Panhellenic Council decided another sorority will be joining the Greek community next fall by a 9-to-1 closed vote at last night’s meeting.Sixteen national chapters will be invited to TCU and those who express an interest in coming to campus will have to make a presentation to the Panhellenic Council about why they want to become part of Greek life at TCU, said Clare Edwards, Panhellenic Council president.

Next semester, a chapter will be chosen by the Panhellenic Council and TCU officials, though it has not yet been specified who will be involved in the process, Edwards said. Once chosen, the new sorority will go through a period of promotion and recruitment next semester.

The sorority will then join in full recruitment with the other 10 Panhellenic sororities next fall.

Some were concerned that an additional sorority would bring down chapter numbers, but Edwards said there is usually a rise in overall numbers when a sorority is added.

Edwards said the decision to add another sorority at TCU came from a desire to add to an already growing community.

“We have an amazing Greek community at TCU,” she said. “A chapter would benefit from being a part of our organization.”

Edwards said adding a sorority will allow more women at TCU to be a part of Greek life and recruit those who weren’t recruited before.

The last chapter to be added was Sigma Kappa in 1998, Edwards said. According to alumnae she has spoken with, Edwards said the addition was an exciting time on campus.

Hannah Munsch, Sigma Kappa Panhellenic delegate, said that with a positive attitude about the addition, members of the Greek community can expect great things.

“I’m glad I have the opportunity to be a part of it,” she said. “This is an opportunity to get everyone involved and excited about something.”

Katie Goodwin, vice president of member development for Panhellenic Council, said she is excited about what a new sorority will mean for TCU.

“I am really looking forward to what will be happening in the future,” she said.

Another benefit to an extension of the Greek community is a renewed Panhellenic spirit and an opportunity for existing sororities to reconnect, Edwards said.

“When we hear about what another sorority stands for, we start to think about what our chapter stands for,” she said.

In inviting another chapter, existing sororities will have the opportunity to realize what they already have, she said.