Delta Zeta’s National Council accepted the Northwestern chapter of the sorority’s request to discontinue operations, according to an email obtained by The Daily.

The chapter’s request to discontinue operations comes amid a larger movement to abolish Greek life on NU’s campus, which calls for the dismantling of Panhellenic and Interfraternity Council chapters. Those in support of the movement say Greek organizations on campus “are complicit in perpetuating harm” and upholding institutional racism, sexism, homophobia and classism. 

DZ stayed active through the 2020-21 academic year, despite facing mass deactivations like many other chapters in the wake of the movement. All active members of the now discontinued chapter will receive alumni status. The chapter’s charter remains active and DZ intends to return to campus “as early as January 2023, if the campus climate enables (the sorority) to do so,” according to the email. 

The email cited pressure from other students, both online and offline, for the chapter to discontinue operations. NU’s Abolish Greek Life movement grew in part after posts circulated from @abolishnugreeklife on Instagram, which has published anonymous and identified accounts of students’ harmful experiences with PHA and IFC chapters, including DZ.

NU’s chapter of Gamma Phi Beta voted to relinquish its charter in August 2020 and was later approved by its International Council to indefinitely suspend its charter. Members of Delta Delta Delta also voted in fall 2020 to disband their chapter, but their petition to withdraw the chapter’s charter was not approved by its Executive Board.

This story has been updated to include the status of the chapter’s charter. This is a developing story and will continue to be updated when further information becomes available. Delta Zeta Alpha Alpha, Delta Zeta’s National Council, the Panhellenic Association and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life were unavailable for immediate comment.

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