In a surprising move, five sorority representatives on the Panhellenic Executive Council, including its President and two Vice Presidents, distributed an email to campus this morning explaining their “decision to abstain from Winter Recruitment this term.” In the email, entitled “A Call to Action,” the protesters outlined five issues they hoped to address by refusing to organize winter rush: the need to stop “blindly empowering fraternities,” the “exorbitant” expense of participation in Greek Life, the superficiality of the rush process, the need for a more inclusive environment, and the need to move beyond “drinking and alcohol” as a focal point for the Dartmouth Greek system.
The message went on to make an “incomplete” list of demands for reforms to the Greek system, including financial aid for house dues and tougher policies for COS cases concerning sexual assault. Although the authors insisted that suspending rush for the quarter would “provide [them] with the time and resources [they] need to push for necessary, progressive change,” sorority members contacted for this report expressed frustration and confusion. It appears that the email authors acted independently of their sororities: members of the represented sororities said they found out just last night at meetings that Panhell members from their houses would be refusing to organize rush this term.
The email authors included Panhell President Eliana Piper ’14 of Sigma Delt, Vice President of Operations Michelle Khare ’14 of AZD, Vice President of Public Relations Jenni Gargano ’14 of KKG, Programming Chair Kate Shelton ’14 of KDE, and Programming Chair Alex Leach ’14 of EKT. Although these five women clearly believed their boycott would stop girl’s recruitment from happening (their email included an apology to students who had planned to rush this winter), The Review’s reporting indicates this will not be the case. According to sources in both houses, the Presidents of Tri-Delt and Alpha Phi have assured their sisterhoods that winter rush will still take place. An all-Presidents meeting is scheduled for later this evening.
The situation is developing, and The Review will continue to provide reporting and commentary as new information comes to light.
Update: Per another email from the Panhellenic council, girl’s rush will continue to take place this winter.
–Taylor Cathcart
Surprisingly objective and comprehensive reporting — thank you!
great article! like the RealTalkers, these girls need to realize that the only way to change things at Dartmouth is to act cooperatively to create change.