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(10/28/10 3:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Halfway through Safe Halloween, Panhellenic Assocation Vice President of Leadership Development and senior Stephanie Nowell was scrambling to find more candy — the houses were already out.Oct. 27 marked the fourth annual Safe Halloween, an event sponsored by the greek community in which Bloomington residents are invited to trick-or-treat at the fraternities and sororities along the North Jordan Avenue extension.Nowell said this was a record year.“Every October, we start having people say, ‘When’s it coming up? We want to come,’” Nowell said. “It’s a really great opportunity for us to show them what great things we do and give back to them for putting up with us all year.”PHA and the Interfraternity Council spent more than $300 in candy, and each chapter contributed their own supply along with themes and activities.Nowell, who has participated in Safe Halloween for the last three years, said the greek organizations are just as excited as the community. Alpha Omicron Pi assembled a tattoo booth in their circle driveway. Kappa Sigma sponsored a mini-obstacle course. Phi Mu spread a red carpet across the sidewalk in front of their house. Phi Sigma Kappa played cornhole.Sophomore Erik Schnittgen, a member of Phi Kappa Sigma, stood in front of the house and greeted people. He dressed as superman for the event.“It help makes the environment more Halloween-ish for the kids,” Schnittgen said.Though limited to the extension, all organizations, including those that are off-campus or are members of the National Panhellenic Association or the Multi-Cultural Greek Council, were paired with a house on the extension so they could participate as well.“I love watching all the kids walk by and seeing how excited they are and knowing we’re doing that,” Nowell said. “They will have this memory for years to come.”Gretchen Knall and her daughters, 10-year-old Ruth and 8-year-old Iris, along with their friend, Lucy Backs, walked up and down the extension, celebrating their fall break and collecting candy.“We’ve never come to this before, but we thought it would be fun to do early trick-or-treating, eat lots of candy stay up late tonight,” Gretchen said. “(The sororities and fraternities) are doing a good job making the kids feel welcomed.”Ruth and Iris said they were most excited about the candy and liked seeing all the different costumes. “It’s awesome trick-or-treating,” Ruth said. “(Halloween) is the best holiday ever.”
(10/25/10 3:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Cheering men with pained expressions took to the streets Saturday, running up and down North Jordan Avenue in stilettos.It was a sea of red and black as about 60 relay teams competed in the first annual “A Walk in Her Shoes,” a relay race sponsored by Alpha Chi Omega to raise money for the local Middle Way House — a nonprofit domestic violence shelter.“Every donation, every T-shirt sold, everything, it all went straight to the Middle Way House,” philanthropy chairwoman and junior Doni Tavel said. “We have a nice check to write.”The event raised more than $4,000, but Tavel said last-minute donations are still being accepted and calculated.The race itself went faster than expected she said. The first team clocked in at a little more than seven minutes, nearly sliding into the finish with the support of excited spectators.The winning team, composed of both greeks and non-greeks, stood around after the race joking about their strategy — using shake-weights and yoga, among other things — to help them prepare for the painful race.“I really didn’t think they were going to win,” said sophomore Alpha Chi member Grace Smith, who assembled the team. “They had been talking like, ‘Oh we’re gonna win,’ but it was not expected.”Several men who participated — clad in several pairs of thick socks under the heels — said the act of running in heels was difficult but less painful than expected.“It was tough,” sophomore Mike Briggs said. “I definitely have a lot of respect for women all over the place.”Briggs said his team finished in about 30th place, a feat he is proud of. He also said he was grateful they did not finish last.“It was a solid finish,” he said.Upon the race’s completion, members of Alpha Chi collected each pair of stilettos. The sorority, Tavel said, purchased the shoes specially for the race and races to come.“We figured it was something of an investment piece that we’ll use for years to come,” she said. “But boys do a lot of damage in heels when they try to walk in them, so we’re going to have to replace some of them for next year.”The race was only the beginning of a day of celebration and awareness. Before the noon start, executive officers from the Middle Way House spoke about domestic violence and the importance of women’s shelters.Following the race, IU’s First Lady Laurie Burns McRobbie, thanked Alpha Chi and the participants for a successful and exciting fundraiser. She said during her address that it was the best five minutes of her life.Members of the sorority thanked Tavel and her co-chairwoman, junior Kenzie Klinger, for their hard work. Sorority members also thanked the sponsors and announced winners and prizes.During the philanthropy event, Red Bull representatives walked between crowds to pass out shots of the company’s signature energy drink, while representatives from Nintendo set up a display in the sorority’s front yard. A line snaked between teams and displays, as volunteers grilled food for participants and spectators while live performances by local band The Pharos and several dance teams provided entertainment.“Other than the broken ankle scares, it’s been fun.” Briggs said. “There were a lot of laughs, and I think it’s good that sororities are coming up with more interesting ways to raise money.”
(10/22/10 3:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Alpha Chi Omega is sponsoring a relay race in which all male participants will be running up and down North Jordan — in stilettos. The event is the first “A Walk in Her Shoes” philanthropic event, with members of the sorority sponsoring the race to raise money and awareness for domestic violence.The event, will be from noon to 4 p.m. and will feature music, food and more. The cost is $7 for a ticket, $10 for a T-shirt or $15 for both.“It’s based actually off an international men’s march called ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes,’ which stems from the idea that you can’t really understand somebody until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes,” philanthropy chairwoman and junior Doni Tavel said.Tavel said a relay race up North Jordan puts a college spin on the idea, which she hopes will attract more people. The relay race begins at noon, but there will be festivities following on the front lawn of Alpha Chi Omega’s house. The women are also sponsoring a cookout with live music from the Pharos and entertainment from several dance teams. Red Bull and Xbox will be advertising and giving away their products.Tavel said more than 60 teams of four men each are registered. While the sorority members hope to have everyone registered by race day, they will still be accepting participants Saturday morning.“Pretty much every girl in the house was able to find a group of four men to participate,” Tavel said. “Whether it’s high school friends, people from her floor freshman year, people she knows from the Marching Hundred, it’s pretty much whoever.”All proceeds will benefit the Middle Way House, a domestic violence shelter in Bloomington.“Domestic violence, we felt, is an issue that’s pertinent to everybody,” Tavel said. “So our goal is to definitely get that outreach, use that networking to make sure that we’re not only asking for participation from our greek friends, but also including the freshmen, our friends in apartments, that sort of thing.”
(10/20/10 2:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Members of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority are “giving back” by donating time — rather than money — to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank. “I saw that we weren’t volunteering as much as I would have liked us to,” said junior Heather Whitaker, external philanthropy chairwoman. “We get a lot of opportunities through other organizations, but I wanted it to be a more regular thing.”Last semester, the women brainstormed different organizations to help and ultimately chose — through a vote at a chapter meeting — to volunteer for the food bank. Whitaker said the house has close ties with the food bank; an alumna of the house founded the Friends of Hoosier Hills Food Bank club at IU.Five to 10 girls volunteer every other Monday, organizing and repacking food for several hours.Senior Claire Troutman is a dietetics major who, through her interest in nutrition and food, already had a personal interest to volunteer but is now more involved then ever before.“I think Monroe County is one of the poorest counties in Indiana, and the food bank serves surrounding counties,” Troutman said. “Being fortunate, fairly middle-class well-off people who can afford our own food, it’s important to reach out to the community that isn’t as lucky.”Kai Westerfield, the volunteer coordinator for Hoosier Hills, said AGD volunteers as much as other organizations and is a staple among the community partners and IU students who are dedicated to volunteering on a biweekly basis.Westerfield said she is grateful for the help. The girls mostly repack food, which involves taking donated food and assembling it into boxes and packages for individual families. “We not only want donations of money,” Westerfield said. “We want donations of food. But to get food, we need volunteers who will donate their time to go out into the community and get it.”For now, Whitaker said she is trying to reschedule when AGD volunteers to accommodate more members’ schedules. She said she hopes the service and volunteer aspect of AGD will eventually expand, giving more time to HHFB and to other organizations in the Bloomington community.“We, as college students, don’t always have money to donate. We have time to donate,” Whitaker said. “And it’s so much more important to know what you’re doing and get involved.”
(10/13/10 2:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Alpha Epsilon Pi was kicked off of IU’s campus in January 2008. But now, the chapter is back. In 2008, the brothers were given fraternity alumni status and Phi Sigma Kappa leased the fraternity’s house on North Jordan Avenue. This semester, members of AEPi’s national headquarters are re-colonizing the chapter at IU and interviewing potential new members, who will become founding fathers.“The school and our nationals decided together two years,” said Marty Bock, director of leadership development and alumni relations for AEPi. “But we did three because we wanted to come back at the right time, when we had enough time to get the word out and make sure we were doing it in the best way possible.”None of the old members will be a part of this AEPi, Bock said.Bock spent three weeks in Bloomington at the beginning of the semester interviewing roughly 300 men that were referred by member recommendations or through word of mouth.Thus far, there are 85 founding fathers, 75 percent of whom are freshmen, he said. “It’s AEPi policy that once a chapter closes, those members cannot re-enter,” Bock said. “We’re starting from scratch, with a new group and a fresh look, to build a strong personality and reputation on campus.”Junior Rob Langer is the incoming president, one of a handful of upperclassmen who will be initiated into the new chapter.He said he is excited about AEPi’s return, and as someone who has family who are members of the organization, he has been actively pursuing the fraternity’s re-colonization since his freshman year.“One of the reasons that I personally wanted to pledge AEPi is because my whole family is in AEPi — my cousins, my uncle, my father,” Langer said. “It was kind of a no-brainer for me. And it was really tough coming here as a freshman and not being able to do that.”Langer, who knows members of the old AEPi, said he doesn’t think there is any tension between new and old members. If anything, he said the legacy they originally established — of a competitive bike team, strong academics and a good reputation — will make the transition back easier and faster.“Not only are we getting an organization that kind of has its traditions here, we get to make it our own,” Langer said. “It’s our chapter, how we want to give back to the IU community, how we want to be involved with other greeks, we get to build all that.”Next semester, AEPi will participate in the Interfraternity Council’s spring rush — forming their first pledge class of the new chapter.Freshman Aaron Millberg knew about AEPi and its status from friends who are members of AEPi on other campuses.Millberg said he knew he wanted to go greek and liked the men who were interviewing with him for AEPi.“I think there are definitely going to be challenges,” Millberg said. “We have a lot of work that we have to do, but that means that the challenges I’m going to face personally are definitely going to be worth it in the long run.”For now, members are recruiting the last founding fathers, participating in new member education events and finalizing all the steps for an official return.“IU’s social world, it’s a fast track. We were here three years ago, but we’re gone now,” Langer said. “One of the hardest things is probably going to be getting that name back out there.”If all goes as planned, they’ll return to the house on North Jordan next fall.“We can’t wait to see just how great this group is going to be,” Bock said. “And for the future, what big role and important, contributing role, it will play in the IFC and Bloomington community.”
(10/11/10 2:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Phi Gamma Delta reinvented “The Dougie,” dancing in Snuggies. Sigma Nu roasted other greek organizations. Four members of Beta Theta Pi sang a mash-up of songs. Two brothers from Phi Kappa Psi covered a classic Tom Petty tune. Zeta Tau Alpha — with the help of these acts and 18 others — raised $179,074 in this year’s Big Man on Campus all-male talent show, “Saving the World, One Woman at a Time.”“We always try to raise more money than the previous year, but everyone was really happy about the total,” junior and BMOC treasurer Jenny Krejsa said. “We raised the last $125,000 in the last three days.”Senior Bryan Flinn of Phi Delta Theta estimated he sent out 200 e-mails asking friends and family for donations. With the help of the rest of Phi Delta Theta, he raised $22,000 dollars.Halfway through the show, he took the stage with Phi Delta Theta’s house band, singing a rendition of Del Amitri’s “Roll to Me,” a song he selected solely because it was two minutes long and fit into the allotted time limit.Ultimately, he was named 2010 Big Man on Campus. “It’s one of those things where we have a lot of talented guys in the house, and we take turns volunteering for these kinds of things,” Flinn said. “With BMOC, it was my turn to step up. I figured I’d take full advantage and work my ass off so that it pays off.”Flinn said it took him 10 hours to memorize the song, and he spent Friday before BMOC listening to it on repeat.Long after the other contestants packed up their props and the crowd cleared out, Flinn and his band, On the House, stood backstage talking, singing, joking and trying on his new crown.“I’m very ecstatic,” Flinn said. “It’d be very cliched if I said it didn’t hit me yet. But I think it’s hit me. I feel very accomplished.”Theta Chi junior Dustin Silverman won runner-up, an upset for the fraternity that has won the most BMOCs in the past. But he was still excited and supportive of the winner and the cause.“I was really proud of our house,” Silverman said. “But Brian deserved to win. Phi Delt raised the most money, and he played really well. In the end, it’s not so much about winning, it’s about how we’re helping a lot of people.”But it wasn’t just about the Big Man on Campus. Behind each act were coaches from sororities who encouraged the men, helped choreograph dance routines and campaigned for them.Junior Kaylee Baxter and sophomore Kaitlin Kennedy were elected by Phi Mu to be coaches. They won best coaches for their enthusiastic help with Ben Miller of Sigma Alpha Mu.“For them, it was about making them comfortable on stage,” Baxter said. “For us, it was about just making sure they knew what they were here for, the cause they were here for. We’re all here for a reason, not just to be on stage.”Even though BMOC is a greek philanthropic event, a tribute from Purdue University senior Adrienne Harlow — a breast cancer survivor — a silent auction of donated goods and performances from organizations such as InMotion and Phi Beta Sigma’s Step Team contributed their support. Krejsa, who is still receiving, organizing and calculating last minute donations, said BMOC is so successful year after year because of all the support from the whole campus and the surrounding community.“Everyone always talks about how there are only fraternities and sororities participating, Krejsa said. “But because so many people participate, we branch out to people who aren’t necessarily involved in other greek houses. That’s what really sets it apart.”
(10/08/10 3:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Amidst the houses on Third Street and Jordan Avenue reside several traditionally black greek organizations.Governed by the National Pan-Hellenic Council, these organizations do not have houses or formal rush processes and typically recruit fewer people.But they are no less greek.“This is an opportunity — a leadership opportunity, a social opportunity, a cultural opportunity — kind of all wrapped up in one,” Fred McCall, IU’s NPHC adviser, said.Nationally, there are nine historically black organizations, referred to as the “Divine Nine.” Many of the nine were founded in a time when black students could not join existing fraternities or sororities.Junior Aaron Barnes said history and culture remain particularly important to the organizations.“It’s always a question of whether or not we’re living up to our founders and what history has set in the way for us,” Barnes said. “What the organization was founded upon and what happens today is always in the very foreground of our minds.”The first black fraternity at IU, Kappa Alpha Psi, was founded in 1911, The rest followed,and the latest was created in 1995.“We were excluded from those organizations that were in IFC (Interfraternity Council) and PHA (Pan-Hellenic Council),” said senior Brittany Bullock, NPHC public relations chairwoman. “So we have to show homage to the founders, the people, who gave us a way to wear our letters.”Interested members have to take the initiative. To join these organizations, there is no formal rush process. Typically students research, choose and then contact the organization they want to join.Members are selected based on grade-point average, letters of recommendation and strong evidence of community service.“As far as ‘recruiting’ we are quality over quantity,” Bullock said. “We would like for people who actually want to be in our organizations to understand what we were founded on.”As a community, Bullock said the chapters interact a lot with each other. But while they have their own reputations, they aren’t as pronounced.“Because the minority community is so small, NPHC gives us a way to bring it together closer and be able to do community work and show the campus that we are supportive,” Bullock said.Though all members of NPHC are currently of a minority background and its chapters are traditionally black, anyone can join.NPHC is evolving, trying become more visible and changing how they interact with other greek organizations on campus.“We will always have ties to the African-American community,” Barnes said. “Our organizations are assimilating and becoming more involved with the whole campus. It’s in our best interest to branch out.”But part of NPHC’s involvement campus-wide, McCall said, means all students have to know the council exists.“The first thing people need to know is that NPHC is here,” McCall said. “A lot of people don’t know we exist. This is part of the greek community that isn’t as well known because we don’t have houses and things like that. We’re still a part of the campus culture and need to be celebrated.”
(10/08/10 3:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Twenty-three men will try “Saving the World ... One Woman At a Time,” when they come to the IU Auditorium stage Friday, with hopes to be crowned the Big Man on Campus.BMOC, which begins at 7 p.m., is Zeta Tau Alpha’s annual philanthropy event, a talent show to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. Tickets — which can be purchased at the door — are $13, and all proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen Survivor Recognition Program, “Think Pink” awareness program and the IU Medical Center. Tickets can also be purchased online on the IU Auditorium website.Straight No Chaser, InMotion and Ladies First will perform at the event, and each contestant has between two and three minutes to perform.“We get all of the campus involved,” junior and BMOC chairwoman Kalina Dalecki said. “Breast cancer affects everyone, whether it’s in your family, a friend or you’ve taken part in a breast cancer walk or you just wear one of our pink ribbons.”Theta Chi has won four of the last five BMOC titles. If they win this year, it will be the third year in a row.“We’ve kind of established a legacy,” BMOC contestant and junior Dustin Silverman said. “People have been coming up this year and asking us how we’re doing. They’re really interested in it.”Silverman is performing with Theta Chi’s house band The Extension, playing the piano and singing lead vocals for their rendition of Tal Bachman’s “She’s So High”Silverman said Theta Chi has a goal of raising $12,000. The brothers, he said, have been supportive by soliciting donations from family and friends, contacting businesses and advertising throughout campus. Silverman is also the only contestant who has his own Facebook page regarding BMOC.“This is important to us,” 2009 winner and junior Tyler Webb said. “This is something we strive to do well in. We’re, for some reason or another, good at fundraising and enjoy doing it.”Webb will be playing guitar for Silverman’s act.“Winning was a lot of different things,” Webb said. “You have your moment of fame, but it’s a very rewarding feeling to know you did something to make a difference.”Though Dalecki said Zeta doesn’t have a specific fundraising goal this year, she hopes to raise more than last year.“It’s just basically a smorgasbord of talents,” Dalecki said. “It’s something fun to do on a Friday night, and you support a good cause.”
(10/07/10 4:35pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Big Man on Campus, Zeta Tau Alpha’s annual male talent show, will kick-off this year's Homecoming events Friday.BMOC is ZTA’s philanthropy that raises money and awareness for breast cancer.This year’s 23 male contestants will be singing, dancing and vying for the chance to be crowned ‘Big Man on Campus.’“We get all of the campus involved,” BMOC chair, junior Kalina Dalecki said. “Breast cancer affects everyone, whether it’s in your family, a friend or you’ve taken part in a breast cancer walk or you just wear one of our pink ribbons.”The show begins at 7 p.m. at the IU Auditorium. Tickets are $13 and can be bought at the door. All proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen Survivor Recognition Program, ‘Think Pink’ awareness program and the IU Medical Center.Other acts such as Straight No Chaser, InMotion, and Ladies First will be performing at the event.“It’s just basically a smorgasbord of talents. Dalecki said.” It’s something fun to do on a Friday night, and you support a good cause.”
(10/06/10 3:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The men of Pi Kappa Alpha are taking a different approach to raise money for their philanthropy, by auctioning themselves to support the Boys and Girls Club.From 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, they will take the stage of the Whittenberger Auditorium for the first “Rent-A-Pike” event and auction themselves off to members of the community.Bids will start at $5, and one can buy up to four hours of work.“The brothers are definitely behind it,” Philanthropy Chairman and sophomore Brent Stabiner said. “It’s weird, but they know somewhat of what they’re getting into. I think a lot of them are excited about it. It should be fun.”While Stabiner said the brothers will not partake in services or work that are dangerous or embarrassing, he said he expects a lot of people will rent the brothers for sober rides, cleaning or everyday maintenance.“I imagine I’ll be cleaning out a car or vacuuming a room,” said junior Cameron Riccardi. “I figure we’ll be doing the small stuff that college students really don’t have time for.”Stabiner said the idea of “Rent-a-Pike” has been a long time coming — a similar event already happens at Purdue University — and Stabiner said the Pikes here always thought it would be an interesting way to get attention for a worthwhile cause.“It’s a really unique way of earning money and doing community service,” Stabiner said.All members and pledges of the fraternity are required to complete eight hours of community service, and the four hours of purchased work count toward that total.To also help raise money and draw attention to the event, the brothers have paired with BuffaLouie’s for a percentage night tonight.For the most part, Stabiner said, the community has been very supportive.“We’re not only trying to get people to support the cause,” he said. “We’re trying to get people to come, to get the word out. That’s the hardest part.”Once someone wins the Pi Kappa Alpha, he or she will have the semester to use the four hours of work. All bids will expire at the end of the semester.Jessica Wienhold’s boyfriend is a member of Pi Kappa Alpha. She said she isn’t sure yet who she will bid on — or if she’ll hire more than one brother — but she has plenty of things for them to do.“I’d say right now, someone will probably be cutting the grass,” she said.
(09/28/10 2:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This fall, 268 admitted students didn’t have a room when they moved on campus.The problem, typically called housing overflow, occurs when there are more students than there are rooms available. And it has been a recurring issue at IU for the last several years, said Sara Ivey Lucas, assistant director of assignments for Residential Programs and Services.“There’s not a good way to know how many of the actual students who apply are actually going to decide to come here,” Ivey Lucas said. “It’s a math problem, but there’s just no way to predict all the different probability angles on it.”Students affected by overflow are typically placed in residence hall floor lounges. It is usually temporary, Ivey Lucas said, with as many as six students living together in one large room.“There is a lot of internal department pressures of making sure we have enough furniture in the right places and that it’s set up so students will be happy with it,” she said.Of the students who started the semester in a floor lounge this year, Ivey Lucas said all the women have been moved, and the men remaining in lounges will be there for the rest of the semester because there are no male rooms left.Despite students still living in lounges, Ivey Lucas said this year’s overflow was not as problematic as expected, but to help alleviate this issue in future years, RPS will revise its room cancellation policy by charging students $400 to break a housing contract late.Other offices on campus, however, are involved in housing decisions and overflow issues as well. IU’s Office of Admissions and the Office of Capital Projects & Facilities also factor in.For the past two years, Mary Ellen Anderson, director of admissions, said IU has admitted students as they applied — known as rolling admissions — to accommodate changing class sizes. A struggling economy, Anderson said, has recently affected the Office of Admission’s procedures and deadlines, which in turn determines who lives where and what universities students attend.“We are anxious about the economy, not really knowing who might end up actually enrolling or showing up,” Anderson said. “We are not as confident about that as we have been in previous in years.”Regardless of when students apply, they do not initially list residence hall preferences or if they will live on campus. Once admitted, Anderson said IU immediately sends information on living options. “I think most students who realize that if they are coming to Indiana University and they have some place that they would like to live, they really do need to get the housing application in fairly quickly,” Anderson said.Though all freshman who live more than 25 miles away are required to live in the dorms, Anderson said a higher percentage of students transferred to IU this year, and more returning students opted for on-campus housing. Also this year, a tower of Briscoe Quad, with about 525 beds, had to be shut down for scheduled maintenance.Tom Morrison, vice president for capital projects and facilities, said though renovation and construction projects are planned years, even decades, in advance, that doesn’t mean setbacks don’t happen.Morrison compared dorm renovations to road construction, both being necessary inconveniences.“We understand sometimes that streets have to be rebuilt,” Morrison said. “And then all of us have to take detours, or go slower on highways. It’s an inconvenience, but we all have to go through that because it needs to be fixed.”In the end, Anderson said many coincidences, rather than flawed communication or operation among IU’s offices, cause overflow.“It was really almost like this perfect storm scenario,” Anderson said. “I think we have an incredible system.”
(09/27/10 2:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Greek Week, a week-long series of events sponsored by IU sororities and fraternities, starts today.Senior Lisa Sun, vice president of community involvement for the Panhellenic Association, said the yearly event is a service-based week for the greek community to contribute to both Bloomington and IU’s campus.Events include a Red Cross blood drive, a percentage night dinner at BuffaLouie’s and a home run derby.Sun said one of the goals for the week is to recruit volunteers and gather donations outside the greek community. Although the sororities and fraternities organized all the events and selected the organizations to benefit, all events are open to community participation.The Panhellenic Association and Interfraternity Council of IU assembled a steering committee last March and have spent six months revamping Greek Week’s focus.“Last year was a lot more competition-based,” Sun said. “There were a ton of activities every day. It was a very busy, busy week, and this year we tried to make it less convoluted.”There has always been a competition between chapters to see who volunteers the most, but Sun said that is being downplayed this year. “Every Greek Week from now on is going to be service-based because that’s one of the values, one of the pillars of all of our organizations,” Sun said.Senior Katharine Russell is the chair of the service committee, which is largely responsible for selecting organizations to help. She said this year, the week’s events will sponsor Bloomington’s Shalom Community Center.“We wanted to choose organizations that showed need,” Russell said. “We don’t have a lot of money to work with. We have manpower.”Russell said the community center recently moved to Walnut Street and needs help settling into its new location.Senior Mike Schnell, a member of the marketing committee responsible for finding sponsors and advertising the week’s events, said narrowing the focus was a better strategy because more attention on fewer events would result in a higher turnout of people.“I was involved last year in a lesser position, and I felt like there was a lot of room for it to grow,” Schnell said. “We’re just trying to make a lot of noise and trying to get everybody excited.”
(09/20/10 3:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Roughly 20 percent of IU’s students go greek. For everyone else, there’s another option.The Independent Council was co-founded a year ago by senior Annette DiTommaso as a way for “non-greek” women to bond, participate in social activities, organize philanthropic events and support IU.There will be a call-out meeting at 7 p.m. today in Woodburn Hall 007 to recruit new members.“We’re not anti-greek, we’re just not greek,” DiTommaso said. “We’re here for girls who want that bond, but who are independent.”There is no pledge or initiation process as there are in traditional greek houses. Members are required to pay semester dues and attend weekly meetings to discuss budgets, plan events, and socialize.“We don’t want to turn anyone away,” DiTommaso said. “We want everyone to come out and fill out an application, and hopefully their interests and our interests will align.”
(09/16/10 3:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Behind every greek organization is a national headquarters that oversees it: chartering colonies, offering resources and advice and ensuring that century-old policies and rituals are upheld.The Indianapolis area is home to the headquarters of some 25 greek letter organizations, the National Panhellenic Conference, the North-American Interfraternity Conference and the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors.The Midwest has seen an expansion of greek organizations and a higher concentration of their chapters each year. Thus, ease of access was the single most influential reason for locating their headquarters in Indianapolis, said Nancy Leonard, who was the executive director of Alpha Chi Omega for 21 years.“I think just from a geographic perspective it makes sense,” Leonard said. “There is a lot movement of the leadership in and out of the headquarters, and Indianapolis has been fairly easy and economical to travel to.”The organizations are scattered throughout Indianapolis. Some occupy renovated houses in historic districts, while others share office space with other businesses. Founders Road, on Indianapolis’ north side, is home to many organizations.That’s where Alpha Chi Omega is currently headquartered. It was one of the first greek organizations in Indianapolis, establishing permanent headquarters in 1929.More recently, Marion County has offered significant tax breaks to non-profit organizations that are headquartered in Indianapolis, an incentive, Leonard said, that prompted several organizations to relocate.For that same reason, Phi Kappa Psi moved from Cleveland in the early 1980s.Will Haskett, the director of communications, said it is more convenient to support central Indiana Phi Psi chapters, but the organization’s leadership is careful to keep attention and resources balanced. “It’s easier for our undergraduates to seek us out,” Haskett said. “Hop in a car and any of our staff can get to a dozen or so chapters in a three-hour drive or less, but we don’t extend more resources to those groups.” Haskett said he sees no correlation between proximity and strength of chapters.Junior Grant Anderson, president of Delta Tau Delta at IU, said having the fraternity’s headquarters so close has allowed for more personal, valuable interaction.“For the most part, it’s phone or e-mail contact,” Anderson said, “but they come down a couple times a semester. I have personally sat down and talked with them. I go into the office and see how everything operates.”Anderson said this type of relationship has made him and the rest of the fraternity more aware and willing to take advantage of the resources and support that the national Delta Tau Delta organization offers.“Members know who I’m talking about. It’s not just some name off in the distance,” Anderson said. “It’s a greater level of respect.”Nicki Meneley, executive director of the National Panhellenic Conference — the trade organization for 26 sororities — approaches the centralization of so many organizations with a more community-wide perspective. More than anything, she said being so close to so much promotes better networking.“It’s nice to walk down the hall and say, ‘Hey, how are you guys handling this situation?’ or ‘Are you aware of what’s going on at xyz campus?’” Meneley said. “And I’ve become close friends with the director of the Association of Fraternity/Sorority. We converse on different topics and talk about issues from student affairs from a professional perspective versus a member group perspective.”Organizations that are states away still reap benefits from this relationship. Meneley said alumni volunteers in the area ensure all chapters are represented, while technology keeps the community in constant communication.Indianapolis, with its plethora of greek headquarters, has created a close-knit community of executives that share ideas, brainstorm solutions, co-sponsor events and attend the same seminars.Staff and members of the respective organizations seem to agree that their close-knit community ultimately translates into stronger, healthier greek chapters.“There’s great collaboration between greek organizations,” Haskett said. “Unlike how it may be seen on certain college campuses, when there is rivalry between sororities and fraternities, there is really no competition between our organization and other greek organizations. It’s very proactive.”
(09/10/10 4:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sophomore Joe Primavera went through rush a year ago after accepting a bid from Sigma Chi. Now he is on the other end of things — preparing for the Interfraternity Council’s kick-off for men’s fall recruitment. “I didn’t know if I was for sure going to do the whole fraternity thing,” Primavera said. “After I looked around and saw the different houses and what they stood for, it was a good way to get involved and meet new people and jump into college with some new friends.” Official events will run from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday in Dunn Meadow. Each IU chapter will have a table and representatives available to answer questions and schedule more formal chapter events including dinners, house tours and more.Each chapter will be awarding bids through the first weekend in October.IFC offers interested freshmen and sophomores two opportunities to rush each year, once in the fall and again at the beginning of the spring semester.IFC Vice President of Recruitment Jay Tipton said fall rush is typically more exciting, draws bigger crowds and results in larger pledge classes.“It’s fall, the beginning of the school year. Everything is brand new and fresh,” Tipton said. “If the men are interested in rushing, a lot of them probably already know a lot about it, and some of them are learning as they go.”Junior Dan Schoenemann is the rush chair for Sigma Nu. For him, the rush process begins early, networking through high school acquaintances and siblings of friends to promote not just individual chapters, but also the community as a whole. “Every house is great in its own way,” Schoenemann said. “We have to show potential brothers how they would fit in.” Primavera echoes similar sentiments. He said he pledged Sigma Chi after looking at all the houses he was interested in because he liked what it stood for and the men he met in the house.“Don’t just focus on one house because you don’t know if it’s going to work out or if it’s even what you want for sure,” Primavera said. “Definitely look around.”If nothing more, Tipton said fall recruitment is a good way to get everyone thinking about rush and learning about the individual chapters. “There are a lot of kids I know who thought about rush in the fall but weren’t sure and wanted to talk to their buddies and see what they have to say,” Tipton said. “It gives them more of an insight into each chapter.”
(09/09/10 1:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the midst of the IU Student Involvement Fair, the IU Billiards Club was nestled between tables for the Student Athletic Board and Young Americans for Liberty. Senior Andrei Popa, president of the Billiards Club, stood behind the table, greeting passersby and handing out water bottles and raffle tickets for the pool cue that was the table’s centerpiece.“We thought most of our audience isn’t going to have a pool cue,” he said. “So how do we get people to come to our meeting? They have to have an incentive. You come to the club. You get a pool cue. You’re ready to go.”Popa said about 30 students currently belong to the club. Halfway through the fair, another 55 had signed up to attend the call-out meeting Sept. 13. In 2009, the Billiards Club was not at the fair because it did not reserve a table in time. Popa said that motivated the members to work harder this year.The club, which has two competitive pool teams, was using the fair to recruit new members and to advertise who exactly they were.“People like playing pool because it’s a laid-back environment where you can come with your friends,” Popa said. Between classes, freshman Preethi Manohar wandered through all the aisles at the fair. “It’s a good idea to get freshmen better acquainted with the campus and meet new people,” Manohar said. “If there are specific groups of their heritage, they can network with those people or network with people who have similar interests.”She said she had clubs, such as the Union Board, that she was planning to join, but looking at the displays gave her ideas about more obscure clubs.“I want to find out about more opportunities to get involved with the IU community but also around Bloomington itself,” Manohar said.On the other side of the parking lot, the Kelley School of Business’ Deca Club attracted a lot of attention. An hour and a half into the fair, president and sophomore Artan Ferati said he estimated that 150 people had already signed up.Although Deca, which provides its members with case competitions in which they construct a solution, is affiliated with Kelley, it is open to students of all majors.Three other Deca officers, all dressed in business attire, were advertising the club with flyers.Ferati said they were relying more on students’ prior knowledge of Deca than advertising it with free food.“Events like this help us get in touch with all the new kids,” Ferati said. “It’s a good way for students to get involved with something other than school.”
(08/24/10 3:28am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>New schedules require new books, and with new books come choices. This semester that choice involves buying versus renting, with both T.I.S. College Bookstore and the IU Bookstore heavily promoting the option to rent this year.“We try to supply what people are asking for,” said Tim Lloyd, textbook manager for T.I.S. “In terms of a benefit, you’ll find that typically a book will rent for about half the cost of a new one.” Although T.I.S. began offering students the option to rent books last semester, Lloyd said the store has heavily promoted it this semester and has seen an increased demand.Junior Mallory McShane said she spends hundreds of dollars each semester on textbooks for her psychology and sociology majors. For her, the choice to rent was easy. Textbook rental, she said, is simply a matter of deciding which books are available to rent and where she can find the best prices.“How many times do you actually keep your textbooks?” McShane said. “I think renting textbooks is a great idea. A lot of people think they will sell their textbooks back, but it really isn’t that much. I think renting is a lot cheaper overall.”T.I.S. has been selective about which books are being offered as rentals, Lloyd said. Expensive books, ones that will be used in other classes and texts that are used by multiple professors or in larger courses are ones that are primarily being rented. Junior and English major Melanie Addleman, however, said she tries to buy and keep her books — her classes are smaller, the reading lists more specified and the content more universally applicable. “I’m one of those people who likes to have things to source back,” Addleman said. “If I need to quote something or use something from a previous class, I just like knowing I have it and I don’t have to worry about finding it again.”If she decides she won’t use the books again, Addleman said she sells them back. However, Addleman also said she has been in education classes where she never touched the book, and going through inspections when returning the book can be a hassle.“You don’t want to end up with books you can’t use,” she said.Both Addleman and McShane said there are many options available and they should all be carefully considered.“For an English major, books are not as expensive as they would be for pre-med books or biology books,” Addleman said. “I think renting books is a good option to add to the things you can already do to find books.”In the end, price might be the deciding factor.Addleman said she generally spends 50 to 75 dollars on each book she buys, and she pays for the texts herself.McShane said sometimes her books can add up to 500 dollars, with some of the larger books being in the price range of 100 dollars a piece. “My parents pay for my books,” she said. “But obviously they want them to be as cheap as possible. Renting will end up being cheaper overall.”Renting books has been around for a long time, Lloyd said, and has recently become more popular.“As students and administrators and professors are looking for ways to save money, it is another avenue to explore. Will it stick around? Will it stay? Sure.”
(04/30/10 2:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The DeVault Alumni Center was a hub of celebration and farewell Thursday as the IU Student Alumni Association and the IU Alumni Association sponsored their annual Senior Salute.Graduating students lined up for free food and gifts while organizations like the IU Career Development Center and IUAA signed attendees up for programs, services and memberships. Many school officials were in attendance as well, offering their own well-wishes.Senior Heather Schaefer, president of SAA, was one such official. “It’s about us giving back to the seniors, our way to say ‘Congratulations,’” Schaefer said. “But it’s also our way to kind of spur them on the cusp of graduation, to think about being involved as an alumnus.”Although Schaefer was there both as an event organizer and graduating senior, she said she found time to celebrate and was excited by the turnout.“As president, I get to do more of the outward-facing things,” she said. “I want to make sure my peers have a good party. I can eat ice cream while I’m signing people in.”The event kicked off at 4 p.m., and Schaefer said hundreds of students were lined up outside.By 4:45 p.m., representatives from the College of Arts and Sciences, who were passing out T-shirts, had run out of their supply.Assistant director of Alumni Relations for the COAS Vanessa Cloe said the school set up a booth to inform students of the services the university offers following graduation.“This is a great wrap-up event for seniors,” Cloe said. “It’s a nice send-off, but also our way of saying ‘Don’t forget us.’”Senior Patrick Casey battled the long lines for food and prizes. He went last year with a roommate and said he returned this year because he wanted his own IU memorabilia.“I’m here for three reasons,” he said. “One, I came for my graduation mug. I came to see Tom Crean, and I wanted the free food.”But it was about more than gifts and food. Students spent much of the afternoon reuniting with each other. “I’ve been surprised by how many people I know,” Casey said. “It’s been nice to reconnect with people I haven’t seen since freshman year one last time before we all graduate.”
(04/29/10 1:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Alpha Tau Omega philanthropy chairman and junior Matt Meredith’s involvement with Autism Speaks is a personal one. Two years ago, his nephew was diagnosed with the disease. Saturday, ATO and sorority Alpha Xi Delta will co-sponser a walk to benefit Autism Speaks, Alpha Xi’s national philanthropy. The organization sponsors walks called “Walk Now for Autism Speaks” in cities throughout the country. ATO and Alpha Xi said they hope their version of this walk will become an annual event. “There’s no framework for us. What works? What didn’t?” said sophomore Meredith Stasa, Alpha Xi External Philanthropy Chair. “The hardest part has been trying to decide how to tackle this event.” The walk will begin at 1 p.m. at Alpha Xi on the North Jordan Avenue extension and conclude at the ATO house on East Third Street. Registration is $7 for a wristband, $10 for a T-shirt or $15 for both. “There are a lot of similar walks across the country, and they’ve all raised a lot of awareness and thousands of dollars,” Meredith said. “We just figured this would be the best way to raise the most amount of money.” Members of the organizations will hand out information about autism throughout the route. “We’ve selected this cause and this event because it hits really close to home,” said Annie Hallsten, Alpha Xi philanthropy and community outreach manager. “Autism affects one in 110 children. This is something that affects everybody.” April is Autism Awareness Month, but both greek organizations waited to sponsor the walk until May because they said there were fewer conflicting events and schedules. They said they have been excited by the support. “We’re ambitious but realistic, and we know this will be a year to grow from,” Stasa said. “But I’m excited to see the turnout. I’m excited that others are excited. I think this will be really rewarding.” Meredith’s family — including his nephew — will be there Saturday to walk with him. “To have the support of the IU and Bloomington communities is really neat,” Meredith said. “I’m really looking forward to walking with my nephew. That’s what this is all about for me.”
(04/23/10 4:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Kappa Kappa Gamma rider and junior Katie Sauter said last year’s rider send-off brought tears to her eyes. The sorority, which has a consistently strong Little 500 team, had the best time in qualifications this year. The team will wear the green jersey Friday, and for that, Sauter said the entire house is thrilled. “Everyone is just really excited and always asks what we’re doing,” Sauter said. “It gets us more pumped up and gives us something to hold on to. The possibility of winning is there.”Last year the sorority and its pair met at a live-out house and cheered on the riders as they finished their warm-up ride and proceeded to the track. Sauter described it as a sea of orange. Sauter’s father rode in the Little 500 when he was a student here, so she said the race, the send-off and the support from all her sisters and friends holds a special meaning. “It’s just a really special thing to see,” Sauter said. In the men’s race, Phi Delta Theta will wear the white jersey, which signifies that the team scored the most points in the Spring Series events. Phi Delt has won three Little 500s in the last 30 years, so president and junior Adam Jump said the fraternity is excited in the week leading up to the race and supports its riders. “Getting the white jersey signifies how much work the riders have put in,” Jump said. “The guys have worked their butts off all year and over the summer trying to get the team as strong as possible.” Like Kappa, the fraternity will line the street with its pair early Saturday morning and cheer on the riders as they head off for the track. Nick Sovinski is a senior rider with Phi Delt. This is his fourth year racing. He said he is proud of his progress but knows the real test will be Saturday morning. “All the white jersey means is that we have a strong team,” Sovinksi said. “We’re not so much concerned about the white jersey. It’s nice for everybody else to see, but we’re just hoping our results from the Spring Series events carry on into the race.” In the end, Little 500 is about more than the riders and the teams. The houses themselves become a part of all the festivities, finding excitement in their team’s successes and supporting them at the race. “We’ll obviously be at the race cheering the riders on,” Jump said. “But the send-off is just to get us, and them, pumped up and excited.”