Volume 2, Issue 3

Greek Life Programming Board Announces Plans for Hazing Prevention Week

The Greek Life Programming Board (GLPB) at MTSU announced its plans this week for National Hazing Prevention Week.  NHPW, which takes place September 25-29, is a program spearheaded by Campuspeak and the North American Interfraternity Conference.  NHPW is designed to educate college students about the dangers of hazing and to promote hazing awareness on college campuses.

This will be the second year that MTSU has participated in Hazing Prevention Week.

“Hazing is often considered just a Greek problem,” said Gentry McCreary, Director of Greek Life.  “The goal of Hazing Prevention Week is to raise awareness to the fact that hazing is a societal problem that needs to stop.  Over half of all high school students nationwide report participating in some type of hazing, be it through an athletic team, a band or various other organizations.”

Hazing Prevention Week Schedule of Events

Monday, September 25^th

10:00 – 2:00 – Hazing Awareness Table – KUC Grill

Tuesday, September 26^th

10:00 – 2:00 – Hazing Awareness Table – KUC Grill

6:00 – New Member Educator Roundtable – KUC 314

Wednesday, September 27^th

12:00 – President/Chapter Advisor Brown Bag Lunch – JUB Dining Room C

7:00 p.m. – New member program “Unless a Death Occurs” – JUB Tennessee Room

Thursday, September 28^th

7:00 p.m. – Greek Speak Out – David Stollman, “Buy In or Get Out” – JUB Tennessee Room

David Stollman will present his program "Buy In or Get Out" as a Greek Speak Out as Part of National Hazing Prevention Week.

Nineteen alumni and actives receive the Rock Chapter Award at the
62nd Grand Chapter Awards Banquet in Indianapolis, IN

SIGMA NU FRATERNITY WINS HIGHEST AWARD FROM HEADQUARTERS

Michael Haley
Michael Hicks

Sigma Nu Fraternity, a four-year recipient of MTSU's Most Outstanding Chapter award, won the Rock Chapter Award this past summer at the fraternity’s 62nd Grand Chapter, the fraternity's national biennium convention.
 
The Rock Chapter Award is the highest honor that a chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity can receive. It measures a chapter's excellence in eleven areas of chapter operations over a three year period.

Sigma Nu's President James Scott Edge III accepted the award before a black-tie audience of over 1,000 brothers representing 170 universities nationwide.

"It was a great honor to receive such accolades on a national level, especially after all of the hard work and dedication our brotherhood has put forth," says Edge. "We feel that this award has raised the bar a second time and will force us to put an even greater emphasis on areas such as academics, community service, and campus leadership so that we excel in ways that MTSU has never before seen from a fraternity."

Other national awards received by the Theta Iota Chapter  of Sigma Nu Fraternity at the convention included National Alumnus of the Biennium - Tony Marable, Alumni Chapter Officer of the Year - Michael Davis, and Achievement in Excellence - LEAD Program, the fraternity's four phase leadership development program.

"Many people ask me what the secret is behind our success," says Edge.  "From the very beginning, our chapter has focused to build a fraternity that lives daily by our founding principles of Love, Truth, and Honor and by maintaining our vision, it keeps everyone on the same page, reduces conflict, and insures that the kinship we foster between brothers remains fresh and new."

Greek of the Week: SGA President Jay Cash

Ashley DeSabetino

Members of the greek community currently hold all of the SGA executive offices for the 2006-2007 school year.  Jay Cash, a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity serves his fellow students as this year's President.  Jay Cash transferred to MTSU as a sophomore and became an active member of the Blue Raider Community.  He served his Fraternity in several leadership roles including Pledge Class President. 

On September 7 the Student Government Associate held their first meeting where Jay communicated with the senators the key goals of the upcoming year. He hopes to pass legislation that will place a referendum for students to vote on to fund the new student union center.  He is also avidly working on implementing methods to increase communication via mobile technology for MTSU organizations.  These are just a few of the fresh ideas Jay Cash has for the betterment of the Middle Tennessee State University campus.

“There are people on campus who want to become involved and are unsure how, and my key objective this semester is to get these students involved” remarked Cash on promoting college loyalty.  Jay wants to see students engaging in the changes they would like to see on campus. 

Outside of school Jay still finds time to be active in his family's business in which he serves as an Apprentice Auctioneer under his father. He also plans on pursuing the Kentucky and Tennessee Real Estate License later this year to become an auctioneer and real estate broker.

Jay Cash 2006-2007 Student Body President

Phi Chi Pledge Class of 2006

Sorority Recruitment Wraps Up

The Panhellenic Council at MTSU wrapped up its Sorority Recruitment Week this past Monday with Bid Day on Walnut Grove.  

“Sorority recruitment was a tremendous success,” said Jennifer Galmish, the Panhellenic Vice President of Recruitment.  “We have an amazing new group of women as part of our sorority community at MTSU.”

252 women were offered invitations to join sororities at the end of the week.  This number is down only slightly from 274 last year.  Quota for each of the organizations, however, was up slightly from last year, from 41 to 42.  After quota additions, some sororities took new member classes as large as 46.  

“46 women in one new member class is the largest number I’ve seen since I’ve been at MTSU,” said Carrie Smith, the Coordinator of Greek Life.  “Our sorority community continues to grow and be a powerful presence on the MTSU campus.”