The Delta Delta Delta sorority has a chance to return to the Penn State campus next year after losing its charter in December 2009 amid issues related to hazing and risk management.
This fall, the Penn State Panhellenic Delegate Council voted and passed a resolution for expansion next year, Amanda Cillo, vice president of communications of the Panhellenic Council, said.
In 2011, the council voted on and passed a resolution saying that next time the Panhellenic Council was open for expansion, the first sorority that they would invite would be Delta Delta Delta, Cillo said.
Upholding that resolution, Panhellenic Council has formally invited Delta Delta Delta back onto campus starting “next year,” Cillo said.
The sorority has until today to respond to the invitation, before the expansion is opened up to other sororities, Cillo said.
Two weeks ago, a majority of the delegate council voted to invite Delta Delta Delta back on campus, but each individual sorority delegate had to contact its national sorority delegate for advice on the vote, Cillo said.
Although exact voting numbers cannot be released, a unanimous decision to invite Delta Delta Delta was not needed.
Cillo said that the national sorority of Delta Delta Delta is being invited back on campus, not Trilogy, an independent THON organization formed by former Delta Delta Delta members after the Penn State chapter closure.
“We have invited the national sorority,” Cillo said. “Trilogy is in no way involved with greek life.”
Current PHC President Julianne Robbins and President-Elect Rachel Franceschino could not be reached for comment as of press time Sunday.
While details of the hazing and risk management issues were never released to the public, then-President of Affinity Public Relations Karina Shaver said in a statement released on behalf of the national sorority in December 2009 explaining the national sorority's decision to close the Penn State chapter.
“The decision was made purely based on the results of the investigation into hazing and risk management violations and the clear lack of interest of the majority of the chapter members in having a values-based sorority experience,” Shaver said in a statement shortly after the chapter was closed.
With the closing of the chapter, Delta Delta Delta was not allowed to participate in the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon under their greek letters, but sorority members founded Trilogy.
As of now, Cillo said as far as she is concerned, there is no conversation about dropping any chapters from Panhellenic if Delta Delta Delta is added.
The PHC hopes to receive a response by Monday night from Delta Delta Delta determining whether or not the sorority will be on campus next year.
