Gender Inclusion Policies

Stockton University is committed to building a community that values differences of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, national origin, socio-economic status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, ability or disability. We accept our responsibility to create and preserve an environment that is free from prejudice and discrimination. Fraternity & Sorority Life at Stockton supports this mission. Recruitment of new members is encouraged to be values-based and embrace diversity of all kinds. Members of our community represent several races, religions, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

Single-Gender Organizations

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in educational programs and activities at the university unless such programs and activities are specifically exempt from the law. The university is required to be in compliance with the provisions of Title IX. Therefore, compliance with Title IX is a condition to be a registered student organization at the university. Since passage of this law and the publication of the implementing regulations, the U. S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights has evolved a rather clear set of criteria for determining when single sex organizations are exempt from the provisions of Title IX. The criteria are as follows:

  • the organization must have tax-exempt status under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code;
  • members must be limited to students, staff or faculty at Stockton University;
  • the organization must be a "social fraternity" as defined by the Department of Education.

The Department of Education defines a "social fraternity" as a group that can answer "no" to all the following questions:

  • Is the organization's membership limited to persons pursuing or having interest in a particular field of study, profession or academic discipline?
  • Is the membership limited to individuals who have a high level of achievement in scholarship or any other endeavor?
  • Are the members permitted to hold membership in other fraternities or sororities at the university?

If a group answers "yes" to any of the questions, it is not a "social fraternity" and is not exempt from the requirements of Title IX. Therefore, the organization must accept members of both sexes. Questions regarding this policy can be directed to staff in the Office of Student Development.

Transgender Membership

Fraternities and sororities are private membership organizations and therefore have their own membership selection practices. According to the U.S. Department of Education, as long as a fraternal organization meets the express requirements of Title IX, "its membership practices are exempt from Title IX regardless of whether that organization admits transgender students." This reaffirms First Amendment principles and fraternal organizations' right to associate and to determine its membership, including the right to make decisions regarding transgender students. Nationally, many fraternal organizations, including ones with chapters on our campus, have welcomed transgender members, some adding trans-inclusive language to their membership selection clauses.

Stockton University supports all students in having the opportunity to join the Fraternity & Sorority community.

Organizations that include gender identity in their membership policies:

Women's Organizations

Men's Organizations

Resources