The Brothers Of DKE Have Sued Wesleyan University To Stop Their Frat From Becoming Coed

The Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Connecticut’s Wesleyan University has filed a lawsuit seeking a temporary injunction against the school’s ruling that all fraternities must begin accepting women and transition to coeducational.

As reported here on BroBible back in September, Wesleyan University has mandated all frats become coed within three years. Which meant we assumed it would be another year or so before we heard this controversial decision making headlines again, but here we are.

Wesleyan University requires all undergraduate students to live on-campus, and after finding out that students would not be allowed to live in single-sex fraternity houses during the 2015-2016 school year the brothers of DKE were forced to take action.

Why is Wesleyan University already enforcing a policy they gave three years for fraternities to institute? No idea, but if DKE’s lawsuit is successful in getting a temporary injunction in the Supreme Court, this is all going to play out in a very public forum.

From ABC/The Associated Press:

Members and alumni of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Wesleyan University have filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Connecticut school over a recent decision that requires all residential fraternities to become coed within three years.

Wesleyan announced the policy in September after several highly publicized issues at fraternity houses, including allegations of sexual assault.

Delta Kappa Epsilon said in a statement Thursday that it is seeking a temporary injunction in Superior Court after learning that students would not be given the option of housing at on-campus single-sex fraternities during the 2015-16 school year.

Wesleyan requires that all undergraduates live on campus.

A spokesman for the fraternity’s alumni chapter calls the school’s decision “political correctness gone wrong.”

DKE International has also released a statement regarding the lawsuit:

Delta Kappa Epsilon International Fraternity stands strongly in support of its Brothers at the DKE Wesleyan alumni chapter for filing suit (please click HERE for more information) against the University for blatant sexual discrimination, misrepresentation and deceptive practices that deprived them of their right to live in their own house for the 2015/16 school year.

DKE, like all of the other fraternities and sororities on Wesleyan’s campus, are unfairly singled out by being denied the right to pursue housing options depending on a person’s gender, race, creed or sexual preference. Nevertheless, after DKE Wesleyan worked in good faith to comply with the University’s mandate that the residential fraternity house be “fully coeducated” (cohabitated) within three years, the administration abruptly and unreasonably denied DKE their student housing option two days before the selection process was to begin.

Sadly, President Roth feels compelled to break DKE’s 150-year old tradition on Wesleyan’s campus which, as the University has said, “has contributed greatly to Wesleyan over a long period of time” in order to pursue his own particular brand of “diversity.” We sincerely hope that the Court will reject the blatant hypocrisy driving the actions of Wesleyan’s administration and see that justice is done by restoring the rights of DKE undergraduates to live in their own house. Such an outcome would be a victory not only for DKE Wesleyan, but for every Fraternity who cherishes the bonds of brotherhood that we are so fortunate to call our own.

It’s interesting that reports claim ‘members and alumni‘ are involved in the lawsuit, because as it turns out Wesleyan’s DKE has a pretty famous alumnus: Jeffrey Maier.

If that name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s okay, it’s been a few years since he was the most famous name in baseball.

From Wikipedia:

On October 9, 1996, the Yankees trailed the Orioles 4–3 in the bottom of the eighth inning when shortstop Derek Jeter hit a deep fly ball to right field. Right fielder Tony Tarasco moved near the fence and appeared “to draw a bead on the ball” when the then-12-year-old Maier clearly reached over the fence separating the stands and the field of play 9 feet below, snatched the ball with a glove of his own. While baseball fans are permitted to catch (and keep) balls hit into the stands, if “a spectator reaches out of the stands, or goes on the playing field, and touches a live ball” spectator interference is to be called.
Right field umpire Rich Garcia immediately ruled the play a home run, tying the game at 4–4, despite the protest of Tarasco and Orioles manager Davey Johnson (the latter was ejected in the ensuing argument).

The Yankees won the game in the eleventh inning on Bernie Williams’ walk-off home run. The Orioles maintained their protest of the Maier play after the conclusion of the game, but their protest was denied by American League President Gene Budig because judgment calls cannot be protested. After viewing the replay, Garcia admitted that there was spectator interference, though he maintained the ball was not catchable.

Sorry DKE bros, I know this has absolutely NOTHING to do with your lawsuit and it seems like I’m just bringing up old shit for the sake of it (which I am), but a colleague of mine who went to Wesleyan pointed out that the Yankees’ nadir is also the all-time hits leader for Wesleyan Baseball in addition to being a DKE brother, and I couldn’t help but bring that connection to light. I reached out to Jeff on Twitter to try and get a quote regarding this lawsuit but haven’t heard back yet.

As for the statement released by DKE’s alumni spokesmen of “political correctness gone wrong.”, I 100% agree with them here.

Wesleyan is synonymous with liberalism, and this new policy has just gone too far if it’s costing students their housing. Changes need to be made and we here at BroBible with the brothers of DKE the best of luck in their lawsuit.

[ABC News via The Associated Press]