FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It has been nearly two decades since the women of the University of Arkansas campus had an opportunity to join a new Greek organization. This fall semester marks a new page in UA history — the colonization of Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity Inc. The University of Arkansas chapter will be the 181st chapter of the sorority.

“We have not had as much interest in fraternities and sororities in the last 30 to 40 years as we have right now,” said Scott Walter, associate dean of students at the University of Arkansas. “We could probably support three new chapters on campus this year.”

Walter points to a national trend of falling Greek membership across college campuses, but says that is not the case at the University of Arkansas. “We are the opposite of the national trend,” Walter said. “Both of our men’s and women’s numbers have almost doubled in the last four years, where everybody else is struggling to maintain.”

The last sorority to colonize on the UA campus was Kappa Delta in 1989. “It took them the better part of 10 years to have their numbers to a point where they were sure they were going to make it on campus,” Walter said. With the peaked interest shown by students in Greek organizations today, AOII should have no trouble building a chapter that will be successful for years to come. “They’ve got to have time to recruit new members,” Walter said. “There is going to be a lot of interest this first year because students are really interested in being part of that founding group.”

Several things about Arkansas appealed to the Alpha Omicron Pi organization. “We have wanted to have a chapter here for a very, very, long time,” said Lori Belew, administrative director of public relations for Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity. “When the opportunity came open we jumped on it. We have chapters in all of the Southeastern Conference schools except a couple, and Arkansas was one of those. The southeast region is our strength.”

“We have a terrific group of alumnae in the area that are very excited about the project,” Belew said. “They have been on board with us for the last year and a half trying to get everything in line for our upcoming colonization.”

Great members are what make a great organization, and Alpha Omicron Pi is looking for student women who represent all four years of college and who have a multitude of talents. “We look at every member as a major contributor to their community and their society,” Belew said.

The goal of Alpha Omicron Pi is to empower collegiate women, and “help them build the confidence, the leadership and citizenship skills to make a difference,” Belew said. “That difference is not measured on how much money you’ve given, or how big of a project you’ve worked on, it is giving back based on people’s unique individual talents.”

The organization will join other sororities that have a living space on campus when the Alpha Omicron Pi house is completed sometime in 2007 or 2008. The property is located on the corner of Whitham and Maple streets in Fayetteville. The lot is located across the street from the Inn at Carnall Hall and is in between the Kappa Kappa Gamma and Sigma Chi houses, near numerous other women’s chapter houses and prominent buildings along Maple Street.

“This lot was our first choice,” said Melanie Doyle, executive director of Alpha Omicron Pi. “It is the perfect location for Alpha Omicron Pi!”

The 30,000-square-foot house will sleep 85 women and cost $4 to $5 million. The contractor and architect have been selected for this project and development will start immediately.

Alpha Omicron Pi will only participate in two of the formal days of sorority rush as a way of introducing their sorority to potential members. Rush runs August 13 through 18^th.

All Alpha Omicron Pi colonization parties will be held at University House, 1002 W. Maple Ave. The colonization schedule is as follows:

Sunday, Aug. 20, 6-8 p.m., AOII Sisterhood Safari Colonization Party

Tuesday, Aug. 22, 6-8 p.m., AOII Coffee House Colonization Party

Thursday, Aug. 24, 6-8 p.m., AOII Bear Building Colonization Party

Sunday, Aug. 27, 6-8 p.m., AOII Hooray for Hollywood! Colonization Party

Monday, Aug. 28, 6-8 p.m., AOII's All That Jazz Colonization Party

Tuesday, Aug. 29, 6-8 p.m., AOII Colonization Party, Union Theatre