Housing, Dining and Residence Life recently approved the creation of a new all-female selective living group called Illyria.
The group was founded by sophomores Lauren Anders, Ann Marie Guzzi and Lindsey Snyder. According to the group’s application to HDRL, Illyria hopes to “create a safe social space for women that is not dependent on male influence.” The group currently has approximately 60 members, including women affiliated with nine of the 10 National Panhellenic Conference sororities on campus, two existing SLGs and four varsity athletic teams—soccer, basketball, fencing and swimming.
“You can empower women everywhere else, but if they’re not empowered in the social scene, that can destroy them,” Snyder said.
By national bylaw, the sororities on campus are banned from serving alcohol in their facilities. However, as an SLG, Illyria will not be subject to this mandate and will be able to host events that serve alcohol. Anders, Guzzi and Snyder explained that this makes a difference in the social culture.
“Inherently, as you step into a male-dominated space, there’s a give-and-take,” Anders said. “We think that’s absolutely ridiculous. We’re trying to change the status quo and flip the script on people, so they realize that it doesn’t have to be this way.”
Priscilla Wald, R. Florence Brinkley professor of English and program director of women's studies, noted that sexual assault is a problem on college campuses and that the addition of Illyria as a selective living group may be a way to combat this problem.
“We will live in a society that is still very sexist,” Wald said. “Women-only spaces function in allowing women more opportunity for growth and empowerment... I’m very impressed that students are constructively addressing an issue that has been baffling administration and the legal system for a very long time.”
Snyder, Anders and Guzzi noted that Illyria’s commitment to diversity differentiates it from sororities. Their application to HDRL stated that they will “actively recruit women from different racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds."
“As opposed to what we’ve seen in sorority rush, we plan to actively market ourselves in different corners of Duke and reach out to groups like National Pan-Hellenic Council and Mi Gente,” Anders said.
Illyria was one of two groups to apply to be an official selective living group this year. Dean for Residential Life Joe Gonzalez said that Illyria offers an alternative to the current Women’s Housing Option on West Campus.
“The [committee] looks at it from two basic angles,” Gonzalez said. “How does having residential space benefit this group and how does this group distinguish itself from other groups that already have housing?”
Gonzalez noted that Illyria will have to wait for another SLG to leave its section before Illyria can receive housing. In a recent example of this rule, Gamma Phi Beta sorority will be replacing Sigma Pi and receiving housing in Edens Quadrangle beginning in the Fall semester, making Gamma Phi Beta the only sorority with housing on West Campus.
“Illyria clearly wants to exist regardless of whether or not they get a house in the next year or two,” Gonzalez said. “They want their group to start coming together even without the benefit of housing.”
The group plans to host informal rush in the Fall, in addition to traditional SLG rush in the Spring. The founders added that llyria’s name comes from an ancient region of Europe, fictionalized in Shakespeare’s comedy "Twelfth Night," and also the name of the high school in the movie "She’s the Man."
“Greek life has so many amazing things, but it also has a lot of flaws,” Snyder said. “Having something to bridge the gap between all areas for women is something that we think is super important.”
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