To the Editor:
N.O.W.
These initials stand for the National Organization of Women. This group crusades for gender equity everywhere and here at Dartmouth these words should be taken for what they spell -- NOW. We need another sorority and we need it now. We all know that it is ridiculous that there are only seven sororities on this campus. What we need to do now is something about it.
Two years ago the College created a new sorority, Kappa Delta Epsilon. They acted quickly and decisively and look what happened. Two years later there are now eighty plus women on this campus who are new members of the Greek system. They are involved in Dartmouth and hold numerous leadership positions. They are all supported by a group of women. They have new social options. They have new friends. They all have the chance to belong to a sorority they are happy with because there was a new option. Kappa Delta Epsilon took off -- and there is a good reason.
The reason is that there are not enough outlets for women on this campus. For better or for worse, the major opportunities for women leaders are tied up in the Greek system. Women have a tough enough time as it is at this school with equality.
There are just as many women here as men now, and it's the 1990's. Its time to get up with the times. If the College is so dedicated to sex equity, why are we even having to crusade for a new sorority? It should be happy to help out and fix the social system it criticizes so vociferously.
By creating a new sorority, the College gave that many more women an opportunity to take control and implement changes. Kappa Delta Epsilon took off because women wanted more choices and more chances. We are women dedicated to improving the social system.
We all know what happens on Friday and Saturday nights -- gross numbers of people crowd into frat basements. This is not an environment conducive to equality -- women are on male turf. We could have sat back and complained about it for the rest of our Dartmouth days, but instead we decided to do something about it. Give another group of women the same chance.
In order to correct the social gender imbalance at this school we need to begin with bringing the numbers up to parity. Create a new sorority, increase the options. The College owes this to its female constituents -- now.
