The new Durham Panhellenic Association will invite first-years to rush in spring 2022, according to a Tuesday press release from the National Panhellenic Conference.
Eight Duke sororities voted to disaffiliate from the University effective Wednesday, Dec. 1 following more than a year of conversations between Panhellenic leadership, inter/national member organizations and university officials "following a variety of announcements restricting the Panhellenic community’s ability to recruit first-year women as new members and remain sustainable,” the release reads. It notes that the choice to disaffiliate was “unavoidable.”
“While we remain deeply appreciative of the collegial dialogue and good faith engagement with our community from university officials, our organizations cannot agree to the restrictions on new member recruitment demanded by Duke and were left with little choice but to establish an independent College Panhellenic,” National Panhellenic Conference CEO Dani Weatherford said in the release.
Weatherford wrote that NPC’s 26 organizations “believe fiercely in defending the rights of students, just like all other citizens, to associate when and with whom they choose.”
The new Durham Panhellenic Association consists of Alpha Phi, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Pi Beta Phi. NPC will develop a “volunteer Panhellenic advisory team” to support the association.
Duke’s chapter of Alpha Delta Pi disbanded in October. Zeta Tau Alpha voted to disband only to have that request denied by its national organization.
Election of collegiate officers and adopting of governing documents for DPA will occur in January 2022, according to an FAQ on the Durham Panhellenic website.
The Chronicle reached out to the presidents of the eight sororities about why they disaffiliated and what the decision process entailed. None immediately responded. Emilie Dye, director of student leadership at University Center Activities & Events, said she did not have more information at this time and referred The Chronicle to the press release.
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Nadia Bey, Trinity '23, was managing editor for The Chronicle's 117th volume and digital strategy director for Volume 118.