Interest group attempts new sorority

“We have a group of 60 girls strong that want this new sorority on campus because they believe it would help the University,” said Julie Ann Apoderado, junior marketing major and sorority interest group founder.

She came up with the idea in 2010 after she rushed her freshman year and found she did not feel like she fit in to the current sororites.

“A year later I decided, if I feel this way, surely there are other girls on campus who feel the same way,” she said.

Apoderado has assembled like-minded girls and started an official student organization with hopes of becoming a new Greek chapter.

She said she began discussing the idea with the College Panhellenic Council in September and submitted the formal request for approval in October.

The interest group’s mission statement states they are a group of female students attending the University who are committed to improving, promoting and expanding Greek Life on campus.

The process is still in phase one, which means they are waiting on approval from the University CPC.

“We are basically sitting ducks waiting on panhellenic’s decision,” she said.

Originally, Apoderado said they were told they would receive their answer in February, however she recently was told it may take until the end of the semester or beyond.

Jordan Shaddix, CPC president and Exploratory Committee coordinator, said the existing sororities are interested in the growth of Greek Life.

However, some members have expressed concerns about the establishment of another sorority.

“Some of the girls seem to be concerned that it would kind of wash us out in a sense,” she said. “They would have this big brand-new sorority and it would be awesome and everyone would be excited about it.”

Currently, Delta Gamma has about 45 members and Alpha Chi Omega has about 37 members, compared to the interest group of 60 girls.

Greek organizations at the University are still relatively young, having been officially recognized by the national charters in April 2006.

Shaddix said Greek life at the University started with three sororities, but the campus could not support all of them. The original chapters were Alpha Chi Omega, Delta Gamma and Gamma Phi Beta.

“We weren’t getting the numbers for formal recruitment that we really needed to support a third one,” she said.

Brittany Childs, assistant director of Student life and Leadership, said the time frame for starting a new Greek sorority depends on the national conference the interest group is affiliated with, as well as the a detailed process for starting a new chapter on campus.

“The time frame for the entire process varies depending on the time of year the process is started, advice from the National Panhellenic Council area adviser and NPC Extension Committee chairman, scheduling details, time needed to meet National requirements,” she said.

It is not unusual to expect nearly one-year duration for the entire extension process to run its course, according to the NPC extension process.

After the petition for expansion is submitted to the CPC, the council may then decide to form an Exploratory Committee to research and recommend to the

Panhellenic if the extension should be considered, according to the NPC manual of information and extension procedures.

“The Panhellenic can then decide by way of a vote if the campus is open to extension at that time or not,” she said. “If the vote does not pass, the process stops at that point.”

If the vote passes, an Exploratory Committee is formed and they begin the extension process, which involves additional research.

Additional research includes sending letters of interest to all NPC sororities and making arrangements for campus presentations and exploratory visits, which will lead up to the selection of the chapter that best meets the needs of the campus.

Shaddix said the Exploratory Committee’s goal is to find out if the University could support another chapter on campus.

“We need to find out in all aspects if UT Tyler is ready to bring another one onto campus, or if we’re not, so we make that ultimate decision at the end,” she said.

The Exploratory Committee has 20 members and held their first meeting on Dec. 13, and the second meeting was held last week.

The interest group leaders submitted their request for expansion Oct. 25, although the interest group tried to request expansion on Oct. 11, but the CPC president was unavailable, Apoderado said.

According to the sample time line in the NPC extension process, the Exploratory Committee should be formed in the early fall, offering the official vote in

December, with the following tasks disbursed throughout the next year, and the new chapter starting in the fall.

Shaddix said they want to take the meetings slow because they have never done the expansion process before, although they are aware of the interest group.

“There’s been, I think, tension because they’re so passionate about wanting to get this started, but it’s such a long tedious process that we can’t even tell them when we’re going to have an answer for them,” she said.

However, the NPC extension process does state the CPC, University administration and local sororities should establish a plan with deadlines for submitting materials for review, anticipated notification dates of decisions, anticipated presentation dates and the projected date for the invitations to be issued.

Mackenzie Oliphant, senior psychology and criminal justice double major, said she understands the hectic schedule Greek Life leaders uphold, which she believes is partly the cause of the delay.

“I have no hard feelings toward the process,” she said.  “Despite that, I am by default very anxious to start our process.”

Oliphant graduates in spring 2013 and worries the process will not be completed in time for her to rush.

“Although this may happen, I am hoping the members of Panhellenic Council will understand our angst and where our mindsets are so that we can all be on the same level with the same goal — growth.”

Childs said the purpose of bringing an additional sorority to the University would be to provide possibilities for membership and participation in Greek Life.

“The women that are not participating in recruitment activities for the existing organizations have a multitude of different reasons,” she said. “I have recommended that they participate in recruitment activities to see if one of our existing groups can meet their needs, but that decision is very personal and unique to each woman finding their best fit.”

She added that in efforts to enhance students’ collegiate experience through their participation in Greek Life, administration wants to be intentional about meeting the needs of the student population.

Courtney Sheets, junior speech major, said she wants the opportunity to leave a legacy on campus that outlasts her time at the University.

“I want to be a part of a sisterhood if I am given the chance,” Sheets said.

Prior to joining the interest group and attempting to start a new sorority, Sheets thought Greek Life wasn’t for her, although she previously felt she could benefit from a sorority.

“I admire the current sororities and their leadership and dedication, but I feel like I do not belong with either of them,” Sheets said. “I want other girls to feel like they belong. It doesn’t matter if that is with the two existing sororities or with a new one, but I would like to give them a choice.”