Volume 3, Issue 2

Stay 'Up 'Til Dawn' with St. Jude

Meagan Flippin

Students on MTSU’s campus are striving to make a difference – that is, with a $95,000 fundraising goal for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. Up ‘Til Dawn, the campus-wide, student-led fundraiser for the hospital is hosting its annual finale event on Friday, January 26^th from 7 p.m. – 7 a.m. at the Campus Recreation Center. The 12-hour celebration will feature free food, games, patient guests from St. Jude, live entertainment, dancing, and much more!

Teams of six have been working over the course of the past few months to raise money for St. Jude. Each team is responsible for raising $600, and several teams have even already exceeded that amount. Awards such as “Most Money Raised by a Team” will be given at the finale event.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has an operating cost of $1 million per day, covered by donations such as the ones made through Up ‘Til Dawn. No family is turned down from treatment at St. Jude, even if that family is unable to pay for the medical expenses or treatments.

The total amount raised for the 2006-2007 school year will be announced at the conclusion of the finale event. Approximately $82,000 was raised during the 2005-2006 school year. The finale will be open to the public from 7 p.m. – midnight for a $5.00 donation to St. Jude.

Task Force Outlining

 Promising Future Relationship

Ashley DeSabetino

An open forum was held on January 23, 2007 to facilitate the invitation for soliciting public comment on work done by the Greek Life Task Force over the past year.  The two main responsibilities the Task Force  focused on was the creation of the statement of relationship, and in the forthcoming months the focus will shift to the development of a strategic plan.  The task force was commissioned in March 2006 by President Sydney McPhee to clarify the role between the Greek system and the University. 

Students from all three Greek governing councils were present at the open forum.  Dr. Bob Glenn, Dr. Collette Taylor, and numerous other Middle Tennessee State University Alumni and faculty were also in attendance for this momentous occasion. 

“Whom will this draft report be distributed to?” was the question on several audience members’ minds.  Greek Life Director Gentry McCreary responded, “The Task Force has tried to reach as many people as possible within our two week window,” he continued with “Alumni, advisors and students will all be asked to study the draft report and then email members with questions and comments.”

The evening adjourned and McCreary requested that those in attendance read the Statement of Relationship more intimately and report back with any concerns. 

The evening also included some very detailed questions pertaining to specific membership recruitment and intake guidelines outlined in the document.  The open forum did not allot ample time to discuss these issues in detail causing the three councils to consider appointing committees to review the document.

The Greek Life Task Force has nearly completed its first objective in defining the relationship between the University and the Greek system.  With the input of the collegiate community and alumni alike, the document will ensure a mutually beneficial relationship between the two entities.  It is not deniable that the two entities function better when working in tandem.

The Task Force will convene after the public comments cease and  will draft the changes appropriate to the document.  The document will be reintroduced to the public and the Task Force will start on the next chapter of creating the strategic plan to accomplish the objectives included in the Statement of Relationship.

If you have questions or comments about the Statement of Relationship please contact Gentry McCreary, mccreary@mtsu.edu or Carrie Smith, csmith@mtsu.edu.