Panhel sorority bids meet target

After losing one sorority and introducing another, the Greek community welcomed a target number of new members into its seven existing sorority chapters.

Zeta Tau Alpha — a sorority currently in the process of colonizing on campus — will begin to recruit new members on Jan. 31.

The numbers of sorority bids given out last week has remained relatively constant with the numbers from last year, outgoing Panhellenic President and College senior Darby Nelson said.

The quota for new members was set at 49 per sorority this year, Nelson said, adding that some sororities invited slightly more girls into their chapters. Overall, both this year and 2010 saw a trend of bids being given out in the low fifties.

However, since Phi Sigma Sigma was dissolved last spring, Nelson said, “I do think that having one fewer sorority on campus did affect the number of girls that were extended bids.”

“Across the board, all the sororities were very selective,” College sophomore and Sigma Kappa member Danica Stone said. “We sent away a lot of girls but we still maintained quota.”

According to Nelson, many rushes expressed an interest in the new sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, coming to campus this spring. It offers “an excellent opportunity for girls that didn’t necessarily get matched,” she said.

Incoming Panhel president and College junior Rachel Abeles also wrote in an e-mail that she encourages “all unaffiliated women who are interested in being part of the Panhellenic community to learn about Zeta Tau Alpha.”

“As usual, we try to ensure that as many girls as possible are matched to sororities,” Abeles said.

Abeles added that she is excited for the colonization of ZTA, which begins on Jan. 31.

“Each sorority can only take so many girls,” College junior and incoming Sigma Kappa president Aileen Palmer said.

For girls who rushed but did not receive bids as well as those who dropped out of rush early, ZTA offers an opportunity to be involved in Greek life, Palmer added.

However, some girls are reluctant to join a new sorority on campus, according to College sophomore and Chi Omega member Alex Enny.

Enny said she spoke to many girls who preferred “to be a part of something very much already ingrained at Penn.”

Last year, the average new pledge class increased by five women per chapter. As a result, some chapters were required to assign two new sorority members called “littles” to a single “big.”

There is a great possibility that this situation may happen again, Stone said, adding that “it’s always a good thing to have larger pledge classes.”

Stone is excited for the new member class, which she described as “super happy.” Sigma Kappa extended 53 bids this semester, according to Stone.

“It’s really great because it makes me think of how I was last year,” Stone said. “Overall, I’m getting really good vibes.”

“Seeing more and more girls means that we’re definitely improving our reputation on campus instead of being something that people are scared of,” Enny added.

So far, College freshman and Chi Omega new member Janina Lagemann-Done described her experience in the Greek system as “fascinating.”

“It’s a little incubator of friendship,” she said.

Chi Omega extended 53 bids this semester, on par with last year.

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