Penn State's Delta Zeta sorority chapter is standing behind the DePauw University Delta Zeta chapter, which allegedly put 23 of its members on early alumni status because of their physical appearance.

The members who were asked to leave the DePauw chapter said the evaluation was based solely on appearance, rather than what the Oxford, Ohio-based national chapter called a "membership review" that the 23 members ultimately failed. As a result, the women were forced to leave the house.

The women's situation caused a "media frenzy" after The New York Times reported the story in late February, said Amanda Smith, president of Penn State's chapter of Delta Zeta.

Smith said the national chapter of Delta Zeta informed her the allegations were "incorrect and completely misleading."

Still, some of the Delta Zeta sorority sisters at Penn State had some apprehension about what was happening at DePauw University, Smith said, leading the chapter to discuss the issue.

"Basically we just discussed that the allegations were misleading. Delta Zeta does not discriminate on race, appearance or anything like that," she said.

DePauw University spokesman Ken Owen said the college's chapter was "wronged by the national sorority," which instituted the membership review.

"They will tell you it was all about the way they looked and their weight and image," he said. "It's unfortunate that adults from Oxford, Ohio came to our campus and did that, but that's what happened."

Smith said the decision to put the women on early alumni status was based on lack of enthusiasm for and participation in recruitment.

"[The members at DePauw] were looking at the best for the chapter, not looking at race or anything else," she said. "Maybe the girls were offended."

Owen had a different opinion about the former members, who he said are "still waiting for an apology."

"If you blame the media, you suggest the girls weren't telling the truth," he said. "This is what they lived."

Both the national and DePauw University chapters of Delta Zelta are no longer commenting on the issue. However, the national Delta Zeta Web site called the article in The New York Times about the issue "inaccurate," saying that it "grossly mischaracterizes the situation."

Sam Dillon, who first reported the story for The New York Times, said he attempted to contact the national chapter for a week but said the sorority ordered members to not talk to the media.

"They didn't answer phone calls," he said. "They didn't answer the door to their sorority."

Dillon said he felt Delta Zeta tried to manipulate the story and blame it on the media.

"One of the things they're saying is we didn't tell the whole story," he said. "That's extremely silly."

Smith said her impression was that Dillon did not properly understand the national chapter's viewpoint, and that the DePauw chapter was known for having recruitment troubles.

Megan Moran, Penn State Panhellenic Council (PHC) vice president of communications, said she understood why members of DePauw University's Delta Zeta sorority felt compelled to put some of their members on alumni status.

"When you join a sorority, you dedicate yourself to it, and you should be coming to recruitment," she said.

Stephanie Kender, PHC president, said she felt the situation was "bigger than just recruitment." In some cases, taking action -- not unlike the decision to put some girls on alumni status at DePauw -- because of internal issues and problems is appropriate, she said.