
Harvard to Sanction Final Clubs, Greek Organizations - dnetesn
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2016/5/6/college-sanctions-clubs-greeklife/?utm_source=Daily+Lab+email+list&utm_campaign=b93b042fd0-dailylabemail3&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d68264fd5e-b93b042fd0-395827456
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Kinnard
This seems to encroach dangerously on the right of voluntary association and I
expect will set a precedent for other colleges and universities.

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superuser2
You can associate with fraternities all you want; Harvard will simply exercise
_its_ right to no longer associate with you. (And not even in a very drastic
way - a club that wants you as its president may choose to give up its
recognized status. University funding, space reservation privileges, etc. are
not rights).

The first amendment is a protection against state harassment, it does not mean
private entities are obligated to continue their relationship with you.

For a less sinister example: if you work in a newsroom and your name shows up
on a political party registration list or any kind of political donation,
you're fired.

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dalke
Only some newsrooms have that policy.

For example, here's a list from a bit over 10 years ago of journalists who are
registered with a party and made political donations.
[http://www.nbcnews.com/id/19113455/ns/politics/t/list-
journa...](http://www.nbcnews.com/id/19113455/ns/politics/t/list-journalists-
who-wrote-political-checks/) . For examples of places which did not strictly
prohibit donation (in 2007): "The NBC policy does not outright allow or forbid
donations but requires approval of the president of NBC News", "Msnbc.com
policy requires permission of the editor in chief for any political activity",
"Forbes has no policy regarding employees' personal contributions to political
parties or candidates, but it does encourage any employee to be involved in
their communities in any way they choose" and "Fox does allow news employees
to make political contributions."

Furthermore, there are other exceptions. 1) the newsroom must not be run by
the government (eg, Voice of America), 2) non-federal law may still prohibit
political affiliation discrimination. The District of Columbia Human Rights
Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of political affiliation, meaning
"the state of belonging to or endorsing any political party." I think the
Unruh act is California is similarly broad. I don't know if either has been
tested in workplace employment matters.

[http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php/workpl...](http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php/workplace-
discrimination/type-of-discrimination/political-belief-or-activity) suggests
your example would be illegal in Australia.

~~~
techdragon
Keep in mind that in Australia we have a very different political fundraising
environment and similarly different laws regarding political donations.

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Pinatubo
Alternate headline: number of secret societies at Harvard about to sharply
rise.

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cafard
Perhaps if I had gone to a better college I wouldn't start to smirk when the
president of Harvard complains of organizations "in many cases enacting forms
of privilege and exclusion at odds with our deepest values." University
administration seems to impair the sense of irony and the ability to write
sound prose.

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ryanstr
We need to shift our approach towards analyzing Greek Life towards one framed
around group theory within America: [https://medium.com/@ryanstr/in-defense-
of-greek-life-8ac736d...](https://medium.com/@ryanstr/in-defense-of-greek-
life-8ac736d6bfbe#.sxy66iums)

