Evidence of face lifting process...
Adjustment essential for sororities
By ANN MORITZ Kansan staff writer
The sorority system has nationally been marked as a tool of tradition and conformity, a member of the establishment. Sororities at the University of Kansas may be showing evidence of a face-lifting process.
Students want to be more independent in their way of living, said Kathy Hoefer, Prairie Village junior and the president of the Panhellenic Council. Sororities must continue to adjust to the independent attitudes and work them into their structure. Membership in a sorority does not offer all the opportunities many women would like to experience before leaving school, Miss Hoefer said. Sorority life is one way of living, but there are others to be tried.
Sorority members cannot be singled out for criticism of non-involvement or isolation, Miss Hoefer said.
"While not all sorority members are instrumental in instigating demonstrations and in planning anti-war rallies, a large per cent are actively involved in both academic and extra-curricular areas of the University," she said. A large number of students don't take full advantage of the activities or develop a full awareness and involvement in the campus, whether they live in a sorority or not, she said.
It is easy for a person in a sorority to isolate herself if this is what she has in mind, Miss Hoefer said. Any living group can serve as a buffer between the individual and the University.
There has been no diminishing of interest in sorority living at
12 KANSAN Apr. 8
1970
KU, said Emily Taylor, KU dean of women. The number of rushees pledged from year to year has remained amazingly stable since the 1960 freshman rush, she said. In the 1969 fall rush, 486 girls began the process and 336 pledged. In the 1970 spring rush, which was just completed, she said 542 girls started at the beginning of rush and 335 pledged.
Most of the houses have expanded in the last 10 years, Miss Taylor said. Two new houses have been accepted into the Panhellenic Council in that same period of time. There are two other sororities which exist outside the council membership.
Discriminatory clauses no longer exist in the constitutions of any sorority member of the Panhellenic Council, Miss Taylor said. She said that some of the sororities never had such clauses. All members of the Council at KU have signed an agreement to hold no discrimination of University women on the basis of race, religion, color or national origin.
Along with room and board, a sorority offers leadership opportunity, social activities, experience in one's own self government and informal and academic assistance to its members, Miss Hoefer said. Sororities also sponsor cultural events, speakers, guest faculty members and other events.
Three sororites are now jointly involved in a community service project where they have raised $1200 to date, Miss Hoefer said. With continued success, she said, other houses may join in the project. Different houses have various other projects for community services.
The Panhellenic Council has recently established an operating philanthropic committee and a
council for cultural affairs, Miss Hoefer said.
Losing junior and senior members in the houses is presently not a major problem in the sorority system at KU, Miss Hoefer said, but it has the potential of becoming one in future years. The Panhellenic Council has looked into the possibility of allowing seniors to move out of their houses without giving up their membership. Actives may presently move out of houses only for academic or financial reasons.
Miss Hoefer said the alumnae groups have been both a help and hindrance to sororities at KU. Alumnae who serve as local advisers to chapters do an excellent job of helping the houses run smoothly, she said. But some of the rules and advice that comes from the national organization of each sorority is not as far reaching and progressive as may be desired.
Miss Hoefer said participation of alums should be in the affairs that concern alums. The affairs of the girls should be handled by the girls alone, she said. This includes especially membership selection, chapter government and the formulation of house social policies.
Dr. Doris M. Seward of the University of Kentucky spoke at the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) last October in Miami, Fla. She said the image of current sorority members does not match the old ideal of the traditional fraternity. She predicted that coming emphasis of fraternal living will be academic and possibly an agency of social concern.
The continuing growth and strength of young people today.
in the face of challenges from outside sources, lie in the ability to provide close personal relationships, a bond of friendship among persons of similar interests and the right of free and voluntary association, said Mrs. William Nash, a former chairman of the conference.
The role of the sorority on today's college campus as pointed out by the NPC will depend on the difference in the student body from previous years and the changing characteristics of today's college women.
Last fall, one sorority on campus was closed. The strain placed on the girls within, criticism from the outside and the general nature of any sort of selective system brought on the closing of the house, said Karen Elledge, Mason City, Iowa, senior and former president of the house. When members of the house took the effects of the system and circumstances personally, the battle became harder to fight, Miss Elledge said.
If the stereotypes in sorority living of the last 50 years stay with us, another house may go off the hill in a few years, she said. The Greek houses were organized as intellectually stimulating, social institutions, she said. They have tended to become social instruments.
RADIO SHACK Associated Store George Corbett, Owner
NEW LOCATION
1000 Massachusetts
Phone: VI 2-1566
Open 10-8:30 a.m. Daily
- With All the Wanted Features Found in Higher Priced Recorders!
- Single Knob Function Control
- Automatic Level Control
- Cassette Ejection Lever
- Remote Control Microphone
Designed by Realistic to give high-price performance at a very modest price! Instant-play solid state circuitry, AC adapter jack for use on house current, record safety interlock to prevent accidental erasure, fast forward and rewind controls. There's also a record and battery level indicator, an input for off-the-air recording and a remote control mike. With earphone, mike case, batteries.
3995
"JetSet" CTR-6 AC/Battery Portable
Swing into the 70's with the low-cost, modern recording breakthrough — cassette! The CTR-6 makes it easy to record or play tapes anywhere you go. A single knob controls fast forward, stop, record, play and rewind. Built-in AC cord and earphone jack. Incomparable sound.
Save on
Compact Cassette
Cartridges
Radio Shack cuts the price without cutting the quality! Buy this excellent tensilized polyester recording tape at Radio Shack's low, low price. Comes with red and green polyester leaders for easy track identification. Polyester wafer pads with anti-static lubrication for long life. Each packed in a rugged, heavy duty case with protective keeper for auto storage. For even greater savings, buy at special 'quantity' prices below.
30 min. $1.09
60 min. $1.49
90 min. $1.99
120 min. $2.49