Surviving Greek Week 2007

Josh McKenzie

Greek Week is here and back in full force. The week of events is packed with much to do for the 28 Greek organizations at MTSU. Each organization will be participating in activities during the week, earning points, and vying for the title of Greek Week Champions.

Monday was witness to Greek Life’s first ever Bowl-A-Thon for Junior Achievement, while Tuesday hosted Mike DeStefano as the speaker for Greek Speak Out, discussing issues on HIV, safe sex, drugs, and alcohol. Chi Omega’s 38^th Annual Mr. MTSU pageant was held on Wednesday night, raising money for the Make-A-Wish foundation. Jeffrey Joslin was named Mr. MTSU, with runners-up including ΣAE Patrick Mertes, ΣΦE Kell Harvey, and ΠKA Austin Waguespack.

There are still many events to come, though. Thursday night, Mellow Mushroom will be hosting Greek Night from 5-7pm, with 5% proceeds from Greek students going to benefit Womack Lane. With the end of the week comes Greek Olympics. The competitions will be held at the old intramural fields, behind Cummings Hall, holding events such as the 11-legged Race and Tug of War. After the competing has subsided, an all Greek Mixer will be held at the Sigma Pi House (behind O’Charley’s on Memorial Blvd.) at 10pm.

The 2^nd Annual Greek Row Yard Sale will take place from 6am to noon on Saturday, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the Womack Lane Daycare Center. Donations have been taken all week to place in this Greek fundraiser. Greek Week will then wind down with a cookout and tailgating from 12-2pm in Walnut Grove with the Blue & White Game immediately following at 2pm.  

Holding Down the Week: Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Alpha Order, & Sigma Alpha Epsilon

John Carter

April 16-21 is going to be a busy week on campus.  Three Greek organizations have laid claim to those six days as their respective week.  Delta Sigma Theta sorority (Delta Week), Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity (Paddy Murphy Week), and Kappa Alpha Order (Old South Week) have plans of making next week the best MTSU has seen in a long time.  The complete schedule of events is:

Monday, April 16, 2007

-Paddy Murphy wrist bands go on sale, $3 each or $5 pair, proceeds to Children’s Miracle Network

-Faculty Appreciation @ KUC 314 11:13am- 2:00pm (Delta)
-"Show Me What You Got" @ Patterson Park Theatre 7:13pm (Delta)
-Dixie Darlin pageant 9:30pm (Old South) 

Tuesday, April 17, 2007
-KA Outreach-Pancreatic Cancer Awareness @ KUC 11:00-4:00 (Old South)

-"Crimson Spa"- Student Appreciation @ KUC 322: 11:13am- 2:00pm (Delta)
-The RED Carpet Affair @ The Realator's Building: 9:13pm-1:00am (Delta)

-SAE pledge class grill off, “Paddy’s Wake” date party, themed 1930’s gangster.

-KA Karaoke  9:00pm (Old South)

Wednesday, April 18, 2007
-KA Outreach-Pancreatic Cancer Awareness @ KUC 11:00-4:00 (Old South)

-Mid-Day Party @ KUC Knoll: 11:13am-2:00pm (Delta)
-Community Service @ Wee-Care Daycare: 3:00pm-4:00pm (Delta)
-"What Lies Beneath" Forum @ WPS 102: 7:13pm (Delta)

-Crawfish boil 7:00pm (Old South)
-Sorority skit night 7:00pm (Paddy Murphy)

Thrusday, April 19, 2007
-KA Outreach-Pancreatic Cancer Awareness @ KUC 11:00-4:00 (Old South)

-School clean up, McFadden Elementary, 11:00am (Paddy Murphy)

-Community Service-DuST Free Campus Clean up @ Dorms: 11:13am (Delta)
-"Family Feud" Delta Style @ CKNB 121 7:13pm (Delta)

Friday, April 20, 2007
-Funeral for Paddy Murphy

-Community Service @ Wee-Care Daycare: 3:00pm-4:00pm (Delta)
-“Rumble in the Jungle” @ SAE house 10:00pm (Paddy Murphy)

-RED Hot Extravaganza Pt. 2 @ The Armory 10:13pm-2:00am (Delta)

Saturday, April 21, 2007
-Annual Block Party- Between Peck Hall & the KOM: 1:00pm-5:00pm (Delta)

-Poker tournament @ SAE house 6:00pm.  $25 entry, proceeds to Children’s Miracle Network. 

-“Inglewood” live @ the KA House 10:00pm (Old South)

Sigma Pi Is Chartering

Josh McKenzie

The Sigma Pi Colony has been present on the MTSU campus since the fall 2005 semester, proving themselves a positive force to the Greek community and bringing an upstanding name to the fraternity reputation. This semester, Sigma Pi sent to their Grand Council a Petition to Charter. In order to do this, there have been many objectives and standards that had to be met over the past year, set by the Executive Office. The process included setting up a chapter government, opening a bank account and collecting dues, holding mixers, participating in intramural sports, and other various activities.

The most difficult part for the colony has been achieving the required number of men on the active roster. Sigma Pi has had to meet a quota of forty gentlemen, something the colony has been striving for over the past year. Over the course of the year, they have lost over twenty men, all the while staying highly involved with Greek Life and pushing forward to meet all other goals necessary.

This semester has proven to be a momentous one for the men of Sigma Pi, as they will witness the chartering of their organization. Now that the petition has been accepted by their Grand Council, they will be holding an initiation and Chartering Ceremony on Saturday, April 21^st.

“This is an exciting time in our fraternity and we are excited to build a prestigious tradition at MTSU in the future to come,” says Sigma Pi President Jon Bryan.

Greek of the Week:

Luisa Padro & Lambda Theta Alpha

Whitney Carr

The Greek of the Week usually goes to someone who has really made an impact in the Greek community; someone who has done their job beyond what is expected. This week, we want to honor Luisa Padro and her sorority, Lambda Theta Alpha. 

The Delta Iota chapter of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc. was founded on April 30, 2006. With their one year anniversary quickly approaching, these women have much to be proud of. Within the past year, the five founding members have been very active in the Murfreesboro community with events such as “Book Drive” for libraries in New Orleans with Alpha Phi Alpha grad's chapter, “Jean Drive” for insulation in schools with the Cotton Company and PRSSA and a hygiene products collection for the local Women's Shelter with June Anderson Women's Center. As part of their philanthropy F.U.T.U.R.O (Focused Urban Teens United and Ready for Opportunity), they have spoken at Smyrna Middle School to English as a Second Language students about the importance of an education, and the importance of diversity. They will be revisiting them later this month to talk about the importance of political activism.

With great service comes a great leader. Luisa Padro, a junior, has been the president of Lambda theta Alpha for a year. Her goal, along with her sorority, is to set a standard for members to come and show the community their involvement and diversity. Luisa also wants to clarify that Lambda Theta Alpha does not deny membership to any woman based on their race. Their saying, "Latin by tradition, not by definition" which means Lambda Theta Alpha began as a venue for Latin women in colleges which never existed before.

Luisa says, “We want to help bridge the gap between Greek organizations as well as other student organizations.”

It looks like these women have done a great job so far. Happy Birthday and good luck in the future!

Sorority Recruitment Undergoes Alterations

Whitney Carr

Greek life will be noticing a later recruitment date this fall, one of a few changes that will be put into effect for the fall 2007 semester. A later date will give Panhellenic and the Inter-fraternity Council more time to reach out to potential new members. Hopefully more girls will register for Sorority Recruitment than ever. But with the pros, come the cons. Because of the late recruitment date, a sub-committee has been assembled in hopes of changing current recruitment rules. With more time on campus around PNM’s, sorority women will either feel the need to ignore the girls or, in some cases, dirty rush.

The Recruitment Rules Sub-committee will hopefully create new Panhellenic Recruitment rules so that all women can be most effective in the recruitment process. Those on the committee are a representative from each NPC sorority, Emily Porter from Alpha Omicron Pi, Christina Sedrick from Kappa Delta, Alpha Chi Omega advisor Kim Taylor, Alpha Delta Pi advisor Megan Carter and Chi Omega’s recruitment chair Brittany Kilburn.

“This committee will give Greek women the chance to recruit girls, not for their own organization, but for Panhellenic,” says Director of Greek Life Gentry McCreary.