At the Panhellenic Council's meeting today, members will begin making plans to promote another sorority, Panhell President Jess Russo '97 said.
At its first meeting of the term on Thursday the Panhellenic Council voted down the rush proposal formed last term and decided instead to focus on the formation of a new sorority, said Russo, who is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.
The rush proposal combined elements of the traditional rush process with a random lottery system.
Russo said the vote reflected Panhell's belief that the formation of a new sorority was of greater importance than changing the rush process.
"The vote decided what needed to be done, not whether the proposal was good or bad," Russo said. "The final decision is that it is most important to establish a new sorority."
"We all recognize that the rush system is not the greatest system in world and it needs changes," she continued. "But we didn't think that was what needed to be done right away."
Russo said Panhell will make small changes in the rush process, but the process will not be completely changed.
Panhell Vice President Marcie Handler '97, a member of Epsilon Kappa Theta, said she sensed that the people at the meeting were more interested in creating a new sorority.
"The meeting on Thursday found out there was support for the proposal but it was not overwhelming," she said. "There is more interest in creating a new sorority."
Handler said Panhell decided not to simultaneously change the rush process and promote a new sorority because to do so would "introduce two unknowns" into the sorority system.
Handler said the formation of a new sorority is a priority because many of the larger houses are concerned about size, and because it will result in more social space for women on campus.
Handler said at last term's all-sorority meeting, the creation of a new sorority was "one of the main things people were interested in."
Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority President Cai Boldt '97 said the sororities are all willing to work together to bring a new sorority into the system.
"We think we are at a time when we can support a new sorority," Boldt said. "Different houses are ready to support a new sorority. We are confident the need is there."
But last year's Panhell president Dani Brune '96, who is a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, said she thinks changing the rush process should be a priority.
"I feel strongly that changes should be made in the system, but the mandate must come from the whole system and not just one or two people," she said.
Brune said she supports the idea of transforming the rush process into a random lottery system in order to increase fairness in the process.
A randomized rush process "would not only ensure a more consistent membership size ... but also would remove the most superficial and often most hurtful part of the rush process," Brune and past president of Epsilon Kappa Theta Susie Ettinger '96 wrote in an editorial printed in The Dartmouth in February.
Boldt said although the rush proposal failed, she thinks the campus respects the effort Panhell expended in preparing the proposal and considering changes to the rush process.
The presidents of Delta Gamma sorority, Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority, Sigma Delta sorority, Theta and Tri Delta could not be reached for comment.
