A sorority house for Sigma Kappa isn’t just a wish. It’s a need.

Participation in UT sororities is growing significantly—22 percent of UT women are sorority members today, compared to 18 percent in 2001.

While the percentage of young women who are members of sororities has grown, the women have continued to have living space in just two university residence halls and cramped meeting spaces in the half-century-old Panhellenic Building.

The Panhellenic Building has far exceeded its capacity. Suites were built to accommodate groups of 85, while today’s chapter sizes exceed that number. Research was done on upgrading and remodeling the building, but the results showed the project would not be cost effective. In 2005, UT considered a new building with larger suites, but that plan wasn’t economically viable either.

Issues of not only space, but safety, dominate the discussions as groups plan their new houses in Sorority Village. Situated on the far western edge of the campus, the houses will be engineered for maximum safety and for minimal environmental impact. The new sorority village will at last put UT Greek women on a par with men, who have had fraternity houses since their founding. The attractive new sorority village will serve as a recruiting tool for UT as well as for the sororities themselves.