# Plain Language Summary: Collegiate Freedom of Association Act

This bill protects college students who join fraternities and sororities from being punished by their schools simply because these organizations limit membership to one sex. Right now, some colleges have policies against single-sex Greek organizations, and they've been disciplining students who join them—things like suspending them, denying them scholarships, kicking them out of housing, or refusing to write recommendation letters. This bill would make that illegal for any college that receives federal funding.

The protection is pretty specific about what counts as punishment. Schools couldn't expel, suspend, or put students on probation based solely on their Greek membership. They also couldn't deny students financial aid, scholarships, on-campus jobs, housing, or letters of recommendation because of it. Students also couldn't be forced to sign statements saying they're not in a fraternity or sorority, or be required to reveal their membership status. Essentially, the bill says a student's membership in a single-sex social organization can't be the only reason for any of these consequences.

However, the bill includes important exceptions. Schools can still take action against students for actual misconduct—like cheating, harassment, or dangerous behavior—even if those students are in fraternities or sororities. The key difference is that the punishment can't be *because* the organization is single-sex; it has to be for legitimate conduct violations. Schools also don't have to officially recognize these organizations, and professors can still express opinions about Greek life or research and write about it freely.

Essentially, this bill prevents colleges from using a student's membership in a single-sex Greek organization as the sole basis for punishment, while still allowing schools to enforce conduct rules and maintain their own recognition policies.

Collegiate Freedom of Association Act

Gallego, Ruben

Collegiate Freedom of Association Act This bill addresses freedom of association protections for college students in single-sex social organizations. Specifically, the bill prohibits institutions of higher education that participate in federal student-aid programs from <ul> <li>taking adverse actions against students who are members or prospective members of single-sex social organizations based solely on the practice of limiting membership to only individuals of one sex; or</li> <li>taking actions that require or coerce members or prospective members of such organizations to waive this prohibition, including as a condition of enrolling in the institution.</li> </ul>