By STEVEN SPEARS
News Editor

(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — Greek life on campus is about to get a little bigger.

The Panhellenic Council voted Monday, Oct. 12, to bring a new sorority chapter to campus starting in fall 2016.

Alan Nordyke, director of residence and Greek life, said three national sororities were invited to visit UCM. Delta Delta Delta, Alpha Sigma Tau and Gamma Phi Beta toured campus, met with an expansion committee and current UCM sororities, and presented to the Panhellenic Council during recruitment this year.

After the visit, the expansion committee recommended inviting Gamma Phi Beta to start a chapter at UCM. The Panhellenic Council voted to accept this recommendation.

Andrea Tinoco, Panhellenic president, said Gamma Phi Beta was chosen because they were the best fit.

“The Panhellenic community feels they will push us to newer heights and enhance our community,” Tinoco said. “They will help us rise with their devotion and new philanthropies.”

Tinoco said the new chapter will fully join Greek life in fall 2016.

“They will be on campus for formal recruitment to meet women, then after the formal recruitment period is over, Gamma Phi Beta will proceed with their recruitment process, holding interviews and then selecting the women they would like to join their organization,” she said.

Tinoco said the decision to invite a new chapter to campus was made due to the growth in membership of the current chapters. Ideally, sororities at UCM would be comprised of roughly 80 women. The average chapter size on campus is 110 women.

Heather Lockwood, director of sorority growth for Gamma Phi Beta, said the sorority is excited to be the newest Panhellenic organization to join campus.

“The University of Central Missouri is populated with passionate, ambitious and determined students,” Lockwood said. “When the opportunity to join the Panhellenic community at UCM presented itself, Gamma Phi Beta took the time to truly understand what it meant to be part of the fraternity and sorority community. With such a unique group of women who foster Panhellenic spirit, shared values and university pride, there was no doubt that we wanted to (be a) part of this outstanding University.”