Volume 2, Issue 6

New Members Participate in Greek Camp

Jeanne Jodin

Over the weekend, around 50 students from all three governing councils, along with student facilitators and the Greek Life staff traveled to Crossville, TN.  The Clyde York 4-H Center was the location for the first ever Greek Camp for new members and all but four organizations were represented. 

Students were selected by their chapter to attend this weekend, which focused mainly on building their leadership skills, along with teaching them about all three councils.  Facilitators were there to keep the flow of the weekend going, and to help with the activities, which included a community service project. 

Jessica Reeves, the NPC President believed it was a valuable weekend.  “It was a great idea because it brought together students that may never have met and they got to know each other, and it created a bond between them, giving them more resources for the future."  Reeves continued by saying, “This is a good step in the direction of creating unity among all three councils.”

Saturday afternoon, all participants went out into the Crossville community to complete a service project portion of the weekend at four different locations.  Students went to places like Habitat for Humanity, where they worked with the Restore, to Kids Inc. where they rebuilt a play area.  William Harper, a participant this weekend, said “The experience made feel useful and needed," when asked about how he felt.  Other students used the words, “helpful”, “worthwhile”, and “fulfilled” when asked to describe their experience in one word.

The purpose of the weekend was to groom future leaders for the Greek community and to build unity among new fraternity and sorority members.  By the looks of the weekend, it seems that there will be plenty of strong leaders in the years to come.

MTSU Sororities Moving Forward with Housing Initiative

Representatives from each of MTSU’s seven NPC sororities met last Monday to discuss the prospect of sorority housing at MTSU.  This is the latest in a long line of discussions that have been going on since plans were approved for Greek Row in the late 1990’s.  

The meeting, according to Director of Greek Life Gentry McCreary, was a productive one.

“I think that all of our organizations are in agreement regarding the size and style of structures they want to build,” McCreary said.  “It is a matter of the university putting the numbers together and presenting our plans to the national housing representatives for approval.”

In contrast to MTSU’s Greek Row, any sorority housing will be financed and built by the individual sororities, as opposed to the state bond that was issued to finance Greek Row.  The university has set aside a plot of land that runs along the south side of campus on what is now City View Blvd.  The land would be leased to the sororities and any improvements to the land would require the approval of Campus Planning.

The plans currently under consideration range from non-residential structures that would serve as a space for meetings and social functions to full service housing facilities holding as many as 15 women. 

Until October 1, the sororities at MTSU were subject to an NPC binding resolution that prohibited them from moving forward with housing plans.  Now that that resolution has expired, McCreary said, the university plans on moving forward aggressively with the housing initiative.

“The chapter rooms in Cummings Hall are slated to be renovated and converted to academic space in the Fall of 2009,” McCreary said.  “If we do not move now, our sororities could be homeless in the very near future.”

“The fact is, the longer we wait, the more expensive this project will become,” McCreary added.  “MTSU’s sorority community has reached a size and a level of consistency that can easily sustain sorority housing.  It’s time to move forward.”

Stollman Challenges Greek Community to "Buy In or Get Out"

Sunny Schartau

Jenn Chandler

This past Thursday the Greek community of MTSU was graced with the timely and well needed visit by public speaker David Stollman.  The night began with Stolman’s request of crowd participation in yelling out stereotypes of Greek men and women.  The responses consisted of everything from men being players and drunks to women being crazy and backstabbing. He hit home with some truths about the nation’s perception of Greeks as seen in movies like “Animal House” and “Old School.” It was also agreed that Greek organizations existing simply for a way to buy friends was an overall stereotype status for both men and women alike.  So where was Stollman going with this lead and what point was he trying to make? 

He explained why these particular stereotypes of fraternity men and sorority women exist and that perhaps it is because they are becoming true that Greeks encounter these issues more often than they would like.  Stollman went on to tell the Greek community that as being members of this elite society of people Greeks should represent themselves in an honorable fashion and that breaking stereotypes is key in unlocking the great potential that has kept Greek life alive for so long. Every single man and woman that has made a vow to their organization has promised themselves to a life long commitment of class, chivalry and honor.  

When asked about her overall opinion of the speaker and his message, Carman Berryman stated that “David did a great job of bringing light to touchy subjects such as hazing and drunkenness.  If the Greek community wants to change for the better and break stereotypes then David has made us all well aware of what needs changing.”  He challenged all of the Greek organizations to be different than everyone else, to be leaders and men and women of character. Don’t be the stereotypical Greek and people will see you for more than that. Change how the average person views fraternities and sororities and everyone benefits. It begins here, now, with us.

Cassie & Katie Venable both served a Rho Sigmas this summer

 Greeks of the Week: The Venable Sisters

Ashley DeSabetino

Katie and Cassie Venable are the infamous sisters known well amongst the Blue Raider Greek community. They not only have added substantially to the Greek community but both sisters have been active in other aspects of campus life.  They were chosen as the Greeks of the Week because of the hard work and dedication they put forth to enhance the Greek system here at Middle Tennessee State University.  The two sisters proudly call Chi Omega home and they both served as Rho Sigmas during this year's recruitment process. 

Katie Venable held numerous leadership roles during her four years in Chi Omega ranging from T-shirt chair to Chapter Chaplin and she is now an active alumnae.  Katie served as a Blue Bell for three years and she is currently employed by the foundation and development office here on campus. Katie will be graduating this May with a degree in Elementary Education and plans to teach kindergarten. 

Cassie, the younger sister, has served as Chi Omega’s Panhellenic Delegate and she currently serves as co-chair of Paint the Town Blue.  “I truly believe that what you put into Greek life is what you get out of it," Cassie said about her Greek experience.  "I live, eat and sleep Greek life!” 

“The Venable sisters go above and beyond the call of duty for our Greek System here at MTSU.  They are always well prepared, organized and have a big smile on their faces.” said Caroline Rutledge a fellow Rho Sigma this summer. 

The Venable sisters have made an impact not only in Chi Omega but on the Greek sytem as a whole. 

MTSU's current student union center, the Keathley University Center which was built in the late 1960s.