "continuous open bidding" process, ushering in a handful of women of color in traditionally white sororities.

"It is also important to remember that fifty years earlier, Alabama Governor George Wallace unfortunately put the university and the state in the national spotlight with his stand in the schoolhouse door, attempting to keep two young African-Americans from enrolling as students at The University," said Bonner.

"The symbolism of what had happened back then - and what was playing out a half a century later - was certainly not lost on me or others, especially many of our faculty."

Despite the misgivings of sorority alumni, the transition was largely smooth. By 2017, two African-American women led their predominantly white sororities as chapter president.

Marissa Lee, a former president of Phi Mu, told Truth or Dare, a blog started by University of Alabama students about college women and feminism, she has seen a lot of positive change on campus since arriving in 2014.

"I think a lot of people are finally drawing more attention to these race issues. There are lots of little things that can be overlooked, and it's hard to see if it's not your experience," Lee said. "Having that open dialogue and being willing to be vulnerable and give someone else your experience will let it be more personal and it tears those walls down easier."

Lexi Matallana, a senior at UA and president of APA, helped implement diversity and inclusion officers in every APA sorority. She said the involvement of those officers for the first time during recruitment set a different tone for the year to come.

"The campus climate has changed a lot since I've been here. We're at a much more comfortable place. People are ready to see how progressive our community can be as a whole."

But, like at most major universities, race relations on campus are still complicated.

Amber Scales, current president of Alpha Kappa Alpha, an historically black sorority, said even though traditionally white sororities, have allowed "some" women of color in, fraternities remain almost completely segregated. Scales is also the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Student Government Association and helped create an "I Am Alabama" video promoting diversity and inclusion that is now shown to every incoming freshman.

As of January 2018, African-American men make up 0.8 percent of traditionally white fraternities in IFC. African-Americans currently make up a little over 10 percent of the student body population.

Scales said APA sororities covertly encourage African-American students against rushing through the literature they put out. In the 2018 "Greek Chic" guide to rush, a booklet given to women going through sorority recruitment by Panhellenic, very few women of color are represented in its pages and steep financial obligations that may be a deterrent are presented (an average of $4,000 a semester).

"There's usually a very comparative narrative when it comes to being black on campus. Don't be a Cardi B, be a Michelle [Obama]. At the end of the day they are both women of color and should express themselves any way they see fit. They've had different cultural experience that's led them to be different people, and one should not be better because they are more palatable to white people."

Scales said the black women "allowed" in APA sororities hinge on financial status and outward appearances. She said many black women are aware of that reputation and choose to join the traditionally black sororities.

The nine traditionally black sororities and fraternities at UA, also known as the Divine Nine, have their own history and traditions that emerged, in part, because African-Americans were barred from white organizations.

As a result of the 2013 controversy, the university took additional steps to improve race relations on campus, requesting an external review of diversity and inclusion, and adding a new vice president-level position heading diversity.

An external review of diversity mapping on campus conducted in 2017 concluded there were 1,695 individual diversity efforts by UA that occurred between 2011-2016. The firm concluded that in the undergraduate curricula, 83 percent of UA's diversity-related courses in the school's system were offered, which the firm stated was the "highest percentage of offered diversity-related courses that we have ever found in any diversity mapping that we have conducted."

G. Christine Taylor, the school's vice president and associate provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, said the University has made progress in the year she's been at UA.

"What I'm most proud about is the Panhellenic council has decided that in each of the sorority houses there's going to be someone that's going to be devoted to diversity and inclusion in the house. I met with [the students] this Summer," Taylor said. "It's a new model. But I've been most impressed by the president of Panhellenic."

Taylor said she was one of five black students who integrated an all white elementary school in Tennessee when she was in the first grade. She said her mother said her entire life had been preparing her for her role at the University of Alabama.

And progress in Tuscaloosa continues in fits and starts, with every step forward illuminating work that still needs to be done.

"We're proud of the efforts to increase diversity in the fraternity and sorority community and to ensure it is welcoming to all interested students. It makes those communities stronger, and it's a process that will take sustained focus and continued effort," UA said via an emailed statement.

In 2014, one year after sororities integrated, a Snapchat photo using a racial slur referencing an African-American sorority woman was leaked. That same year Elliot Spillers was elected SGA president, the second African-American student to do so in 40 years. In 2017, Jared Hunter, the third African-American student body president would be elected -- this time with the backing of the "Machine," a campus secret society. In 2015, Halle Lindsey, an African-American woman in a predominately white sorority was denied the vote from her own sorority in her run for Homecoming Queen because the members feared they would not be invited to parties with fraternities, according to leaked GroupMe messages from upperclassman. In 2016, a video showing a white woman yelling "n------" on her Instagram was shared nationally.

Taylor said it was hard on students across campus when videos depicting Greek women using racial slurs were released.

"There's toxicity left from that," Taylor said. "What I have been glad about last spring. [Greek] councils came together. 'We want to own it, but we want to work together to do more to make this a better place. I think that is really exciting."

Scales said the video showing the woman using racial slurs on an Instagram video was not surprising.

"Black students were not surprised," Scales said. "These were not actions that contradict the ideas many greek students hold."

Amber said she has experienced private instances of racism on campus, such as microaggressions or problematic language in class or constantly feeling the pressure to educate friends and colleagues on the different struggles people of color face. But last year Scales says she experienced overt racism in public. She was walking near Bryant Denny stadium when a truck slowed down next to her and rolled down the window. A man, who she assumes was a student, yelled "n-----" out of the window and drove off.

Alabama still has a ways to go, but UA has made moves to promote diversity in the last five years. And women of all ages have led the charge. Women like: Amber Scales, Judy Bonner, G. Christine Taylor, Melanie Gotz and Marissa Lee, have made significant strides toward making campus a more inclusive place.

Reckon Radio presents, "Greek Gods," an examination of politics, privilege and race hosted by Amy Yurkanin and John Archibald, winner of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for commentary. In a four-episode miniseries examines what students learn when a handful have all the power. Yurkanin and Archibald take listeners downstairs into the fraternity basements where an anonymous group of leaders in training learn the darks arts of dirty politics.

Reckon Radio is currently available for subscription on iTunesGoogle Play and other podcasting platforms. All four episodes will be available on August 27.

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