The Margaret Sloss Women’s Center and the Panhellenic Council will be working together again this year to give sorority members an open forum for discussing women’s issues.

Women’s Awareness and Action Groups (WAAGS) was started by the two groups as a way to “empower women” said Pamela Thomas, director of the Sloss House.

Thomas said the center started working with the Panhellenic Council because the two “have a natural link.” Sororities are the largest women’s group on campus, she said.

The original plan was to get one representative from each sorority house to participate in the discussions. Last year, only eight sororities participated, Thomas said.

“We may have only had eight women, but they were very dedicated women,” Thomas said. “I was extremely happy with the group. I hope to see a stronger turnout this year because the program is in its second year.”

Rebecca Soderholm, member of Alpha Xi Delta, 315 Lynn Ave., said she participated in the program because she was interested in the topics.

“I plan on participating again this year,” said Soderholm, sophomore in accounting. “I really enjoyed the topics and hearing all the opinions of the women. I met lots of people I wouldn’t have met otherwise.”

The program, which started Oct. 18, will run for five weeks and is only offered to sorority women.

Each evening, a new topic is chosen for the “guided discussions.” Topics can range from body image, women’s relationships with their mothers and sexual violence.

“This gives us an opportunity to discuss things that are important to us as women,” Thomas said.

Thomas also said the group is there to help the women make the link between personal and political issues.

“We are trying to raise awareness among the women and lead them to take action on things that are important to them,” Thomas said.

Thomas said she will consider making the program available to more women if enough interest is shown.

“I want to make sure the program is going strong in the sororities before I open it up campuswide,” Thomas said.