Zeta Tau Alpha’s Northwestern chapter is shutting down at the end of Fall Quarter, the sorority announced Nov. 17. 

Zeta cited low membership numbers and decreasing interest in Greek life on campus as the reasons for closure. The sorority’s National Council and NU Zeta’s current members made the decision together, according to a news release from the national Zeta organization. 

“ZTA’s national leadership and staff have worked closely with the chapter to rebuild,” the organization wrote. “However, attempts to recruit and sustain healthy membership numbers were unsuccessful, despite tremendous efforts by the chapter.” 

Zeta’s NU chapter, known as the Alpha Phi chapter, began in 1923. Its closure comes just a year before its would-be centennial. 

According to The Cut, the sorority held internal conversations about disbandment in 2020 after the @abolishnugreeklife Instagram account published an anonymous accusation of racist practices at Zeta. However, the chapter never held a vote on disbandment after the national Zeta organization and the University intervened, The Cut reported. 

Zeta also lost its house as of the 2021-22 academic year, when NU converted it into the 710 Emerson residence hall. 

“The ability to provide a positive ZTA experience is essential for every collegiate chapter to thrive. To do that, a chapter must be able to successfully grow its membership,” Zeta National President Dinah Jackson Laughery said in the release. “ZTA supports our sisters of Alpha Phi Chapter as they focus on their experience as Northwestern students and start their individual journeys as ZTA alumnae.” 

NU Fraternity and Sorority Life referred a request for comment to the national Zeta organization’s statement. 

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Twitter: @rjleung7

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