Representatives from each of Dartmouth's three national sororities visited campus this weekend to establish relationships and strengthen the bonds with their chapters at the College.
Two delegates each from Alpha Xi Delta sorority, Delta Delta Delta sorority and Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority's executive offices came to the College on Friday to participate in the National Panhellenic Council summit, an event organized by the houses and the Office of Residential Life's coed fraternity and sorority department. Pairs of sisters from each house helped design the event and arranged opportunities for Dartmouth students to voice questions and concerns about belonging to a national sorority.
Sorority members hoped that meeting with representatives from their houses' executive offices would create a better understanding of what being part of a national organization means, according to Tri-Delt member Ali Levine '07, who helped organize the event.
"We felt that it is difficult for the three national sororities on campus to have a strong relationship with the national executive offices because we have three other local sororities on campus," Levine said. "It can be hard to grasp the concept of a national organization and its rules when local sororities on campus don't have to follow any rules."
After touring the campus and meeting with administrators, the national representatives held an open panel with all three houses to answer questions about the executive offices. Later Friday evening, the individual houses held discussions with their representatives to discuss issues specific to their houses.
AZD has put a large focus on their relations with national representatives, who visited Dartmouth last winter and spring. They hoped this event would help facilitate better relationships with their national sorority.
"We don't have a bad relationship with them," Alpha Xi President Lacey Neahr '06 said. "But it's something to constantly rejuvenate and focus on. We have new members every year who need to understand our traditions and rituals."
Members of all three houses said they hoped to emphasize the benefits that come with belonging to a national organization.
"It can be hard to enforce the national rules, but at the same time, we are a part of a national organization for a reason, and none of the sisters want to lose that," said Tri-Delt member Kirsten Murray '07, who also helped organize the event.
Members of Tri-Delt also used the occasion to discuss issues facing their organization and to better understand some of their national rules. Members discussed national religious rituals and funding procedures, two hot-button issues that the national representatives were able to clarify.
"I had hoped to strengthen the bond with our national sorority and our sorority representatives, and we were really happy with the event," Murray said.
After the success of this event, Dartmouth chapters of national sororities are hoping to meet with other local chapters at the University of Vermont and other area schools to further bolster their identity as a national house.
"We wanted to ask how we can make national sororities more beneficial to the entire campus?" Murray asked. "What is the role we want to play?"
