Delta Lambda Phi, a fraternity for gay, bisexual and progressive men, is planning to return to Syracuse University. Its return will be positive for both the greek and the LGBT community, which should work with the fraternity to create a beneficial and lasting relationship.

The fraternity became a formal chapter on Oct. 22 in 2003, and spent nine semesters on SU’s campus before it disbanded due to a lack of interest. DLP is nationally a social fraternity and was a social fraternity when it was founded at SU, but it will be returning as a multi-cultural fraternity at SU.

To make sure the fraternity can sustain itself on SU’s campus, members should promote it to incoming freshmen, as well as the LGBTQ Learning Community and the LGBT Resource Center.

DLP should work with other campus groups, particularly the LGBT Resource Center. The center can help by educating students about the fraternity, as well as collaborating on events with DLP. In the same way that schools at SU promote professional and academic fraternities, the Resource Center should promote DLP.

DLP’s return sends a positive message to a university where both the greek community and the LGBT community are major components of student life.

With all kinds of fraternities on campus, such as professional, service and academic fraternities, DLP’s return would fill a much-needed niche. The many greek organizations at SU should be receptive and inclusive of the LGBT-friendly fraternity.

The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs should work to foster a relationship between DLP and the rest of the greek organizations. Although the semester is already almost half finished, there has only been one event organized so far with the entire greek community. FASA should be more active in its role among the greek community to make DLP welcome among all the fraternities and sororities at SU.

Currently, DLP describes itself as a fraternity exclusively for men. While this is a positive step for the LGBT community, women and members of the trans* community should have similar opportunities.

DLP’s presence on campus shows the strength of the LGBT community at SU. This new fraternity should be embraced by the greek community to foster a progressive and inclusive environment.

Published on March 3, 2014 at 1:00 am