Vanderbilt University

Students at Vanderbilt Leave Fraternities and Sororities, Alleging Racism and Insensitivity

"It is seen as morally unacceptable to contribute to the culture these organizations have created," one Vanderbilt student who left her sorority said

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More than two months after George Floyd's death sparked nationwide protests, unexpected consequences have arisen at some leading universities: Students are leaving their fraternities and sororities over what they perceive as a lack of sensitivity on issues of race, sexism, classism, homophobia and other issues of discrimination or inequality.

Since June, about 200 sorority and fraternity members at Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tennessee, have left their organizations, said Daniel Wrocherinsky, a rising junior at the school who recently quit the fraternity Delta Kappa Epsilon. Other students cited the same number in a recent presentation they created on reasons for abolishing Interfraternity Council fraternities and Panhellenic Greek life, NBC News reports.

At the start of the school year, Vanderbilt fraternities and sororities collectively had 2,197 members, according to a report from the school. NBC News has not independently confirmed the numbers of students who have left Greek life at Vanderbilt.

“Nearly 200 is the official number who have left their organizations, but the true number is much higher,” Emma Pinto, a rising senior at Vanderbilt who left her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, said. “It’s hard to keep track of who has dropped because students are not on campus right now.”

Read the full story on NBCNews.com

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