NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – After a TN lawmaker proposed a bill this month to ban fraternities and sororities in the state, officials from interfraternal organizations are banding together to oppose the measure.

POLL: Should TN ban college fraternities and sororities?

Officials from the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO), National APIDA Panhellenic Association (NAPA), National Multicultural Greek Council (NMGC), North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), and Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) issued statements in response to the legislation.

Joint Statement from Represented Interfraternal Organizations:

“One million undergraduate students and 10 million alumni have found great value through their fraternities and sororities—including tens of thousands of students at Tennessee universities, which provide opportunities for personal growth, foster local hands-on service and philanthropic contributions, and build communities of support for young men and women.

While colleges and universities are facing critical challenges, fraternities and sororities are actively partnering with campuses to implement measures to enhance health and safety, and we invite true collaboration and dialogue with public officials as we focus on solutions.

Representative DeBerry’s legislation would sever the partnership between Tennessee colleges and universities and the fraternities and sororities on their campuses. It is a misguided approach that has not only failed to garner a Senate companion, but won’t solve deeply-rooted campus culture issues and would likely make them worse. Together, as interfraternal organizations, we call on Rep. DeBerry to withdraw his bill, which if implemented, would have a chilling effect on a student’s basic constitutional rights of freedom of expression and association.”