Housemother gives KU’s Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity a touch of home

Housemother gives KU’s Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity a touch of home - KansasCity.com:

BY DUGAN ARNETT

The Kansas City Star

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/05/04/4997970/for-fraternity-house-mom-its-all.html#storylink=cpy

At the moment, she was cutting flowers for the dining room in preparation for that evening’s dinner, but at alternate times over the next couple of hours, she would meet with a vending machine representative, refill her candy dishes, check on the temperature in one of the house’s sitting rooms and retrieve a patched-up pair of jeans for one of her boys.

“As you can see,” she said between chores, “my job consists of mom-like things.”

Company is the housemother at Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at the University of Kansas, a smiling, joking presence who, when not overseeing the various tasks around the house, is charged with keeping tabs on the 95 testosterone-infused young men who fill the building and nearby annexes.

For the past eight years, she has served as the lone maternal presence inside the big house at 1645 Tennessee St. in Lawrence: taking sick fraternity members soup, teaching them to use a washing machine and generally filling in for the dozens of mothers who are unable to regularly look after their sons once they leave for college.

Company is one of almost 30 housemothers on the KU campus who fill a long-standing Greek life tradition. And with Mother’s Day quickly approaching, it seems like the perfect time to recognize this unusual kind of “mom.”

“I can’t fathom sending my kids there without Sally,” said Tammy Thomas, who has served as president of the Mom’s Club and has sent two children through SigEp.

Today, the job comes as naturally as breathing for Company.

She’s a constant stream of motion, checking on this, looking into that, making sure the boys know her door is always open.

A decade ago, however, it would have been hard to imagine this life.

Princeton Administration Does Not Support Greeks

Tilghman explains continued concerns about Greek life
By Melanie Jearlds, Staff Writer

As the University prepares to welcome another class of incoming freshmen, these members of the Class of 2013 will receive a letter from Dean of Undergraduate Students Kathleen Deignan and Vice President for Campus Life Janet Dickerson over the summer informing them that the University does not support fraternities and sororities on campus.

President Tilghman said in an interview last Wednesday that the administration continues to discourage incoming students from participating in Greek life on campus because she believes it restricts students’ social lives.

Several members of Greek organizations on campus said they were opposed to the University sending out a letter asking students not to join organizations.

“I thought it was unnecessary and really not the school’s place to interfere in such a manner,” said Caroline Rawls ’12, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. “Does the school send out letters asking kids not to join other organizations? No. So why should they send out a letter discouraging students to join a sorority or fraternity when they would never do the exact same thing for any other organization?”

But Tilghman said she thinks fraternities and sororities do not contribute as much to campus life as other groups, like athletic teams or performance groups.

“Those groups are forming around an ability, a talent [or] an interest that is likely to attract students from lots of socioeconomic groups, from lots of different geographical backgrounds, from lots of racial groups,” she explained. “When I’ve seen the way that fraternities and sororities go about attracting their membership, it’s not based on talent. It’s based on social comfort. And that strikes me as fundamentally different than joining a football team or joining an a cappella group.”

Tilghman added that she thinks the University’s letter may serve to inform students that Greek organizations do exist on campus and actually spark interest in joining a fraternity or sorority.

“I do worry … that it is a potential unintended consequence,” she said. “I still feel that it is important for the University to inform both the students and their parents what our policy is in regards to not recognizing these social groups.”

Tilghman said she was also concerned that participation in fraternities or sororities leads to early “segregation of students along racial … [and] socioeconomic lines.”

She said she is worried, in particular, by how rush activities come early during the academic year, leaving freshmen little time to form outside friendships prior to joining Greek societies.

“I think I have to go all the way back to Woodrow Wilson ... who said one of the most important things you do at Princeton is ... encounter the ‘other,’ ” Tilghman said. “When groups form - and more often than not, these are forming among students who feel very comfortable with each other - you’re losing your opportunity during your first and second year at Princeton to encounter the ‘other,’ and that’s my philosophical objection.”

But Kappa Alpha Theta president Emmy Ill ’10 said she thinks sororities like hers were beneficial to the campus community.

“I feel that sororities do add to University life in numerous ways, and I hope we will develop a positive relationship with the administration,” she said in an e-mail, declining to offer any other comments on the subject.

Numerous other members of sororities and fraternities who were contacted either declined to or did not respond to requests for comment.

Fraternities and sororities have long had strained relations with the administration. Back in 2004, officials in Nassau Hall approached officers from the Greek societies about the possibility of delaying rush until January or February, and the groups refused. The students were unwilling to consider the request for fear of conflicts with Bicker, Tilghman said.

But Rawls said the timing of rush during the fall semester of her freshman year did not restrict her social life.

“We have over a month to get information about Greek life and determine whether or not it is for you,” Rawls said. “Because things like the activities fair happen before rush anyway, it’s not like people aren’t already involved in other activities and informed about other social and service options that they might find interesting.”

Tilghman also criticized the way sororities and fraternities feed directly into the bicker clubs.

“We know that happens,” she said. “We’ve documented it year in and year out. Anyone who says that doesn’t happen hasn’t looked at the data.”

Though there are clear comparisons to be made between the Greek organizations and the eating clubs, Tilghman said she thinks there was an important distinction between the two because students don’t join clubs until halfway through sophomore year.

“You don’t really become active in the eating club until your junior and senior year, so by that time you have had a year-and-a-half to two years to meet lots of people, join lots of groups, create different ways of having a social life at Princeton, and I think you are ready to make some decisions about how you want to spend your last two years,” she explained.

© 2009 Daily Princetonian Publishing Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Dating a Student Leader - Is This You?

Student Leadership and Relationships
from THE APATHY MYTH: A Blog for America's Student Leaders

I have some news for you, Student Leader. Dating you sucks. Sure, you're cute and all. Sometimes you get good tickets for games. It's sometimes fun to be with you when you're the center of attention. But, let me tell you... it mostly sucks.

You're always at meetings, and you don't do a very good job of letting me know when you have them. They always go late, and it's impossible to make plans with you. Inevitably, some crisis happens. Sometimes you schedule these impromptu meetings or go to some meeting at the last minute, and I'm left hanging.

You know who I had a meeting with last night? Jay Leno. That was a blast.

When we do spend time together, all you talk about is the organization. So-and-so said this. So-and-so did this. Worry, stress, and other bullshit.


I hear that other people dating each other talk about music, movies, the news. Not us.Why is it that you have a ton of stuff planned for your student leadership position: retreats, parties, meetings, special events – but you and I don't have anything fun to look forward to. How about planning something fun with me?

Last week, we actually went out and had something to eat. It was going great until a bunch of your friends from the organization saw us and invited themselves to sit down. I tried to engage with it and be cool, but after 30 minutes, I felt hijacked. I wish you had told them to get lost.

By the way, who the hell gets six urgent text messages between midnight and 6 a.m.? What are you? The National Security Advisor? Turn the damn phone off if you want to spend the night.

You spend so much time working on leadership stuff that you're never on top of your tests, your papers, your reading for class. Jamming on a paper on my computer until 4 a.m. doesn't count as quality relationship time.

My birthday fell on a meeting night. Hey, I get it. I don't expect you to change the meeting of your organization on my account. But, a phone call would have been nice. A week later when you keep saying, "Sorry we still haven't done anything for your birthday," I just want to punch you.

I hate to complain, but you've given me a lot to complain about lately. I actually had a conversation with someone the other day, and he/she was really cool. Friendly, paid attention to me. Not involved in anything in a big way. Easy to hang out with. Listened to me. Made me want to change my Facebook status.You've been warned.

Part II

If you're a Student Leader lucky enough to have a really terrific person who wants to spend time with you, it's important that you find a way to strike a balance between the crushing weight of your responsibilities and the relationship maintenance that keeps that special person feeling valued. As I tried to illustrate humorously in the last posting, you can sometimes be a difficult person to date.

Trust me when I tell you that finding the balance between life at work (your leadership position) and life at home (your friendships, your relationships, your family) is one of the most common challenges young professionals face. Even old guys like me struggle with it on a pretty regular basis. Use this time in your life to force yourself to learn some of these critical skills.

Here are some random bits that might help:

- Your organization will not fall apart if you take a few hours, an evening, or an entire weekend away. You're not running NASA, and it's time for you to acknowledge that. If you have to be on 24/7, then you're running an unhealthy organization and you have an unhealthy, abusive relationship with it! Trust others to handle some stuff while you tend to the other important things in your life. Or, just let it go until Monday. The world won't stop turning.

- When you're with your special someone, don't seek to talk exclusively about your issues, your organization, your drama. Use that time as an escape. Force yourself to talk about other things. If you can't think of anything to talk about, then you need to spend more time with that person and identify some mutual interests. Make him/her feel important by taking a genuine interest in what's going on in their life. The other person might feel that they are the less interesting person in the relationship – show him/her that you don't think so! It might actually be a relief to be quiet and listen for a while.

- Turn off the cell phone. Don't look and respond to texts while you're spending time together. Demonstrate that the other person is a priority by staying away from your computer, too. When you're with someone, truly be WITH them. That says, "Nothing is more important to me than you right now."

- When you do talk about your student leadership life, ask his or her opinion. Don't just complain and vent (that gets really old). Share some funny stories. No one likes to be around someone who's negative all the time. Ask your special someone what he/she might do in a particular situation, and validate the ideas.

- When you're having time with your special someone, don't invite other people to invade that time. If people come up and start talking "business," tell them you'd love to chat another time. Let the person you're with SEE you defending your time together. Also, if your entire relationship revolves around the social events of your organization, it might be time to blow off that party and find something else to do Saturday night.

- When you make a commitment to your special someone, keep it. Some big meeting just cropped up? "Sorry guys. I'm going to a movie with my girl tonight. I'll call you in the morning and you can fill me in." You'll find that people respect your time more when they can't have it at a moment's notice.

- Make sure you and your special someone always have something you're looking forward to. A trip, a movie you're going to share, a concert, a birthday night out. Whatever. Having something you're both looking forward to gives you a "future."It is (is, is, is, is) possible to maintain a healthy relationship while taking on a big student leadership challenge. You just have to commit yourself to doing the work and drawing the healthy boundaries necessary.

I always say that we make time for the things we really want. If you really enjoy the other person and what he/she brings to your life, then you'll make the time. If not, then you might just be using the other person as a distraction or as some sort of release valve. But when the caring is there, then demonstrate it to that special someone. No one likes to come in second.

What's the Song? - Breaking Up Is Hard to Do!

Breaking up shouldn't be so hard to do
from our friends at The Apathy Myth: A Blog for America's Student Leaders

We ended our relationship with one of our speakers this week. No surprise... I'd had an icky feeling about the relationship for a while. I've been in my business long enough to know when things aren't a win-win, and this one had been circling the drain for weeks.

But, like many of us, I let it go on too long. I let it play its course until we reached a point where a toxic cloud was hanging over all of us.

I admit it. I hate the "breaking up" feeling. I'm getting better at it, but I'm not sure it's ever going to come easy for me. I'm willing to tolerate a lot of crap before I get to the point where I overcome my discomfort and have "the conversation." I feel like Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw when I ask:

Why does breaking up feel harder than staying in?

Sometimes in student leadership, you have break-ups that you see coming a mile away, as well. Perhaps it's that officer who started off well but has become a total drag on your organization. Perhaps it's an advisor who no longer adds anything positive. Perhaps it's that member or teammate who's making too many bad decisions. Maybe it's the student worker who has screwed up so many times that he simply needs to go.

We delay the agony of the conversation. We keep thinking that perhaps the other person is going to step up and set things right. Maybe he will just quit on his own. We think that the annoyance is tolerable, even though very little "good" is coming out of the situation at all. We procrastinate, even though we know exactly where this dysfunctional relationship is headed.

All because the potential of that 10-minute conversation is so dreadful. Or, because we worry they will lash out at us and make it our fault. They will probably hate our guts for a long, long time, and it's going to be terribly awkward when you inevitably cross paths.

Go and Google "How to Break Up With Someone." The tips there are obviously for personal relationships, but you can take a lot of those tips and apply them to business or student-leadership breakups as well.

The one I struggle with the most is "doing it in person." I like to end relationships by email, which is a terrible way to do it. Hell, I'd do these breakups (firings, whatever) by carrier pigeon, if I could. I'm working on that.

Bottom line is that when things have gotten to a dysfunctional, harmful point, it's better to bite the bullet, confront the inevitable end of the relationship, and just do it. "Man up!" as my jock friends say. Face the ugly moments of the conversation with a mind toward the better situation that lives on the other side.

Is there a relationship in your student organization that is dragging you down? Then, it's time to employ the four most useful words in the English language: We need to talk...

Founder's Day 2008

Brothers,

Greetings on this 107th anniversary of the founding of our fraternity, an opportune time to remember the influence of Sigma Phi Epsilon on our lives.

So many events mark the passage of our time in this world: the attainment of goals like a promotion or graduation, the birth of a child, the finding a lifelong partner, or the passing of a loved one. These events, though they happen to us all at one time or another, are unique in the feelings they produce individually. Consistently, though, we can rely on our brothers to celebrate with us, encourage us, or sustain us through out the journey of life. The companionship we gained through Sigma Phi Epsilon is at the very heart of our life experience. Over the years, many of you have honored me by sharing some of the significant events in your lives and in the last few years I have enjoyed visiting with many of you either here in Toledo or on my travels throughout the country.

The friendships made through the everlasting bonds of our brotherhood are without a doubt its greatest benefit. Nowhere else have we the chance to meet people with such a diversity of skills, philosophies, and life experiences all the while sharing those important basic principles of virtue, diligence, and brotherly love. Of course, sometimes this diversity can lead to misunderstandings and disillusionment. Sometimes our brothers may disappoint us. Sometimes, perhaps, it is we who disappoint. But such is the nature of human interaction. Disappointment, however, can be fleeting, quickly replaced by the joys of our fraternal relationship. We need only take a moment to recall the pleasant memories of our Sigma Phi Epsilon experience. The love within our brotherhood is binding and holy, forever tying us to one another.

Could those twelve men in Richmond 107 years ago have imagined our world as it is today? Our lives can be a cacophony of competing interests. Careers and family can easily overwhelm us. We are pulled in so many directions we forget those small but important parts of our lives. But the lessons of our beloved fraternity are there to lead us through the chaos; an advantage we should be ever mindful of. In virtue, we find strength; through diligence, we endure; and in brotherly love, we become aware of all those things that make life worth living.

Take a moment today to contemplate the part Sigma Phi Epsilon has played in your life. Take time to call a brother, or send him an email, or write him a letter and share your triumphs and tragedies. Whether your time in SigEp is as long as mine or just a few months; whether you're active in the brotherhood today or find yourself detached from the organization; I think you'll find somewhere somehow the fraternity had a positive impact on your life and still can. We are watched over even when we are far apart one from another.

Thanks to Sammy for the thoughts and ideas. I wish you all a happy Founders' Day.

In the Bonds
Rick St. John
Order of the Golden Heart

Coed dorms rooms about compatibility, not hanky-panky

My first thought when I read the article was "How will a trend like this affect/threaten Greek housing"? My second thought, as a been there and done that Baby Boomer was "Gosh, that kinda takes the fun out of panty raids."

At least two dozen schools, including Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, Oberlin College, Clark University and the California Institute of Technology, allow some or all students to share a room with anyone they choose — including someone of the opposite sex. This spring, as students sign up for next year’s room, more schools are following suit, including Stanford University.

As shocking as it sounds to some parents, some students and schools say it’s not about sex.

At least, that's what they tell Mom and Dad.

Parents aren’t necessarily thrilled with boy-girl housing.

Debbie Feldman’s 20-year-old daughter, Samantha, is a sophomore at Oberlin in Ohio and plans to room with her platonic friend Grey Caspro, a straight guy, next year. Feldman said she was shocked when her daughter told her.

"When you have a male and female sharing such close quarters, I think it’s somewhat delusional to think there won’t be sexual tension," the 52-year-old Feldman said. "Maybe this generation feels more comfortable walking around in their underwear. I’m not sure that’s a good thing."

Yeah, those XXL "Scooby-Doo Underoos" really don't make a positive statement about your maturity. Ought to be Batman or Spidey, at least.

Coed dorms rooms about compatibility, not hanky-panky - BostonHerald.com

Virginia Tech Greeks Travel to NIU

Tech students take gifts to NIU

Associated Press

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- A group of fraternity and sorority members from Virginia Tech is visiting Northern Illinois University in the wake of the shooting rampage on campus last week.

A Virginia Tech spokeswoman says students attending the Mid-American Greek Council Association Conference in Chicago are going to the DeKalb campus Thursday. They'll deliver signature boards with messages of support and gifts to members of the Pi Kappa Alpha and Sigma Chi fraternities.

One of the five NIU students killed in the shooting was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha, and two of those injured were Sigma Chi members.

The Hokies United group also is collecting condolence letters, notes of encouragement and snacks to send to NIU. The shootings occurred ten months after a student killed 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus.

Ole Miss Dekes Get Suspension and Fines

Faculty Senate at Ole Miss backs fraternity's suspension
Resolution urges look into on-campus social segregation

The Faculty Senate of the University of Mississippi approved a resolution supporting the university's nine-month suspension of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

In August, a black student accused the fraternity of calling him by a racial slur, pushing him and telling him to leave.

The Faculty Senate announced the decision on Friday.

The senate also recommended that the Chancellor's Committee on Sensitivity and Respect look into the reasons behind the behavior.

"We are concerned about persistent patterns of social segregation by race at the University of Mississippi, particularly among student organizations," the senate wrote in its resolution.
The fraternity had appealed its original one-year suspension to Chancellor Robert Khayat's office.

The fraternity is not allowed to meet or recruit during the suspension.

The shortened suspension will allow the group to participate in informal recruiting parties some historically white Greek organizations host next summer.

After two days of Judicial Council hearings, the university announced on Sept. 14 that the fraternity had violated the school's student code of conduct and was responsible for harassment, disorderly conduct, possession of alcohol, hosting an unauthorized party and assault.

But not inducting a class this year could cost the DKEs $50,000 in local and national dues over the next four years, David Easlick Jr., executive director of the fraternity's national office in Ann Arbor, Mich., has previously said.

He said the suspension violates the constitutional rights to gather and have free speech for the entire fraternity. He said the fraternity's more than 65 members are being punished for a party that only 15 to 20 attended.

"At most, one or two people said something inappropriate, including the claimant," he said in a previous article. "The penalty is way out of whack

LinkedIn and Facebook and Flickr - Oh My!

I have been spending a fair amount of time lately thinking about social networks as the 'new' face of the web. Yeah, I know, somebody is always touting the 'next big thing', but I think the concept of social networking is very interesting. Bear with me. I'll get to the fraternity aspect in a minute, but first a little set up for those who don't spend their lives online. Let me quickly say there is little 'geek-speak' in this post, and most of the applications themselves are very friendly to normal humans.

"Social Networking" is loosely defined as a way to set up a local group of people you know and then when sach of them does the same you can be connected to friends-of-friends via introductions or recommendations. It is a simple concept that has spawned some of the fastest growing sites of the past few years. MySpace is the biggest and best known, if not the best reputed site. Facebook started as a site for college students only and has recently become open to all. LinkedIn is focused on building professional relationships. LinkedIn also works with Plaxo, a web based contact manager, to synchronize contacts with both applications. Flickr is an example of how developers are combining networking with other applications. With Flickr you upload you photographs and find others whose work you appreciate. You can tag pictures you like and your friends will see them recommended. You can also join groups of almost unlimited variety - just to view or to contribute your work. There is a random, serendipitous character to the pictures you find that makes it very interesting.

I am interested in making connections that will help me and help this blog get better, so I have joined a number of applications that use the network model.
Here are some of them:

• Flickr - photographs
• Facebook - college connections, and others
• Stumbleupon - interesting web sites
• Twitter - short messages available via PC, IM, and mobile phone
• LinkedIn - professional connections
• MyBlogLog - interesting blogs from all over
• SigEp Foundation site - register and connect with other SigEps

Those are ones I use at least weekly and often daily. They all work best if you have lots of connections. If you are a member too, look me up. If there are other groups you like, pass the info along in the comments.

Now, how does that relate to fraternities, and especially to SigEp?

As I posted a few weeks ago the opportunity to get to know people that you would not normally meet is a great benefit of the fraternity experience. That is exactly what these online groups do too. And when you meet another SigEp in a online group well, so much the better. I have made friends with a number of people that I have yet to see in person. The pictures in the sidebar from the Flickr SigEp group grew from one of those encounters.(By the way - if you have SigEp related pics and would like to join, let us know.) A person from LinkedIn emailed me he was coming to Houston for a few days. We were able to meet and "talk frat" for an evening. The Foundation member registration group is another source of connections. Much of the fraternity leadership - both defined and de facto - is there and most are willing to connect. Facebook has a myriad of active SigEp groups, some with over 4000 members. In fact many of the blog hits we get are via those groups.

With my LinkedIn account I have actively searched for fellow SigEps whom I know or have heard of and would like to know. In some cases I have used my own list of email addresses to search and in others I have asked for introductions from mutual contacts. Bottom line is I have a group of SigEp friends I can contact with business oriented questions, opportunities or even fraternity matters. We also can grow our networks by introducing people we know and trust from all areas. I can't think of a better way to get or send a recommendation or to get back in touch with a brother from the chapter that you have not heard from in several years.

Let's connect and see where it goes!

Miami U Greeks vs Core Principles

Suspensions show Greek organizations can stray from their ideals
By Christen Claytor

Although Scholarship and Learning, Leadership, Community, Service and Philanthropy, and Brotherhood and Sisterhood serve as the five core principles of the greek community on Miami University's campus, recently in the news the Greek community has received more negative publicity, which differs from the core principles.

Out of the 14,385 undergraduate students who attend Miami, 3,191 of these students identify with the Greek community —this translates to a third of the student population.

"I think we have a great student body that is very active in our community, not only internally just within the chapters where a person can develop his or her own leadership skills and personal well being, but also do a great service for Miami University being involved in various leadership capacities and with in the community just doing community service and outreach, which I think makes it a very great thing for a person to be involved with," said April Robles, assistant director of the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Leadership.

The Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Leadership promotes the members of Miami's Greek community to be involved in the Miami, Oxford and surrounding communities. The sororities and fraternities on Miami's campus are under the councils of the Pan-Hellenic Council, the Inter Fraternal Council, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council.

The organizations within the councils often host philanthropies and service projects within the community, as well as volunteer in the Talawanda school district. Hundreds members of Greek-lettered organizations volunteer in Adopt-A-School.

A few of the major philanthropies the students participate in are Jamboree, which is a carnival experience for children in the Talawanda School District, Spring Clean, which is where volunteers clean the Oxford community, and Adopt-A-Block, where volunteers clean blocks in Oxford for the elderly and the community in general.

Even though a third of the Miami population is involved in the Greek community and the Greek community encourages its members to positively impact the community and the develop leadership skills in the process there are times instances where members of the Greek community are subjected to negative situations, such as hazing incidents.

All hazing information the Cliff Alexander office receives in turned over to the Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution to be dealt with because hazing is a violation of the university's Student Code of Conduct. Chapters accused of hazing violations are subject to participate in educational programs or be closed.

In the past year Miami has had two chapter closings occur, said Robles.

One of the chapters that was recently closed was the Phi Gamma Delta Chapter, also known as FIJI. Nationally, Phi Gamma Delta has no tolerance of hazing and suspended Miami's chapter for a minimum of one year. Kevin McGraw, the previous graduate advisor of Miami's FIJI chapter suspects the suspension will last three to four years, which McGraw considers to be harsher than Miami University's punishment.

"I think hazing is a problem on all college campuses right now," said McGraw. "I think society really has no tolerance whatsoever," he said.

McGraw has been a member of Phi Gamma Delta for 20 years and served as an advisor for the past 15 years — he was the regional advisor of all Southern Ohio chapters for the past three years and served as Miami's FIJI chapter's graduate advisor for nine months prior to the closing of the chapter.

"I think the most common problem is that people don't see or draw the line between hazing and it being mentally and physically abusive versus good ol' college pranks or what have you," said Robles.

The FIJI chapter was accused of participating in two hazing incidents during their membership process — having pledges dress like bulls of the Barcelona and run through the slant-walk and having pledges drink alcohol in Hueston Woods, said McGraw.

While Robles believes that hazing is cyclical, McGraw believes young women and young men constantly attempt to push boundaries to see what they can get away with.

"We try to be proactive to work with chapters not only just like on one-on-one consultations with chapter presidents and members, but also providing different programs for chapters to learn facilitation skills and different ways to make a well-rounded and positive new member experience," said Robles.

Iowa State Greeks Take on Sexual Assault

Iowa State U. Greek men ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’
By Josh Hillman

Iowa State University's sorority circle will become a catwalk Thursday night, as fraternity men plan to don high heels to raise awareness of sexual assault issues.

The Interfraternity Council is sponsoring "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes," an event that asks fraternity members to walk one mile in women's shoes as a lighthearted segue into a discussion of sexual assault in the community.

The event is set for 5:30 p.m. at the intersection of Sunset Drive and Gray Avenue.

Following the walk, Angie Schreck, sexual assault services coordinator for Assault Care Center Extending Shelter and Support, will give a speech addressing sexual assault awareness.

Brad White, vice president for community service and philanthropy for IFC and sophomore in pre-business, said he hopes to have 50 to 100 people attend.

One of his major concerns at this point, however, is making sure they have enough high heels for all the men."Right now, we're asking women of the greek community to be willing to loan some out for the day," White said.

"We're probably now making this an annual event, so I'll buy shoes for IFC to use for future years."

The event is in its second year, and White expects it to last no longer than an hour.

White believes the event is positive for the community."I think that it really gets the men of the greek community thinking about the issues. It's an uncomfortable issue obviously, and this is an easier way of talking about it," White said.

Schreck said events such as this are valuable not only to the community, but also to sexual assault victims. She hopes people learn messages of both prevention and response."[In regards to abuse] prevention, men look at why it takes place and how they can stand up against it," Schreck said.

For assaults that do happen, Schreck said it's vital for friends and confidants to know what to do."

That response -- that first person that the victim goes to -- is so important to how the victim recovers, views their assault," she said.

Schreck said her presentation will combine the lighthearted nature of the event with the gravity of sexual assault.

"I hope to mix the two together in the most appropriate way," she said.

Schreck hopes momentum for awareness events picks up in the community.

"We'd love to see other groups pick up ideas and do these kinds of activities," she said. "Anybody with the right information and the imagination or motivation can do
this."

"Brothers Helping Brothers"

A Sigma Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation scholarship to recognize:
"Brothers Helping Brothers”

A new and innovative endowment has been established in the Sigma Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation to recognize and encourage the special relationship Sigma Phi Epsilon makes possible between its Brothers.

This new endowment was established with a $200,000 cash gift from James L. Clayton, Tennessee ’57, in appreciation of Brother Wallace C. Doud, Wisconsin ’48. The endowment will provide $10,000 in undergraduate scholarships each year to SigEp Brothers who, in their personal relationship and interaction with another SigEp Brother, exemplify the relationship two SigEp Brothers, Wally Doud and Jim Clayton, developed 13 years ago.

Nominations are now being accepted for the inaugural recipient(s) who will be named this fall. Every Brother and friend of Sigma Phi Epsilon is encouraged to search out worthy Brother to Brother relationships that exemplify the special bond and opportunities our Fraternity makes possible. Your nomination can be made by simply submitting the online form - click on this link Doud Clayton Award Nomination.

Read the full story here.

Sigma Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation

Young Moms Look for Support in Sorority Experience

Young Mothers Find Sorority Sisterhood
(AP) ST. LOUIS

Magic Markers, bubble wands and jungle-animal stickers aren't often found in the average college student's backpack.

For the women of Mu Tau Rho, a new sorority for student-mothers at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, those toys are every bit as vital as laptop computers and e-mail accounts.

"I wanted to be in a sorority so bad," said Danielle Cooney, a 22-year-old sophomore math major. "Then I had my son. I didn't have a baby sitter to do all that."

Cooney, whose son Jordan is 3, soon realized that other women on the Missouri-St. Louis campus - a commuter school where the average student age is 27 - sought those bonds of sisterhood while also struggling to raise and provide for their children.

Mu Tau Rho stands for "Mothers Together in Parenting," members said. The uppercase Greek letter "rho" is identical to the English capital "P.

"Traditional sororities held little appeal for women such as Jessica Overstreet, 26, a recent graduate and mother of a 5-year-old boy."I did all my partying before," she said. "Now I've got birthday parties."

In its first year on campus, Mu Tau Rho has attracted a dozen women, including three who don't have children but joined for the camaraderie or to gain child-rearing tips. All but one of the members with children are single parents. Between school, work and child care, sorority members usually meet on Saturday, the only available day.

As the number of nontraditional college students grows at campuses nationwide, universities are paying more attention to this growing demographic.

Many large state universities, including the University of Missouri-Columbia and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, offer child-care to student-parents, though the waiting lists are often long. The University of Maryland-College Park has diaper-changing stations in campus bathrooms, and the University of California-Berkeley has an office and staffer dedicated to the needs of student-parents.
But among student groups, social groups specifically for parents remain rare.

One of the few sororities aside from Mu Tau Rho catering to student mothers is Mu Omicron Mu (whose initials spell "MOM") at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

That chapter, formed in 2005, was developed as much out of financial necessity as an alternative for students with adult responsibilities, said sorority president Tiffanie Stuckey, a 25-year-old senior and single mother of a 6-year-old daughter.
Stuckey hoped to pledge another sorority but quickly realized she couldn't afford the membership dues."They wanted $300 up front," she said. "I didn't have that kind of money. I had to buy diapers."

In St. Louis, Mu Tau Rho members and their backers on campus say the mutual support is pivotal."Being a single parent is a tremendous amount of stress," said Lori Tagger, a university psychologist and the group's adviser. "They've got so many irons in the fire - kids and school and jobs - and trying to have a personal life. This is a great opportunity for support."

Overstreet, an accountant for a local car dealer, said the sorority helps her balance the competing demands of learner and parent - roles that don't always easily mesh."I'm the only one of all my friends who went to school and got a degree," she said. "I feel more comfortable (in the sorority) because they're in my shoes."

Hooking-up - a girl thing?

Every so often I see something that makes me nostalgic for the 70's. Remember the 70's? "Drugs. Sex. Rock 'n Roll."
I'm told I had a wonderful time.

Anyway, here is video of the Today Show segment on college age and 20-something women "hooking up" instead of looking for love.

Also excerpts from the book one of the commentators is selling. (Somebody is always selling a book, you know.)

It sort of brings the "Sorority Shots"(NSFW) from FratBoy News into perspective.