A few new sororities and fraternities will be added to the UF Greek community starting Spring of 2015.
Voting for the potential groups took place Wednesday night. The official decision will not be announced until mid-November.
The Multicultural Greek Council Expansion Committee and Panhellenic Council Extension Committee are voting to invite three groups to be a part of UF’s campus.
“It’s really exciting to see our community as growing like this and to have the membership to support more groups,” said Betsy Adams, program coordinator for the department of Student Activities and Involvement.
Since 2002, UF Panhellenic has not added a new sorority, and the Multicultural Council has not added a new group since 2011.
“This is a historic time for us,” Adams said.
She said UF Panhellenic is looking to add a new sorority in Fall of 2015. The three sororities applying to be new additions to UF are Gamma Phi Beta, Phi Sigma Sigma and Alpha Phi.
Phi Sigma Sigma closed in 1994, but the sorority is looking to re-establish itself on campus.
Kelsey Torgerson, 22, president of UF Panhellenic Council, said it’s an honor to have the opportunity to be able to begin the process of expansion.
“The council hasn’t expanded in over a decade, so it’s due time that we bring an incredible chapter to the University of Florida,” the UF political science senior said.
Torgerson said by expanding, more UF women will have the opportunity to be a part of the Panhellenic experience.
Nine groups applied and three were selected for the final round of the Multicultural Council’s decision. The three Asian interest groups are: Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., Lambda Phi Epsilon Fraternity, Inc. and Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority, Inc.
Adams said it will take about one to two years for the Greek houses to be built and it will cost around $6 million to be constructed, based on previous houses.
President of the Multicultural Council Hrishi Kumbhojkar, 22, said the council is always looking for ways to grow and include as many cultures as possible at UF.
“All three organizations brought personality and opportunity for students, and the students themselves are very active both in their organization and on campus,” the UF mechanical engineer fifth-year said. “In MGC (Multicultural Greek Council) it’s all there. We offer a lot for any individual wanting to join Greek life.”
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 10/23/2014]
