In an attempt to draw new members into its organization, Delta Gamma sorority is allowing up to 30 freshman women to forego formal Greek house rush next fall by committing to join the house now.
DG President Abbey Henderson '96 sent a letter to all women in the Class of 1998 this week, saying the house is offering them "a unique opportunity to join a sorority without going through the formal rush process this fall."
The letter was also signed by Panhellenic Council President Dani Brune '96 and Panhell Vice President Jess Drolet '96. Panhell oversees the College's six sororities.
DG will reserve a place in its fall pledge class for the first 30 women who sign up this term. The women who sign up now will not have to rush in the fall term, but will automatically be a part of DG's pledge class.
Henderson said the house is running this alternative to rush because she said she thinks it is important to attract women who want to join the sorority system but do not want to participate in the rush process.
"One of Delta Gamma's many strengths is that we are a very diverse, accepting house and we feel that every woman has something to contribute to and something to gain from a sorority," she said.
Henderson said it is vital for DG to get new members this year because it has more graduating sisters than any other house on campus. Also, significantly fewer sophomores joined DG this year than joined any of the other five sororities.
"We will be able to plan better for next year if we know how many '98s to expect," Henderson said.
In the spring of 1993, 50 women, most of them from the Class of 1996, agreed in the spring to join Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority -- a new local sorority that took over Xi Kappa Chi sorority. Brune said KDE's rush scheme helped to revitalize the house.
Henderson said she is very optimistic that the plan will work well for DG.
"I really feel that our rush program is going to benefit our house, the rushees and the sorority system as a whole," she said.
Brune said DG is not breaking a College policy banning freshmen from receiving bids from Greek houses because the students "are just making a commitment. They won't become affiliated with the house until the fall."
The letter advertises an information session for freshmen women on May 25. According to the letter, the purpose of the session will be to help women, "make an educated decision about this opportunity" of signing up now instead of rushing in the fall.
At the session, "sisters and national representatives will show [interested women] first hand what the national organization and the Dartmouth chapter are like," according to the letter.
Henderson said Maureen Syring, a DG from the University of Idaho, will speak at the session. She said Syring was the first woman to win the National Interfraternity Conference Gold Medal for distinguished service to the Greek world.
