The Intersorority Council has recognized two new sororities for the first time in three years.

Zeta Phi Beta is a member of the National Panhellenic Council (NPHC), an organization of nine black fraternities and sororities, and is the fourth NPHC chapter at Emory.

ISC has also recognized a South Asian interest sorority that will officially join Emory in the spring semester.

Zeta will remain a colony for a year, and then will be subject to a vote a year later before attaining regular status. Colonies have all the same rights as a charter, but do not have voting rights.

Assistant Director of Sorority and Fraternity Life Leigh Thiedman said she was enthusiastic about the new sororities.

“We are all very excited to have two new organizations for women in our Greek community,” Thiedman said, and added that the most recent addition prior this year was Gamma Phi Beta, in 2005.

Thiedman said she was impressed with what both sororities had to offer.

“Both groups presented to the Intersorority Council last semester,” she said. “They did an excellent job of showing how they will be successful chapters at Emory University.”

ISC President Abi Freeman said she was pleased about the new dynamic these sororities will bring to the Greek life Emory already houses.

“These additions enhance the sorority community by providing an outlet by which more women can go Greek,” she said. “We keep in mind the sisterhood values and goals of each new chapter in our expansion considerations and ultimately only expand to include chapters that will bring a new dimension to Greek life at Emory.”

Zeta was founded January 16, 1920 on the campus of Howard University. In an e-mail to the Wheel, Zeta’s Second Vice President and Community Service Chair Paulee Davis wrote that the sorority has been trying to establish a chapter on campus for years. Currently Zeta has five members.

“Emory is a diverse university and we felt that Zeta Phi Beta would be an asset to this diverse campus,” Davis wrote. “We hope to establish a presence in the community and campus that will continue to flourish for years to come.”

The process that these groups must undergo to be recognized on campus is not an easy one, Freeman said, and requires many steps.

“We have to see why Emory needs them to be a part of campus,” Freeman said, emphasizing how important it is for new sororities to demonstrate that they will be a positive and beneficial addition.

The first step in the process is to present a case giving details on recruitment, finances, scholarship and service. The ISC president takes this presentation to the executive board to decide whether or not the group is needed on campus.

“Just because ISC affirms the chapter doesn’t mean it will have a place in Emory,” Freeman said, explaining the process. She said that after the executive board approves of the group, the ultimate decision is then passed on to the senior vice president for the Division of Campus Life.

— News Editor Michelle Lee contributed reporting.
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