Group working to bring black sorority to campus. The Davidsonian, September 28, 2005.

Title: Group working to bring black sorority to campus. The Davidsonian, September 28, 2005.
Description: This article describes the early stages of establishing an African American sorority at Davidson College, and the students leading the sorority initiative.
Creator: Lexi Hamilton.
Date: September 28, 2005.
Text: Several young women at Davidson College are currently launching an iniative to bring a historically black Greek-letter organization for females to Patterson Court.
The group met with representatives from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., earlier today.
The students anticipate that such an organization will encourage young women of color to become more active in the Patterson Court community.
The current small percentage of female minority membership in Patterson court eating houses concerns some members of the Davidson community.
"A rough statistic of participation among young women of color," said Ashley Moore '07, "is about one one-eighth of a percentage point."
Patterson Court Advisor Joy Hamm said she would "like to see the involvement of minority women increase in Patterson Court life."
Whitney White '08, a supporter of the proposed organization, said the administration, Patterson Court eating houses, and the student body have given the group and their proposal significant encouragement.
"It's really great to have eating house members voice their concerns and ask us questions," White said, "because it means that they are thinking about what we are saying. They're not close-minded or rejecting our organization before they understand what its goals are."
Eating houses on campus are generally supportive of the effort and have been circulating a petition expressing approval of the sorority to house members.
"The ladies behind the effort were very respectful," Turner Eating House President Jaimie Matthews '07 said. "They spoke to the eating house presidents in advance to be certain that there was no confusion and make it clear that they were in now way trying to compete again us."
Indeed, many of the women instrumental in bringing the organization to fruition say that the term "sorority" is misleading. The structure of the application process for membership to the organization does not entail a rush component. Candidates would apply for membership through a process based on GPA, merits, references, and service. Young women would then be selected at the national level by alumni, not locally by members already involved in the organization.
"We wanted to bring an organization to campus that would increase diversity at Patterson Court, not exclude individuals for superficial reasons." Charisma Loney '08 said.
"People have enough to worry about at Davidson without having the added pressures of a sorority rush process," White said.
The planned sorority seeks to affirm interpersonal relationships through service and social events, including joint projects with the eating houses.
Members of the organization could also hold membership in an eating house simultenously.
"It is important to us that our organization fosters intellectual culture and fits in with the objectives of Davidson College," said organizer Cherita Jeffereys '08.
The process of making such an organization a reality for the Davidson College community is a Herculean undertaking. The women are currently gathering support in the by presenting their idea to various campus organizations as well as a signed petition. The organization, in order to be established, will have to be approved by the Patterson Court Council (PCC), council on Campus and Religious Life (CCRL) and finally, President Vagt. “Such a process,” Hamm said, “may take more than one year.” The colonization of a particular Greek letter organization on Davidson College would also have to go through various channels of approval. “Don’t attempt this process unless you’re serious,” Moore said. “But we are serious, and passionate about this organization. It may not happen next year, and we are prepared for that outcome. I’m proud of my school, and I think this organization could help to make it a better place.”
Publisher: Davidson College.
Language: English.
Source: The Davidsonian.
Subject: Sororities.

Item sets: Sororities; Alpha Kappa Alpha

Site pages: Sororities

Media: Group working to bring black sorority to campus, 2005. Part 1.; Group working to bring black sorority to campus, 2005. Part 2.

Part of Group working to bring black sorority to campus. The Davidsonian, September 28, 2005.