In an effort to promote unity within the sorority system, the College's sororities decided last week to cosponsor programming events with each other on a weekly basis.
Local sororities also plan not to sponsor parties at other Greek houses this term.
Promoting unity
Jess Russo '97, president of the Panhellenic Council, the self-governing body of the College's sororities, said the new programming system "points to a change that has come over the Greek system. The sororities are coming together and it's a great thing."
"This will do nothing but strengthen the system," Russo said. "Before, it was difficult to rally support for all of the events all of the time. Now, programming is going to be bigger and better."
Sorority members hope to accomplish several goals with this programming effort.
"We want to unify the sorority system. We're trying it out for one term to see how it goes," said Kim Papa '97, president of Delta Gamma sorority.
Joanna Whitley '97, president of Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority, said a goal of the new decision is also to streamline programming.
"We want effective programming and a fewer number of events," she said.
The main purpose of all-sorority planning is to strengthen inter-sorority relations and attendance of programming events, said Panhell Programming co-Chair Mariam Malik '98.
"Every time we had an event, we had problems with attendance because there were so many events. But, now we hope to do it in such a way that the events are more coordinated and better planned," Malik said.
Sigma Delta sorority president Emily Smith '97 emphasized that the new programming did not arise out of conflict with fraternities. "We are not condemning the fraternities," she said.
"Sorority members are making an effort to present ourselves as a unified group," she continued.
Assistant Dean of Residential Life Deb Reinders said she supports the sororities' efforts.
"Of course, I support any idea that promotes programming activities and encourages sororities to work together toward achieving a common goal, in this case enhancing inter-sorority involvement with programming events," she said.
Not completely 'sorority only'
Not all sororities are committing to sponsor programming and other events exclusively with sororities.
Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority is not going to sponsor events exclusively with other sororities, Kappa President Cai Boldt '97 said. Parties, programming and philanthropic events will be cosponsored with the fraternities, she said.
But, she said a great majority of Kappa's events will be sponsored with just the sororities because "a lot of sisters happen to deal with issues we can deal with as a group."
Whenever possible, Sigma Delt will cosponsor events, like philanthropy efforts, with fraternities, Smith said.
For example, she said her house and Epsilon Kappa Theta sorority and Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity are volunteering together each week at Family Place, a community center that offers activities and events to families in the Hanover area.
"We are not in any way trying to shut out the fraternities. We are just trying to limit over programming," Smith said.
"It was ridiculous that we would all be having the exact same programming, but at different times," she said.
Jill McCammon '97, president of Theta, said, "We are not only sponsoring with sororities. We chose to cosponsor in houses interested in working together."
She said by "interested houses" she did not mean those houses that only donate money and do not participate.
Tiffany West, president of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, a historically black sorority, said her house has not taken a formal step to sponsor programming events with sororities only.
"We're historically black and it's really hard to not do things with the black fraternities, Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa Alpha Psi," she said.
"It just so happens that we are sponsoring a men's health workshop with fraternities this May. We already planned it last term and it wouldn't be right to ignore 50 percent of the men on campus," she said.
Only parties at their own houses
Local sororities plan only to sponsor parties at their houses this term.
Smith said Sigma Delt will continue to have traditional events like sister and professor dinners and parties. But they will only sponsor parties in their house, she said.
This decision, which the house made last week, addresses three issues, she said.
"We don't necessarily need to give other people money for parties that we could enjoy anyway," she said. "We don't necessarily have more fun at events that we cosponsor outside our house, particularly if we are assigned tap and door duties and we have our own personal social space right here at Sigma Delt."
KDE has chosen a similar route. KDE is only sponsoring parties at their house because "it is not financially sound to sponsor parties at other houses," Whitley said.
She said this approach has always been KDE's policy, but it has just now been made public.
As of now, Theta does not have any plans to cosponsor parties with fraternities, McCammon said. "It depends on how the term works out," she said.
Delta Delta Delta sorority, DG and Kappa are national sororities and are not permitted to have parties, each house's president explained.
Working toward a new sorority
Since the national houses are not allowed to have parties, the weekly programming events will also allow freshmen to become introduced to these houses, Malik said.
Kristin Dwyer '98, Panhell programming co-chair, said the sororities are "like separate entities." With the new programming, she said, she hopes the houses will act more like a system.
"With the addition of a new sorority, we will need a strong system in place to support the new house," she said.
The students who attended programming events in the past varied according to the event and to whom it was focused, according to Papa.
This term, KDE sponsored a Dartmouth Rainbow Alliance road show. Although the DRA event was not well attended, Whitley said the events should gain popularity.
Sigma Delt will be sponsoring a Dartmouth Unplugged event on Saturday, and on April 29 DG is planning an information session on Language Study Abroad and Foreign Study Programs.
Origins of the decision
Modifications of sorority programming events emerged from several activities, including the all-sorority meetings which occurred last term, Whitley said.
"A new level of honesty and friendship among individuals in the [Coed Fraternity and Sorority Council] also came out of those meetings," she said.
She said the new statement of purpose for the CFSC is incorporated in the new statement for her house.
The pledge that house presidents signed last term was a "good starting place although it has not come up again this term," Tri-Delta Sorority President Anne Jones '97 said.
At the end of last term, due to requests made by the six sorority presidents, Greek organizations signed a pledge to improve the Greek system at a CFSC meeting.
The president of each house had to submit a plan of action which identifies problems within the organization and solutions.
The pledge outlines three goals for the CFSC. "Our purpose is ... to broaden the mindset of the Greek system from the basement to the greater community ... to make Greek leaders and members accountable for their behavior, [and to] ... promote respect for all members of our Greek system and the Dartmouth community as a whole," it states.
Smith said the CFSC has made extraordinary steps in its institution of an advisory council and support of sorority issues. A committee was formed to make a new statement of purpose for the CFSC.
