The Journal

Issue date: 2/5/09 Section: News

Media Credit: CAROLINE PHILIPPONE Brooke Burgan (left) and Patty Senft share a celebratory smile after the Student Government Association approves the colonization of Delta Phi Epsilon, Webster University's first sorority, Feb. 3.

Media Credit: CAROLINE PHILIPPONE Nick Dunne (center), a Student Government Association senator for the School of Communications, casts his ballot during an anonymous vote. SGA members voted and approved the colonization of Webster University's first sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon, Feb. 3. Since votes were cast secretly, it is unknown how many members voted for or against the sorority's approval. DPhiE's colonization comes about year after SGA approved Delta Upsilon as WU's first fraternity

Webster University has co-ed
Greek life after the Student Government
Association approved a
sorority in a secret ballot vote. Secret
ballots are often used for the
election of new SGA members,
not in votes on club recognition.
University Center staff brought
extra to accommodate about 25
people at the Feb. 3 meeting in
the UC Sunnen Lounge.
The crowd included members
of WU's first fraternity, Delta Upsilon,
and members of WU's first
sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon. One
member held a sign with the sororities
Greek letters and dressed
in the sorority's colors, purple
and gold.
DPhiE outlined its values and
goals in a successful attempt to
gain recognition by the SGA.
"We know that the community
and culture of Webster is
going to influence our chapter
more than the chapter will influence
Webster and that's the way
it needs to be," said Brooke Burgan,
the president of the sorority
and a sophomore American
studies major.
Burgan and Patty Senft, vice
president of sorority programming
and a freshman business
administration and public relations
major, emphasized the sorority's
core beliefs and tried to
dispel the stereotypical notion of
sororities as cliquey and shallow.
"Our recruitment is based
on values and not just on interests,"
Burgan said. "Values such
as honesty, loyalty, respect for
ourselves and respect for our
fellow students."
Senft said that DPhiE's purpose
was not to exclude people
but to provide members with
positive experiences to promote
personal growth, develop
a caring and supportive environment
and encourage service to
the community.
Burgan said that other DPhiE
chapters have worked extensively
with organizations such as Anorexia
Nervosa and Associated
Disorders (ANAD) and the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation.
Burgan and Senft told SGA
members that the sorority would
not bring inappropriate or harmful
behavior to WU.
"DPhiE takes a strong stance
against alcohol abuse and hazing,"
Senft said.
After the proposal, DPhiE
members faced questions about the benefits and potential harms of Greek life at WU. One concern expressed by SGA members was the addition of a group with selective membership.
"You have to have a vagina to get in," said Lydia Schulte, SGA's sergeant-at-arms and sophomore anthropology major. "You have to pay to get in. How does that benefit our school?"
Schulte said she did not understand why the SGA needed to recognize an organization that was a "friendship club."
Considering WU's large lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, Justin Raymundo SGA's public relations representative and a freshman international human rights and English major, said he wondered if a male student who identified himself as female could join the sorority. He echoed other worries about the gender exclusivity of fraternities and sororities.
"We have to go with the sex that's on the birth certificate," Burgan said.
Despite questioning from Schulte and Raymundo, the majority of SGA officials supported the sorority proposal. Nick Dunne, a SGA School of Communications senator and junior public relations major, praised the group for their admirable work at WU events and warned that a vote against the sorority would not create gender inclusion but rather
deny it.
DU members also showed up to support the sorority.
"I've developed brotherhoods - not friendships but brotherhoods, with every single member of my fraternity," said DU member Ian Barczewski, a junior computer science major. "If you want to call it a friendship club that's fine, but from the outside looking in, you don't know what you're talking about."
Following this comment SGA President Heather Sweeney, a senior speech communication and vocal performance major, warned the assembly about personal attacks. SGA Vice President Kevin McWilliams, a sophomore advertising and communications major agreed.
"I feel that we have to bring it down a little bit," he said. "Things are running pretty hot in here right now."
After the heated debate, Raymundo brought a motion to vote on the proposal in a secret ballot. The motion for the closed vote passed with objection from some SGA members including SGA Graduate Senator Elizabeth Eisele, a graduate student in management and leadership. Sweeney told members to write their vote on a piece of scrap paper and pass it to her.
Due to the secret ballot, it is unknown who voted for or against the measure. It is unclear if the measure passed with a simple majority or the two-thirds majority required by the
SGA constitution.
Director of the University Center and Student Affairs John Ginsburg was displeased with SGA's decision to vote in secret. "I was disappointed in the body for voting so overwhelmingly to make their votes secret," he said. "I think a piece of democracy is lost when members are not held to account for the way they voted."
Raymundo defended his idea.
"I wanted to make sure that everybody felt comfortable voting because the discussion was so heated," he said.
After the meeting, SGA members were not shy about sharing their decision to grant or deny recognition to DPhiE.
"I don't think that Greek life really fits into our school's lifestyle," Shulte said.
Eisele, McWilliams and Raymundo said they all voted for
DPhiE's recognition.
Regardless of internal SGA disagreements, Burgan and Senft were thrilled with the decision.
"I am excited," Senft said. "I started crying, so did Brooke."
The next step for the fledgling sorority is colonization, a ten-week trail period before the group can be recognized as a chapter by the national
DPhiE organization.

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