Brenna Doherty
Sam Sternad
One hundred young women, five sororities, and only one choice. With the growing rates of recruitment and house totals at their highest, this choice is becoming harder for the young women participating in the process. With recent talk of a new addition to Greek life at Wittenberg University, it seems that the biggest question buzzing around campus is will there be another sorority, and when.
Recruitment totals have been rising, and this year has been no exception. According to Carol Nickoson, director of Fraternity and Sorority Life on campus, a total of 131 young women registered for formal recruitment. Out of this total, 116 actually ended up joining. With such large numbers and the possibility of these numbers growing even more in future years, a committee has been put in place to decide if another sorority should be added to the campus’ Greek Life.
“The Panhellenic Council voted in spring 2013 to convene an Extension Exploratory Committee to determine whether the sorority community should consider opening for extension (the addition of another sorority to campus),” said Nickoson. “The committee’s charge is to analyze recruitment statistics and trends and assess the needs of the campus prior to considering a vote to open for extension.”
Some may be hesitant in supporting this change; however, some believe that this expansion of Greek life may open more opportunities than people expect. If a sorority is voted through by the Extension Exploratory committee, the chapters will then have two to three weeks to vote and decide if this addition is right not only for campus, but also for their individual chapters.
Many are in support of this new change and are excited to see a different organization on campus. Junior Brittany Goehmann, president of Gamma Phi Beta on Witt’s campus, agrees with the idea of expanding the Greek community.
“I’m on the Exploratory Committee, and statistics show that adding a new chapter to campus actually increases the amount of people going through recruitment.” Goehmann said. “For women who aren’t interested in any of the existing chapters, a new chapter has the appeal of not having a stereotype and it offers a lot of leadership experience.”
The members of this Exploratory Committee are not the only ones getting excited for the possible addition. Members of the existing chapters on campus are eager for the changes to come as well. Wittenberg sophomore and new member of Sigma Kappa, Morganne Faust, is readily awaiting the addition of a new sorority on campus. Having just gone through formal recruitment this spring, she finds herself sympathizing with the other Potential New Members (PNMs) who have yet to find their home in an existing sorority on campus.
“I think a new chapter would add more diversity to campus and would give PNM’s another choice when going through recruitment, thus finding a new home in another chapter,” Faust said. “I found my home in Sigma Kappa, and I think a new chapter would give girls the same opportunity that I was given.”
