Panhellenic Council elects Roche as new president

Members of the Panhellenic Council elected Trinity junior Shannon Roche last week to serve as their new president. Roche, a member of the Chi Omega sorority, immediately succeeds Trinity senior Katie Higgins in that office.

Roche said that she hopes that Panhel will continue the activist role that it has developed in the past several years. Higgins said she agreed with Roche that the presidency requires a commitment to developing that characteristic of Panhel.

"[Roche] needs to understand that adoption of that role requires a lot of time and heavy consideration of what issues we can address," Higgins said.

Roche also said she has been planning other goals for her presidency. "One of my main goals is to see that Panhel gets permanent and visible space [on campus]," she said. She said that this space will allow Panhel to more effectively pursue its goals.

"I'd also like to see more programming on women's issues," Roche added. She emphasized that she feels that such issues as eating disorders and acquaintance rape are relevant not only to sorority women, but to the entire University community.

Higgins described coalition building as "one of the biggest roles for [the] Panhel president next year."

She said that this coalition building works on two levels. First, the president must guide sororities in working together in addressing issues common to them. Sororities must also form connections with other campus groups such as the University Union, she said.

Ellen Plummer, director of the Women's Center and Panhel advisor, described Roche as a "dynamic" leader. "I'm looking forward to working with her," Plummer said.