Nudist sorority Omnicron Upsilon Epsilon (OYE) has been selected as Washington University’s newest Greek life installment.

Prudence Knowles | Student Life

The recent decision to bring a new sorority to campus in order to accommodate the ongoing rise in sorority recruitment numbers led the Women’s Panhellenic Association on a long, rigorous search for the perfect chapter.

Omnicron Upsilon Epsilon was first founded in 1860 at the nearby Concordia Seminary. The chapter’s core values emphasize acceptance and “being yourself” through nudity.

Panhel execs tell Student Life that with the increasing popularity of nudism and nudist colonies worldwide, OYE will provide an excellent outlet for those who feel that clothes constrain their creativity, enforce conformism and provide discomfort in daily activities.

“We saw that there’s a serious need for something like this. People everywhere are stripping down, loving their bodies, celebrating them. We want to encourage that here on campus,” junior and Panhel Queen of All Things New Glanice Kratchley said. “Nudism is something we need to be more accepting of here, and this is a great way to get the ball rolling.”

“I mean, here’s an example. Look at babies. If we didn’t teach them to wear clothes, they just never would, and that’s something we really need to think about,” Kratchley added.

To kick off Panhel’s search for the new sorority, leaders sent out a survey to the undergraduate population asking students what they might look for or want in a new chapter. The most popular responses were “earthy”, “relaxed” and “chill.” Panhel felt that OYE demonstrated these qualities more than the other options for a University addition.

Other universities have begun to feel the need for nude as well. In the past six years, OYE has nearly tripled its amount of national chapters.

“OYE is literally the best thing that has ever happened to our campus,” Prudence “Pruddie” Robertson, a student at Miami University of Ohio, where OYE was installed three years ago, said. “They’re just the best. I’m a fan.”

Some students on Washington University’s campus, however, aren’t quite sure what a nudist sorority will mean for campus life.

“Like, will they be always naked?” sophomore Mariah Carey asked.

“What the f—?” WU Churn President and sophomore Garol Kang said.

Others, though, are excited for the change and happy that the University is making strides toward acceptance.

“Nudism is a huge issue today, specifically nudist acceptance. A lot of us feel like we have to hide, and wearing clothes is something that makes me sad every day. I personally won’t be joining the sorority, but hopefully seeing them will give me the courage to be myself—my real self,” Epsilon Alpha Sigma President Hale Arsenio said.

“I’m down,” freshman Jack Often said. “This way I won’t end up with viruses on my computer, if you know what I mean.”