Delta Zeta’s national officers have been accused of evicting 23 women at the DePauw University chapter based on looks, race and academic major.

After 98 years on the DePauw University campus in Greencastle, Ind., the Delta Zeta sorority members voted in August to close their chapter after the 2006-2007 school year in hopes of reorganizing in the future. However, after a membership review by their national organization, media reports surfaced accusing the organization of discrimination.

According to an article in The New York Times, there was a decline in membership at DePauw’s Delta Zeta chapter, which led to an assessment of each woman’s dedication to daily recruitment. The national officers found 23 women to be lacking in commitment and told them to leave the sorority house.

The 23 evicted members included every overweight woman and the only black, Korean and Vietnamese members in the chapter, according to The New York Times.

Delta Zeta members who supported daily, active recruitment were asked to remain active members. Other women who were deemed less committed to recruitment were offered the chance to be moved into alumnae status, meaning they are still lifetime Delta Zeta members, but had their active status revoked.

“The facts heard through the media were factually inaccurate,” said Melissa Wilkinson, junior in AHS and president of the Delta Zeta chapter at the University of Illinois. “We are fully backing our national organization.”

Wilkinson said if the national officers see that a chapter has been struggling, they are very supportive and send people to help out. She said her chapter had someone come out Sunday to help with recruitment.

“The national officers do have a right to do this to any Delta Zeta chapter if they’re not doing well, not putting their all in and not dedicated,” Wilkinson said.

The average size of a sorority chapter at Depauw is roughly 90 members. However, the Delta Zeta chapter was struggling with a low membership of only 35 members.

The Delta Zeta chapter at the University of Illinois currently has a total of 145 members, which is similar to many of the sororities on campus. Wilkinson said that she does not fear a similar reorganization.

Members of the Delta Zeta chapter at the University were surprised by the news and wondered if there was any truth to the media reports, Wilkinson said. In order to address any concerns, the sorority had a meeting to inform its members about both sides of the controversy and offer resources for members to use for gathering information.

In a statement from National President Debbie Raziano, DePauw University denied the sorority’s request for reorganization, indicating Delta Zeta would not be guaranteed a return to the campus. University officials requested a membership review instead. Raziano’s full statement can be read at Delta Zeta’s Web site, www.deltazeta.org.

Wilkinson said the University’s Delta Zeta chapter is diverse with women of many different races and national origins.

“When girls come through, it doesn’t matter what color skin they have,” she said. “It’s the kind of person they are and if they’re right for our chapter.”