The Kappa Delta Sorority will join Kappa Alpha Theta and Alpha Chi Omega this year as the third sorority on campus in response to increasing student demand for another sorority, the Panhellenic Council announced Feb. 1.
The year-long selection process to bring Kappa Delta to campus was spurred by unmet student demand for another sorority that would have otherwise forced the University’s current sororities to become more selective in their recruitment processes or to increase the number of women accepted, said Lena Weiss ’13, president of the Panhellenic Council and member of Alpha Chi Omega.
It is unclear when Residential Council will make its final decision on whether Kappa Delta will be a residential sorority this year, but the sorority is applying for the available space in Harkness House on Patriots Court, said Kate Tompkins, assistant director of summer and special programs, which includes Greek housing.
The final decision was made Feb. 1., after which Kappa Delta was included in the Panhellenic Council’s recruitment kick-off Sunday.
The committee pushing for the new sorority was composed of the Panhellenic Council’s executive board members, as well as the Kappa Alpha Theta and Alpha Chi Omega presidents, The Herald previously reported. The committee submitted a profile of Brown and filled out a questionnaire for the national conference, which then put forth a bulletin expressing Brown’s interest in a new sorority, Tompkins said. The 26 nationally-recognized sororities of the Panhellenic Conference then had the opportunity to apply.
Over the past six months, several representatives flew in for meetings with Tompkins to learn more about Brown and its selection process. Following the meetings with Tompkins, interested sororities submitted applications due mid-December, and the committee hosted each of the three finalists individually on campus for lunches with leaders in the Greek community and formal presentations last week, Tompkins said.
Following each presentation, the selection committee offered recommendations to the presidents of Kappa Alpha Theta and Alpha Chi Omega, who made the final decision. Richard Bova, senior associate dean of residential life and dining services, gave Kappa Delta its official approval Friday, allowing it to join Sunday’s recruitment kick-off.
According to the Kappa Delta website, the sorority is “committed to providing opportunities and experiences that inspire women to greatness.”
“They had really done their research about Brown. They went through how their mission as a sorority reflected Brown’s Greek community and Brown’s general values,” Weiss said. “They fit in with us in that their mission is to build confidence in women, and as a women’s organization that is very important to us.”
The recruitment process for Kappa Delta will differ from that of the other two sororities this year. Kappa Delta will partake in a deferred recruitment process following both Kappa Alpha Theta’s and Alpha Chi Omega’s recruitment processes, Weiss said. Kappa Delta’s formal recruitment will not start officially until Feb. 27. Meanwhile, Kappa Delta representatives will promote their sorority and host events with interested students.
“They want to make sure that what they are planning is what the women at Brown want to see and what would pique their interests,” Tompkins said.
While the residential status of Kappa Delta is still not finalized, a space will be found for the sorority to hold chapter meetings regardless of ResCouncil’s decision, she said.
“We would hope (it is decided before recruitment starts so women who are interested in this organization know whether they will be residing somewhere or not,” Tompkins said, noting that Kappa Delta has plans for both outcomes.
Kappa Delta will be hosting coffee dates and other social events in the near future for interested students, and Thomas Fink ’13, Greek council executive board chair, said the new sorority is “very enthusiastic.”
“We hope that (Kappa Delta brings) a new aspect and a new depth to our community and they help it grow,” Fink said. “We hope it turns into a successful and strong organization and that there’s a greater sense of community in the Brown campus.”
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