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Greek Round-Up for Thursday, March 10
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Eight Greek organizations at Western Kentucky University took part in the third annual Unity Step-off on Thursday night at Van Meter Auditorium.This year’s show was organized by Alpha Phi Alpha, as always, but with a twist. Members from traditionally black fraternities and sororities decided to coach members of traditionally white fraternities and sororities for this year’s routines.
Murray State Zetas Hold Finer Womanhood Week
The sisters of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. hosted Finer Womanhood Week on campus. Proceeds from events will go to the March of Dimes.Nisha Ganster, senior from Hopkinsville and president of Zeta Phi Beta, said the sorority offered programs this week that benefit women and raise awareness about women's issues.
One of the programs Zeta Phi Beta participated in was "Mirrorless Monday," sponsored by the Women's Center.
"We go into a building and cover all the mirrors and write positive messages for women and men to look at instead of looking at themselves," Ganster said.
Indiana State Deltas Host Faculty Mixer
Nephthys Lands, a senior communications studies major, shakes hands with Charlie Brown, director of the African American Cultural Center.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. hosted a black faculty mixer Tuesday in the African American Cultural Center that allowed students to mingle and get to know black faculty members.LaToya Torrence, a sophomore pharmacy major, said she is new to campus and was glad to have the opportunity to get to know faculty on a more personal level.
Torrence said she wanted the opportunity to "get acquainted with the black teachers."
After talking with professors, Torrence said she realized how friendly professors are.
"They are more down to earth than people would imagine," she said.
What a Rush! Non-traditional Sorority Women in Chicago
Checklist for the campus sorority service project: Banner? Check. Food dish? Check. Clothing item for the homeless? Check. Hubby? Kids? Check. And check. The latter items on the list may seem a little odd for a sorority woman to worry about. But that's not out of the ordinary for women like Chicago State University student Nadia Herbert when she's preparing to participate in activities with the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.The psychology major joined the sorority's undergraduate Lambda chapter in 2000, when she was 24 and married with two small children. She was determined to have the traditional collegiate sorority experience, with its cheering and chanting and step team performances, partying and service initiatives. And she's not alone.
Student suing University of Toledo and Sigma Gamma Rho over hazing
A University of Toledo student is suing the school and the president of a sorority for injuries she said were caused in a hazing incident last year.Jonetta Reed filed the lawsuit last week in Lucas County Common Pleas Court. She said she was paddled on the buttocks and thighs and subjected to other incidents as part of the initiation into the Xi Beta Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority.
Marshall Ques Sell Women for Money
The selling of women at Marshall will help raise money for scholarships.Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated is hosting a female auction March 11 from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in Marco's. Proceeds will go toward high school students' college scholarships.
Jeremy Ashe, Omega Psi Phi president, said the national chapter has been going to high schools for a few years and offering students a chance to earn money toward college by entering an essay contest. Higher education is one of Omega Psi Phi's mandated programs, Ashe said.
By offering an essay contest to high school seniors, the fraternity is fulfilling its requirement, as well as helping students pay for college.
Ashe said Omega Psi Phi has used auctions to raise money before, however this is the first time he has coordinated the event. He said he hopes it is successful this time because the proceeds are going to a good cause.
"Omega Psi Phi just got done having a male auction that went well," Ashe said. "We had positive feedback so we decided to try it with the other sex to raise more money."
There is no set amount of money people has to bid, Steve Robinson, Omega Psi Phi graduate adviser, said.
People who want to bid will need to exchange their money for Omega bucks when they arrive at the event, he said.
"We [the fraternity] will probably start the bidding at $100 in Omega bucks, which is equivalent to $1," Robinson said. "There is no limit to the amount of money someone can bid so we hope to raise a lot."
Ashe said the fraternity has 10 women already signed up to participate in the auction, but it is looking for more females interested in helping.
"Right now we have 10 girls participating, some from Marshall, some AKA's [Alpha Kappa Alpha] from Kent State and some from West Virginia State," he said. "We [the fraternity] are still looking for other women; the more we have the better."
Robinson said the fraternity has not decided what the highest bidder will receive, whether it is a date or possibly a cleaning service for the men. However, a dinner for two is the fraternity's desired prize.
Ashe said there will be a small reception after the auction for the participants and bidders.
Andy Hermansdorfer, Marshall's director of student activities and Greek affairs, said Omega Psi Phi is a provisional Greek organization, which means it has the same opportunity to do fund-raisers on campus while trying to recruit new members.
Robinson said the fraternity has three members but hopes the auction is something that will give it recognition on campus.
Anyone interested in participating in Omega Psi Phi's auction or for more information about the fraternity contact Robinson at Robins12@marshall.edu.
BALTIMORE – The Rho Xi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority has contributed $10,000 in its ongoing support of a scholarship endowment at Baltimore City Community College. The gift will provide financial resources to BCCC students and complement Rho Xi Omega’s many contributions as a partner mentoring BCCC students.“This directly supports our shared vision, to add value to the lives and community of Baltimore,” said Donna Stevenson, BCCC Foundation board chair and member of Rho Xi Omega.
Pi Gamma Chapter, APhiA, Loses Charter
The local chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Pi Gamma, was closed by the national fraternity with an official vote of its board of directors Jan. 7, prohibiting the fraternity to return to Sacramento State.Lou Camera, director of Student Activities, was notified of the decision last week by mail.
Paul Cody, the Greek liaison in the UC Davis student programs and activities center, was also notified that the Davis chapter had lost its charter.
Luke Wood, Associated Students Inc. vice president of student affairs, was a member of the Pi Gamma chapter and said that the fraternity plans to appeal the board's decision and regain the charter.
"The chapter can appeal the decision at the general convention in August, but if they have been asked to be removed by the campus then nothing can be done," said William Lyle, director of communications for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Camera said the fraternity will not be able to appeal its status at Sac State at this time. "Possibly in a couple of years, but not at this time," he said.
The fraternity was suspended by Sac State last fall because of outstanding debts and, Camera said, he thinks the hazing allegations are what caused the national association to pull the Sacramento charter.
The letter Camera received from Alpha Phi Alpha Executive Director Gregory Phillips said the chapter cannot be involved in any activity held in the name of the fraternity and that it is illegal for the chapter to participate in any local and campus fraternity activities.
A spokesman from the Alpha Phi Alpha executive office said the charter was removed "due to inactivity within the chapter for a number of years."
The national organization requires that a minimum of eight students be active in the organization to keep the charter.
Camera said the Pi Gamma chapter only had three members at the most.
"The members falsified information, claiming eight members, but the national headquarters had no record of the people they were claiming as pledges," Camera said.
Members of the Pi Gamma chapter will no longer be able to attend social functions, business sessions or recruitment activities in any form, the letter said, and if the members are caught doing so they can be prosecuted.
Tom Carroll, Student Activities program adviser, said members will be held personally accountable for any criminal charges brought against them and that members should look to Chico as an example of what can happen when a fraternity begins acting without the proper authority.
"This is particularly relevant to what happened in Chico with the Chi Tau fraternity," he said. "A rogue group was conducting business and now four individuals are being charged with hazing crimes and manslaughter."
The Chi Tau fraternity was removed from the Chico State campus but was still conducting business and accepting new members. Recently a prospective member died from a hazing incident.
Camera said members of the Pi Gamma chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha have already tried to form a new group on campus called Men of Distinction.
They were denied the application because it looked like they might be a shadow organization for their fraternity, and because campus clubs, besides non-departmental fraternities and sports clubs, cannot discriminate based on gender.
Carroll and Camera said they do not want to see the members of the fraternity prosecuted for conducting business or activities in the name of the fraternity.
Camera said initiated members will be considered alumni of the fraternity and will still be able to wear their letters to school because it's considered freedom of expression.
"I would hope that if someone knows of them conducting business on campus that they would let me know," Camera said.
Rebecca Adler can be reached at news@statehornet.com
Lack of Crowd at Eastern Illinois University's Stroll Show
In order to wrap up the National PanHellenic Council Rush week, a party "stroll-off" competition was held on Friday night in the University Ballroom in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.A party stroll is similar to line dances, only strolls are in a circle formation. This dance is typically done by African American greek members to "represent your organization," said Orlando Drummond, president of Eastern's NPHC chapter.
Drummond said the idea of the event was to have fun and join together the Interfraternity Council, PanHellenic Council and NPHC to teach each other how to stroll. All of the organizations had met together a week before to practice for Friday's event.
On the day of the performance, the scheduled Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity both hadn't shown up.
"Our continuous goal is to promote unity among different nationalities on campus and between the greeks to show that we all could work cohesively," Drummond said.
Drummond said he was personally let down by the poor attendance and lack of support from the campus and greek community. He said even though this event was not a success, he looks forward to more opportunities for more functions like this in the future.
Monique Cook-Bey, adviser of the NPHC, said one of the most likely reasons for the low turnout was because, "(we) just came off a busy weekend," referring to the Miss Black EIU pageant held the week before. Drummond also said there were many contributing factors including midterms.
Phi Beta Sigma fraternity member and participant Michael Curtis Jr., a sophomore computer information systems major, came to support the event and said he was disappointed.
"When we were closing the doors (early because no one came) that's when people were coming," Curtis said. "They just came too late,"
The event, which was open to anyone, was $4 per person to help raise money for the Nate Anderson Scholarship and Johnetta Jones Scholarship.
Cook-Bey said the NPHC had already donated $750, a portion of the proceeds from the "Step-Show" held Homecoming weekend.
"(The) ultimate goal is to raise $100,000 with anybody involved with minority affairs to recruit more minority students and retain them here," Cook-Bey said.
Posted by Rashid on March 10, 2005 8:01 AM