Panhell formally began extension, the process of bringing a new sorority affiliated with the National Panhellenic Conference to campus, on March 19.
There is currently a College moratorium on the creation of any new local Greek organizations.
A sorority interest group -- comprised of 19 women -- will help decide which organization comes to campus, and will then become the new sorority's first class, Lane said.
Interest group members will be initiated into the sorority during the Summer term, when the organization will officially form as a colony. These members will informally recruit members during the summer and will participate in formal Panhell recruitment in Fall term 2009.
The extension committee invited three sororities to give presentations from among the National Panhellenic Conference member organizations that responded to the committee's "extension bulletin," which indicated Dartmouth's search for a new sorority. Lane declined to state how many organizations responded to the initial bulletin.
"We invited [Kappa Delta] and [Delta Zeta] to give presentations because they were here in 2006 during the last extension process," Lane said. "We liked them then, and we like them now."
The third sorority invited to present was unable to accept the invitation because Panhell chose to begin extension relatively late in the year, and the organization had already made commitments to present at other schools, Lane said. Lane declined to identify this sorority.
Representatives from Kappa Delta's national organization said the sorority's structure could be tailored to mirror other organizations in the Dartmouth Greek system.
"We divide our chapters based on campus culture and recruitment type," Kim Ryan, vice president of collegians of Kappa Delta national sorority said. "When you're working with your division leadership team members, they're experts on that type of campus."
Erica Hoffmaster '11, a member of the interest group, said she hopes to select a sorority that will be willing to adapt its policies to help the new group fit in with the existing Greek system at the College.
"I was really impressed with Kappa Delta," Hoffmaster said. "They really did their research on Dartmouth culture."
Several affiliated students who attended the events questioned the organizations' national policies regarding co-sponsorship of events where alcohol is served, and the organizations' disciplinary procedures for alcohol-related infractions.
Representatives from both sororities said they would be willing to discuss creating flexible policies on event sponsorship and explained that alcohol infractions are handled on a case-by-case basis.
During the Delta Zeta info session, several audience members raised concerns about a 2006 incident involving Delta Zeta at DePauw University. Media sources reported at the time that national Delta Zeta representatives forced several members of the chapter to switch to "alumni status" and become less active in the chapter because they did not fit the organization's image of a sorority member. Representatives at the information session said the media reports were inaccurate, and that Delta Zeta does not select members based on physical appearance.
Maggie Bell '10, Delta Delta Delta sorority vice president of administration who attended both information sessions, said she was unsure which organization would be best suited for Dartmouth.
"I think either organization could be a good fit for Dartmouth as long as they are willing to be flexible and dynamic with the Dartmouth system," Bell said in an e-mail. "I feel that Dartmouth women want a different kind of sorority experience than is typical at other schools, so whichever organization can work with the Dartmouth model could be very successful here."
Panhell members hope that bringing a new sorority to campus will reduce the overall size of the sororities, Lane said. Dartmouth's sororities currently have a median membership of 145 women, and Panhell members have suggested that ideally, each sorority should have around 100 members.
Panhell hopes to open the campus up for extension again after the new sorority is firmly established, Lane said. She estimated that a ninth sorority could be added in two or three years.
Panhell may vote to allow "stacked extension" and extend one group an invitation to colonize immediately, while offering the other the opportunity to come to campus within the next few years.
"We'd choose a first choice group, and say to the second, 'We really like you, and you have first dibs on our next extension process,'" Lane said.
Panhell President Amaka Nneji '10 could not be reached for comment by press time.
