Following several years of controversy, the Panhellenic Association finally put its foot down.

Panhel, which represents the nine National Panhellenic Council sororities on campus, voted unanimously last month to pull out of Derby Days, Sigma Chi fraternity’s annual charity event.

The week-long fundraiser has generated controversy in recent years, despite efforts to tone down its infamous Lip Sync contest by relocating it from Shooters II to the West Campus Plaza. The relocation was not enough to produce the changes Panhel members felt were necessary, and after several years of discussion and little progress, the group finally chose to stop participating in the fundraiser altogether.

We applaud Panhel for responding to the complaints filed by their members and raising their collective voice on this issue. Charity fundraising is a noble endeavor, but when the terms of participation are inflexible and demeaning to women, it makes sense to speak out and take action.

This incident, though, should be the beginning—not the end—of Panhel’s public advocacy.

In recent years, the power of Panhel has been untapped by its leaders. As the largest student organization on campus and one whose all-female constituency is often underrepresented in student and administrative leadership roles, Panhel should be more willing to advocate for women and students in general.

The Women’s Initiative highlighted the challenges Duke women face, including the lack of space for sororities. Panhel has certainly been a strong advocate for space, which is undoubtedly important for empowering their members. Yet their focus on this singular issue may have caused them to place other equally important concerns on the backburner.

While Panhel is by no means representative of all Duke women, the organization is in a powerful position to add to the important conversation about the role of gender at the University, and it should exercise leadership in this area.

From a practical perspective, too, all women stand to benefit from this consolidated group speaking out about the challenges and concerns that all women at Duke—including those in sororities—encounter on a regular basis.

Panhel, however, should not limit its public voice to issues concerning women specifically.

In the past, the organization has been relatively silent when it comes to broader campus issues. In the wake of the Campus Culture Initiative or the recent debate over Tailgate, Panhel has largely avoided controversy and declined to comment while Interfraternity Council and male selective living groups have taken a highly public stance.

Along with IFC and male SLGs, Panhel should speak out about general topics of concern to students in order to offer a wider perspective of viewpoints and provide a more complete and balanced campus dialogue.

Logistical reasons and organizational structure may hinder increased activism, but proactive decisions like choosing to pull out of Derby Days should be the norm for Panhel rather than the exception.

As a large organization with a broad constituency, Panhel has an important voice. Now is the time for it to be heard.