It’s OK not to drink (especially tonight)

Yes, it really is OK. I am also a non-drinker, but unlike the author of the article I came to the decision to quit through hard-won experience. Either way, or just to take a break, it is OK. If you choose to drink responsibly that is fine too. I'm just saying make your own choices.
(Little known fact - no one really cares what is in your glass. They are too busy with their own.)

Sigma Phi Epsilon | The Jamestown Comet.:

I have never hidden the fact that I am a non-drinker; really, nothing, ever. An alumnus of one of the oldest national college fraternities – Sigma Phi Epsilon – I’ve never had an alcoholic beverage of any kind. I didn’t steer clear of the bubbly because of a religious choice or some deep, philosophical reason. It just wasn’t part of my experience growing up and, fortunately, I never developed the interest. That said, drinking is a big part of adult social and business functions and thus, hard to avoid. But it’s OK NOT to drink. Really, it is.

Vanessa Freeman and Gery L. Deer 

talk “staying sober” on WDTN-

TV2′s LIVING DAYTON. 

Click to watch the full interview.

First, you have to be OK with yourself and your decision not to indulge. If you’re uncomfortable with yourself about not drinking then you’ll probably make others feel that way too. Ambivalence will probably result in your drinking anyway and it will be your own decision and not because of peer pressure. Remember that if anyone takes issue with you’re not drinking, or pressures you in some way, the problem is theirs not yours.Some people might think peer pressure is limited to the adolescent years, but even as an adult, I know how much pressure there is on people to drink alcohol at social and business events. Despite opinions to the contrary, it really is OK not to drink and here are some ideas for anyone trying to abstain but who still wants to feel included in the fun of the party.

If offered, politely decline, but don’t make excuses. After all, the offer was not made to offend you. It’s not a good idea to launch into some long-winded explanation, however, or rattle off a list of excuses about why you’re abstaining. Just say something like, “No thanks. I’d really like a cup of tea (coffee, soda, whatever), though, if you have it?” It’s polite and expresses your appreciation for the offer.

Carry a decoy, but don’t pretend it is alcohol, in other words, avoid the mock-tail. There is no need to call attention to the drink in your hand, but you might carry a drink around with you. Some people will advise you to accept an alcoholic drink and just hold it all night, but that’s not only pointless and dishonest. It could actually make you feel more self-conscious. People will expect you to sip from your drink now and again during long conversations, so just have something else in your glass.

Participating and socializing will also help to keep attention away from the lack of a drink in your hand. Keeping busy will keep your mind off the fact you’re not drinking with the other guests and help you be more involved in the event. If, however, there is still a particularly high level of pressure on you to drink or be left out or ridiculed, you should extricate yourself from the situation and rethink attending activities with the same group of people again.

Whatever you do don’t try to change the behavior of others. A social or business function is not the proper setting for a personal mission or intervention. You, alone, have made the conscious decision to attend an event where alcohol is being served and to be included you must live and let live. Needless to say, if you see someone about to drink and drive, act accordingly as your circumstances permit.

There’s no “down side” to abstaining from alcohol. When you don’t drink, you’re probably less likely to do things that have negative consequences. So, provided you don’t have some kind of a deviant propensity toward misbehavior anyway, you should make it through the event unscathed. Your social position may suffer, however, especially if you typically surround yourself with partiers. I say, it’s their loss.

Negative people have a negative effect on us. What kind of a “friend” abandons you because you don’t want to use alcohol? If you were always a non-drinker, it’s probably easier for others to accept because they know from the start. But going on the wagon, for whatever reason, can be challenging. Once again, just remember that it’s OK not to drink. Just be yourself. It’s you that should matter to your friends and colleagues, not what’s in your glass.

Gery L. Deer is an independent contributor to WDTN-TV2’s Living Dayton program. More at www.gerydeer.com

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Social evolution: The ritual animal : Nature News & Comment

An interesting article about the uses and importance of ritual in building groups.While not specifically about college fraternities, many of the concepts are applicable to help understand why it is so damn difficult to eliminate hazing in chapters, and how gatherings like Edge, CLA, and Conclave, along with our 'private' ritual practices, are important in cementing fraternal ties.

Social evolution: The ritual animal : Nature News & Comment

[This article refers to...] a £3.2-million (US$5-million) investigation into ritual, community and conflict, which is funded until 2016 by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and headed by McQuinn's supervisor, Oxford anthropologist Harvey Whitehouse.

Rituals are a human universal — “the glue that holds social groups together”, explains Whitehouse, who leads the team of anthropologists, psychologists, historians, economists and archaeologists from 12 universities in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. Rituals can vary enormously, from the recitation of prayers in church, to the sometimes violent and humiliating initiations of US college fraternity pledges, to the bleeding of a young man's penis with bamboo razors and pig incisors in purity rituals among the Ilahita Arapesh of New Guinea. But beneath that diversity, Whitehouse believes, rituals are always about building community — which arguably makes them central to understanding how civilization itself began.
[...]

Meanwhile, psychologist Ryan McKay at Royal Holloway, University of London, and Jonathan Lanman, a cognitive anthropologist at Queen's University, Belfast, are exploring how rituals can be broken down into their component parts and how each part influences behaviour. One such component is synchronized physical action [...] which social psychologists have shown promotes a sense of connection and trust between individuals.

This work builds on research by Richard Sosis, an anthropologist at the University of Connecticut, who has shown that immersion in collective rituals, such as communal prayer, in Israeli kibbutzim increases cooperative behaviour in economic games — but only with other kibbutz members.

Students learn skills for job employment

Clarion University Sigma Phi Epsilon | The Clarion Call

“Hired or Fired” first-place winner Zach Motyl (far right)
stands with his fellow contestants.

CLARION, PA. – The brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon hosted a one-of-a-kind career development competition Thursday, Nov. 29 in Hart Chapel.

“Hired or Fired” was a competition to see which contestants are the most professionally prepared based on their resume, elevator speech, attire and interview.

Recognized student organizations and recognized university organizations sponsored 12 students to participate in the event.

Erin Lewis, assistant director of Career Services, emceed the competition. Zach Motyl, sponsored by the Theta Xi fraternity, won first place in the competition.

Greg Jacobs came in second, and Maddie Robinson won third place.

Motyl received a Pepsi gift basket with more than $120 worth of professional development items; the  sponsoring organization of the first place winner also received $100.

Motyl said he was excited to win representing Theta Xi and apart of the university because it shows how well Clarion had prepared him for the job market.

“You come and do four years, not just to get an education, but to get a job,” he said.

“Hired or Fired” was judged by three local professionals: Todd MacBeth, principal of Clarion Area Elementary; Jim Crooks, owner of F.L. Crooks & Co: and Pam Watkins, site administrator of PA CareerLink.

The Odyssey Online - LSU - Sigma Phi Epsilon - Look How Far We've Come

An article from the Odyssey Online about the maturing of Greek life at LSU.

The Odyssey Online - LSU - Sigma Phi Epsilon - Look How Far We've Come:

Andrew Alexander
Sigma Phi Epsilon

Long gone are the days of anything-goes house parties, beer trucks on the front lawn of fraternities and exchanges at Greek houses. Restricted guest lists, hired security guards and third-party vendors have since replaced those reminders of LSU Greek life’s wilder days.

On Aug. 25, 1997, LSU Greek life was forever changed. That night newly pinned Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledge Benjamin Wynne died with a blood alcohol level of 0.588, nearly six times the minimum limit to be considered intoxicated. The event altered the culture of LSU’s Greek life and served as a launching point for the current incarnation of fraternity and sorority life on campus.

The tragic death of Wynne sent shockwaves throughout the campus and community. Murphy’s Bar, the local tavern where Wynne consumed many of drinks at that night, was closed shortly thereafter. The LSU chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon was shut down for eight years, re-chartering in 2005. Changes in the LSU Greek system were inevitable.

According to LSU’s Greek Life website, “In Nov. 1997, Dr. William L. Jenkins, the Chancellor of LSU, appointed a 21 member Task Force of Greek Life and Related Issues to study the Greek system at Louisiana State University.”

One of the results of the Task Force’s research was the birth and implementation of the Greek Assessment. Starting in November 1998, the Greek Assessment began reviewing Greek chapters in four areas to determine how well each contributed to the mission of the university. The four areas assessed were Campus Involvement and Community Service, Education for New and Continuing Members, Academics and Operations.

Which High School Students Are Most Likely to Graduate From College?

U.S. News & World Report reports on a new study which notes the college graduation rate in the U.S. is only 44% and shows that success indicators may not be the ones people usually expect.

The implication for fraternity and sorority programs is interesting. Perhaps we should be putting more of a focus on the graduation rate of Greek members compared to the general population. Letting parents know that their son or daughter is more likely to finish a degree if they join a fraternity or sorority will likely resonate more than examples of "brotherhood" or even campus leadership - (Ed. Note).

Parents: Stop fretting so much about which high school your youngsters attend or how they score on the SATs. If you want your student to make it to a bachelor's degree, it's far more important for him or her to earn at least B's in high school and reach for the best possible college. Oh, and saving a few thousand bucks by sending your kid to a community college could turn out to be an expensive mistake.

Some of the nation's best-respected educational researchers are likely to reconsider much conventional wisdom today with the release of surprising findings from an analysis of educational records of more than 200,000 freshmen who started at public four-year colleges in 1999.

In the new "Crossing the Finish Line," William Bowen, a former president of Princeton University, argues that so many undergrads are dropping out (44 percent) that the country is in danger of losing its competitive edge to other nations.

The findings about actions parents, teachers, and institutions should take are interesting and may spark controversy:

• High school grades are key
• But the nature of the high school doesn't make much difference
• Students shouldn't settle for less in a college
• Admissions tests don't predict graduation
• True achievement tests are useful indicators
• B minuses aren't good enough
• Today's community colleges are not the best solution
• Cash helps but is not a cure-all
• Some colleges are doing a much better job than others
• There is some hope

More about these points in the full article:
Which High School Students Are Most Likely to Graduate From College? - Yahoo! News

IIT makes students pay for dorms they don't use

Six years ago, the Illinois Institute of Technology unveiled a sleek, blocklong glass and corrugated stainless steel dorm designed by world-renowned architect Helmut Jahn that had space for nearly 400 students.

But now, some members of the school's Greek system contend, the school's residence halls are overbuilt, and IIT is trying to force new fraternity members to live in the dorms rather than move into fraternity houses as they have traditionally done.

Sigma Phi Epsilon alum Phill Vittore said the school is trying to shove its financial troubles on its Greek organizations.

The policy would have required freshmen wanting to room in fraternities this fall to pay up to $6,300 to make up for the lost room and board for the first semester at IIT. That would be on top of what the fraternity charges, about $8,500 for the year.

"They are trying to shove their financial problems on us,'' said Phill Vittore, a 1958 engineering graduate from Arlington Heights and a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon alumni board.

Earlier this month, the fraternity's alumni board sued the school to stop it from enforcing the new policy. On Wednesday, a Cook County judge issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the school from carrying through with its plan.

Frats: IIT makes students pay for dorms they don't use :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Education

AFA Article Researches the Economy and Impact on Greeks

Implications of the Declining Economy of Fraternities and Sororities
Noah Borton, Eastern Michigan University March 2009

It is nearly impossible to turn on a news program without learning new ways that the nation’s declining economy is negatively impacting life as we know it. Though more insulated than other sectors, higher education is by no means spared from the current recession. Institutions across the country are bracing for financial hardship in the form of declining investment returns for endowments, reduced state appropriations, and declining enrollment (Knecht, 2009; Wolverton, 2008). The existence of some smaller, private institutions is in question (Carlson, 2008).

This begs the questions: how will this recession impact fraternities and sororities? Does this threaten their viability and relevance in a higher education environment that is being shaped by new calls for accountability? These questions are nuanced and complex. As professionals grapple with this emerging environment, the following are points to consider regarding the potential economic impacts for international organization staff, campus professionals, and undergraduate fraternity and sorority chapters.

Challenging economic times require everyone to reevaluate luxury spending. This is true for college students as well. For some students, joining a fraternity or sorority is not a requirement for succeeding in college, but a luxury item that is secondary to other expenses related to their education. In addition, with the continued expansion of other student organizations and involvement opportunities on college campuses, fraternities and sororities must aggressively manage costs to remain competitive.

Inter/National Organization Staff
Disproportionately significant costs for most organizations, especially many men’s groups, are risk management and insurance premiums. Some of the nation’s largest insurance carriers have posted losses in 2008 due to the combination of paying out large claims and declines in their stock holdings. The last time we saw something of this nature was in the wake of the September 11th attacks when companies responded by raising insurance premiums to compensate for their losses in the market (Soule, 2008). It is likely this pattern will repeat in 2009, and insurance rates for inter/national organizations will continue to increase. As this cost is passed along to undergraduate members, it becomes decreasingly possible for middle and working class students to afford the luxury of fraternity and sorority membership. To address this, inter/national organizations must continue to aggressively reduce risk within the organization while identifying opportunities to address their insurance needs without passing the cost along to their undergraduates.

Campus Professionals
Most campuses are facing declining economic resources. While some institutions may be seeking new efficiencies and trimming programming, others will be making significant and strategic cuts. At a certain point, institutions will be faced with the difficult decisions to reduce or eliminate programs and departments that are viewed as peripheral to the educational mission of the institution. Therefore, campus professionals must be prepared to demonstrate that fraternity and sorority life augments the educational mission of the college or university. Impassioned invocations of leadership opportunities and community service events will be insufficient in this climate. Professionals must be equipped with empirical data that demonstrates the outcomes of a fraternal experience. These outcomes must then be explicitly linked to the resources allocated by the institution in support of these organizations.

To support a credible argument for the relevance of institutional support for fraternity and sorority life, the data gathering process must commence long before an argument is necessary. Several instruments such as the AFA/EBI Fraternity/Sorority Assessment and the Fraternity/Sorority Experience Survey (FSES) from the Center for the Study of the College Fraternity can provide quantitative data on the fraternal experience. It is also possible to use existing institutional data sets from instruments such as the National Study of Student Engagement (NSSE), National College Health Assessment (NCHA) or University Learning Outcomes Assessment (UniLOA). Also consider examining other forms of data including academic performance, student retention, and alcohol consumption rates. If positive trends can be demonstrated in these areas, then focus groups can be an effective tool to develop qualitative data that provides insight on these trends.

Undergraduate Chapters
The fraternity/sorority experience is often built around the traditional undergraduate, residential experience. As more and more students face economic challenges, they will increasingly have a less traditional experience. This includes working additional hours at an off-campus job and commuting from home. It is also likely that students will seek alternative modes of course delivery such as enrolling in more night, weekend, and online classes (Kolowich, 2009). The traditional recruitment tip of “talk to people who sit next to you in class” takes on new meaning when students are sitting next to a 42-year-old mother of three in their Saturday business management class or while working on an online course from their bedroom.

Initially, encourage chapters to evaluate their policies and practices to determine the extent to which they needlessly exclude a significant portion of the student population from their chapters. One policy that creates barriers is the requirement that members live in a chapter facility; living at home may render this impossible. Individuals may also have difficulty with the timing of meetings and events. For example, if students commute to campus Mondays and Wednesdays, Sunday chapter meetings might not be feasible for them in the face of a 45-minute commute. Mandatory events could also create potential barriers. Are students missing events because they do not care about the organization, or do they need to skip a sisterhood activity because it compromises their ability to drive home at 11 p.m. and still make it to work the next day by 8 a.m.? By maintaining these policies, fraternities and sororities may exclude individuals who could be phenomenal members, but not through the traditional paradigm of chapter membership.

Fraternities and sororities have survived previous periods of significant economic hardship and challenge. However, doing so required a willingness to redefine the traditional model of the fraternal experience. To effectively do this, individuals must be willing to acknowledge that there may be alternative means for accomplishing the mission of fraternities and sororities while still maintaining economic viability and providing access to the contemporary student population.

References
Carlson, S. (2008, August 1). Bad economy could harm smaller colleges. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from www.chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i47

Knect, R. (2009, January, 9). Colleges must face reality and recognize opportunity in the economic downturn. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from www.chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i18

Kolowich, S. (2009, January 16). Recession may drive more adult students to take online classes. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from www.chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i19

Soule, A. (2008, November 10). Premium red ink. Fairfield County Business Journal. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from www.fcbizj.biz

Wolverton, B. (2008, March 28). How might a recession impact higher education? The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from www.chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i29

Stimulus: Billions to colleges and students

Stimulus, Schimulus, what's in it for me? As a hard working middle-aged white guy who got a mortgage I could afford and has a bit saved up in a 401-K (though not as much as last year) - not much. But my kids, who are in college now, and many of the SigEps reading this blog may have a chance at some stimulus largess...

The stimulus plan emerging in Washington could offer an unprecedented, multibillion-dollar boost in financial help for college students trying to pursue a degree while they ride out the recession.

It could also hand out billions to the states to kick-start idled campus construction projects and help prevent tuition increases at a time when families can least afford them.
[...]
"We're ready to go, there's great jobs involved, and we're educating kids who wouldn't have other opportunities if we weren't there," Chuck Middleton, president of Roosevelt University in downtown Chicago, said Sunday. His university has a $135 million new building with classrooms, labs, dorms and offices on hold after financing dried up. Construction could be under way in six months, he says, providing 600 jobs for two years while helping Roosevelt's diverse student body.

Also helping students, the House and Senate both call for expanding the Hope tuition tax credit from $1,800 to $2,500 and making it partly refundable. Now, almost half of families with children pay no income tax, so the current tuition tax-credit system doesn't help them (the full benefit kicks in for families earning at least $43,000).

There is more, including the disclaimers about what is getting cut, but lets hope those idiots in Washington stumble over each other and get it right, this time. Maybe there is even hope for the bill authorizing tax deductions for fraternity house building and renovation contributions.

WHO GETS WHAT: Billions to colleges and students - Yahoo! News