Connecticut fraternity sues university over integration policy

By Richard Weizel MILFORD, Conn. (Reuters) - An all-male fraternity at Wesleyan University in Connecticut has filed a lawsuit against the school, contending it discriminated against fraternity members by telling them they had to move out by this year because they had not admitted women members. The school's Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity had been told in September that it must allow at least six women to live in its on-campus houses within three years. The fraternity's attorney, Kathleen Eldergill, said on Friday the university's administration then changed its position, contending that the 32 members had to move out before the start of the next academic year. That is a problem for the fraternity members since Wesleyan requires its undergraduates to live on campus, Eldergill said. University officials said the fraternity, known by the nickname DKE, was not complying with its mandate to take steps to prepare to admit women. "Wesleyan has offered DKE the opportunity to work regularly with the administration so that the DKE house might be ready for co-educated program housing in 2016," Wesleyan said in a statement on Friday. "The university is confident that this lawsuit has no merit." Wesleyan's order to its fraternities to integrate came at a time when universities across the United States are trying to fight what the White House has described as an "epidemic" of sexual assault. The Department of Education has brought suit against more than 50 schools, not including Wesleyan, contending that their policies on stopping sexual assault and harassment fall short of federal requirements. Eldergill said fraternity members have been "actively working with a sorority on campus in an effort to recruit women to join." The lawsuit, which was filed in Connecticut Superior Court in Middletown, noted that other groups on campus that cater to special interests are being permitted to house students. They include the Women of Color House, the Light House for Christian students, Turath House for Muslim, Arab and Middle Eastern students and The Malcolm X House for African-Americans. The suit seeks an injunction allowing the DKE members to continue to live in their house next year. A hearing on the matter has been scheduled for March 9. "We just want to be able to live in our house next year," said junior Terence Durkin, the fraternity president. "We believe we’re being unfairly singled out by the administration." (Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Bill Trott)