OCR::/Vol_103/WLURG39_RTP_20010115/WLURG39_RTP_20010115_001.2.txt I K C’ V Arab 2 3312.755 ,_ _fi5§?‘., '_ V403 I ’/000:6 ("2- 3:‘ re VOLUME 103, No. 16 A Campus survives another %aSororities adopt new terms, but ‘through it all the songs remain the same 1 By Latrina Stokes & Matthew McDermott STAFF WRITER & ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR 3 Washington & Lee's sorority hopefuls no longer rush for _ bids. Instead, prospective members engage in formal member- ship recruitment for acceptance cards. According to Panhellenic Advisor and Director of Student Affairs Teresa Glassman, the change in terms, handed down from the National Panhellenic Council, corresponds to changes , in the process of joining a sorority. . A Glassman said that potential members are no longer called rushees because the term has negative connotations. “We’re looking more to recruit new members rather than having women rushing down our door,” Glassman said. The changes in the sorority recruitment vocabulary corre- spond with other changes as well. “New words, new houses, new decor. This has been _a real transition year. New advisor, too,” said junior Katie Cedarholrn, Panhellenic Recruitment Chair. She added that the new houses have allowed the sororities to adopt a “no frills approach,” releasing members from deco- rating rooms in the University Center. This is a relief to Cedarholm, who with other Panhellenic officers, worked in the recruitment office for at least 12 hours a day last week contending with invitations, party lists and . distribution rolls. Though there are changes, “all of the technical stuff is the same,” said senior Elizabeth Holleman, President of the Panhellenic Council. She and other members of the Panhellenic Council believe that this year’s recruitment went off without any serious mishaps. Glassman agrees. “From the viewpoint of an outsider looking in, the process has been really smooth,” she said. “People seem to be enjoy- ing themselves.” ' 2001 Men’s Pledge Statistics Winter 2001 Phi Kappa Sigma 21 Sigma Epsilon 13 Kappa Alpha 18 Lambda Chi Alpha 12 Phi Kappa Psi 15 Chi Psi ll Pi Kappa Phi 15 Sigma Chi 11 Phi Gamma Delta 15 Beta Theta Pi. 9 Kappa Sigma Phi Delta Theta 8 Sigma Alpha Epsilon 13 Sigma Nu 3 Pi Kappa Alpha 13 Total: 191 ' Pecentage of Freshmen Males Pledging: 76% Freshmen Males Ineligible Because of Grades: 20 facts compiled by Mike Agnello ‘fling-tum {H WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIvERsrTY’s WEEKLY NEWSPAPER LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 24450 Rush numbers remain constant with years past By Mike Agnello ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Freshmen joined Greek organizations at equal or higher rates than last year, despite widespread rumors to the contrary. Seventy-six percent of freshman males pledged fraternities, a rate nearly identical to last year’s. Only three houses had fewer than ten pledges. Seventy—seven percent of freshmen females ac- cepted bids from a sorority Friday, up eight per- cent from the previous year. All sororities had between 29 and 32 pledges, the most even distri- bution in three years. Senior Trey Overdyke, Interfraternity Council Justice, said the numbers speak for themselves. “That just shows that frats are still an intergal part of this school, and people still want to join them,” Overdyke said. Formal Rush for men began on Tuesday, when they attended one or two rush dates at fraternity houses. This schedule was repeated on Wednes- day, and then each rushee had the opportunity to accept two bids on Friday. They had until Satur- day to decide where to pledge. I Dean of Students David Howison visited. all 15 fraternity houses Saturday night,‘ and was SMILE. Celebrating at the chapter house, new members of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority have their picture taken by a Theta sister. pleased with Tear Night and Rush Week in gen- eral. “[It was] a much more controlled situation rela- tive to past experiences . . . [but] we’ve still got a long way to go,” Howison said. Freshman Parks Brown, who pledged Kappa Alpha, said the formal Rush process could use some improvement. “I thought the whole Rush process was a little unrealistic . . . [expecting us to pick] four houses seemed like too much,” Brown said. ear of Rush JAMES 1.5-":;.=,-;.t» ; ;.— -A .._ WA3HlN£3'F€2=3\‘ a::S4i3¢e:wvW:ii*/ 1""'..‘ .\.:i\- 1‘-J TON, ‘~12! ,2£-Qfi J 182001 MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 2001 photo by Emily Barnes/Executive Editor photo by Emily Bamesl Executive Editor THE FIRST SUPPER. Rushing freshmen dine at the Chi Psi Lodge Freshman Tim Smith, who pledged Lambda Chi Alpha, said he was also disappointed in some aspects of Rush even though he enjoyed his own experience. “The number of guys balled really disap- pointed me, because the frats seemed so friendly [during fall terrn],” Smith said. Despite his Inisgivings, Brown said Rush went well for him. “The whole thing was just monumental,” Brown said. Literacy program benefits Rockbridge County photo courtesy of Pi Beta Phi Senior Allison Harvey reads at a local elementary school as part of Pi Beta Phi’s “Links to Literacy” philanthropy. W&L students to volunteer time in local schools By Matthew McDermott NEWS EDITOR Forty—eight teachers will entrust their classrooms to W&L students as part of the Nabors Service League’s “Dream a Dream, Read a Book: Literacy Carn- paign 2001.” Starting today, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, stu- dent volunteers will adopt Rockbridge County classes from kindergarten to third grade, visiting once a week for 30 to 45 minutes. They will present age—appropri- ate literacy lessons, whichcan range from acting out scenes to running a writing workshop. The Nabors Service League will offer optional lesson planning ses- sions for these presenters. “Studies show that children who are independent readers by third grade are more successful in middle school and beyond,” said junior Stacy McLoughlin, the project’s lead organizer. The Adopt A Classroom Program, though the largest service project, is only one of many planned for the next seven weeks. A Book Drive will collect books from approximately 50 boxes scattered around the W&L campus, local schools, and area businesses. “Our goal is to give at least one book to every kinder- gartner in the county,” said McLoughlin. Weekly newspaper articles, written by W&L stu- dents, will appear to highlight the importance of lit- eracy. Middle school students can participate in a poster contest that promotes reading and writing. Entries will be displayed around the W&L campus. There are plans for a high school essay con- test, judged by W&L students with prizes ‘for winners. . Libraries will host enrichment days for the next four weeks. Volunteers will choose themes and present them to some children invited through newspapers, schools and churches. All of the programs will end on March 2, Read Across America Day.» Marion Heard of the Boston United Way will be the closing speaker. “My major partner in this one has really been [Di- rector of Success by Six] Kelly Fujiwara,” McLoughlin said. The superintendent of the school district, public library and many businesses are also assisting the campaign. MSA, PRIDE and the Pi Beta Phi sorority, which runs the “Links to Literacy” philanthropy and hosted the kick-off breakfast, are helping too. “It’s been a good deal of work, but I’ve enjoyed it,” McLoughlin said. “It’s been wonderful getting to know different people in the community.” filly: ‘fling-tum ifilji January 15,2001 Men’s swimming, 6-1: team adds Wm against Buffalo State nd Catholic OCR::/Vol_103/WLURG39_RTP_20010115/WLURG39_RTP_20010115_002.2.txt V N @1112 airing-rum rain JANUARY 15, 2001. ‘ Dennis Kimbro commemorates legacy of Dr. King Management consultant Dr. Dennis Kimbro will be the keynote speaker for a celebration of the legacy of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Monday, Jan. 15, at 8 p.m. in Lee Chapel. Kimbro addresses nearly 100,000 people in corporate and public talks each year on leadership, entrepreneur- ship, sales, and personal development. He has spoken at Xerox, the Chrysler Motor Company, the Central Ir1telli- gence Agency, Price Waterhouse, Stanford Business School, Hewlett-Packard, Dunn & Bradstreet, and Apple Computer. 1 Kimbro is the author of several best-selling novels about finding the winning formula for personal and professional success: Think & Grow Rich, Think & Grow Rich Daily Motivations, and What Makes the Great Great: Strategies for ExtraordinaryAchievement. Kimbro’s visit is sponsored by the Minority Student Association, Nabors Service League, PRIDE," The Col- lege, The Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics, Student Affairs, the Athletic Department, and Career Services. 'lVvo-day psychology program at W&L explores food cravings and loneliness The department will host two speakers to present on Jan. 16. The first is an expert on food preferences in hu- mans_ and will demonstrate the effects of chocolate on the sensory system. The other guest lecturer will talk about the connection between loneliness and its effects on the immune system. “The Psychology in Your Face” begins with a demon- stration/lecture, “Chocolate Cravings: A Talk and Tast- ing” at 4:30 p.m. by Dr. Marcia Pelchat from the Monell Chemical Senses Institute in Northen Auditorium. The Cocoa Mill will supply the chocolate. Later that day, Dr. JohnCacioppo, distinguished pro- fessor at the University of Chicago, will lecture on “Anatomy of Lonliness” in N orthen Auditorium. One area of his research explores the effects of loneliness on col- lege—aged students and behavioral styles associated with hostility, pessimism, insecure attachments, interactions with others and inferior sleep. Sergei Khrushchev joins W&L as a Scholar-in-Residence Sergei Khrushchev, son of the late Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, will visit Washington and’ Lee University Jan. 15-17 as its first Russian Scholar-in-Residence, spon- sored by W&L's Ernest Williams H School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics. Khrushchev will give a public lecture in Lee Chapel on Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m. The title is "Lessons from the Cold War," followed by a question—and-an- swer session with the audience. Immediately following the lecture is a book-signing ceremony for his new work: Nikita Khrushchev and the Creation of a Superpower (March 2000, Pennsylvania State University Press). Sergei Khrushchev has a master's in electromechanical engineering (1958, Moscow) and a Ph.D. in technical sci- ence (1988, Moscow). From 1958-1968, he worked on the USSR missile and space programs, submarine—launched cruise missiles, military and research spacecraft, includ- ing the world's largest space booster. His career also spans engineering, computer science and strategic studies. Since 1996, Sergei Khrushchev has been a senior fel- low at the Watson Institute's Global Security Program and a principal investigator in the Post-Soviet Studies Project. He researches international security and comparative eco- nomic and political transitions. . His books, printed in 12 languages, include Khrushchev Remembers (3 volumes, memoirs edited during 1967-70), Khrushchev on Khrushchev, Crisis and Missiles, Politi- cal Economy of Russian Fragmentation, Three Circles of Russian Market Reforms. story courtesy W&L website Fraternities Sigma Nu 3 289 Phi Gamma Delta 3280 Sigma Phi Epsilon 3_ 169 Phi Delta Theta 3148 Sigma Chi 3.120 Phi Kappa Psi 3,114 Kappa Alpha 3.101 Kappa Sigma 3.098 Pi Kappa Alpha 3_078 Phi Kappa Sigma 3_()36 Sigma Alpha Epsilon 3025 Beta Theta Pi 2972 Pi Kappa Phi 2958 Lambda Chi Alpha 2910 Chi Psi 2353 Fall Term GPA’s Fraternities, sororities, and independents KappaKappa Gamma 3 .348 P1 Beta Phi . 3303 Kappa Alpha Theta 3290 Chi Omega 3_27Q Kappa Delta 3260 All Sorority Women 3 .294 N on-Sorority Women 3.148 All Women 3.219 All Fraternity Men 3.081 Non-Fraternity Men 3.031 All Men 3.059 All Students _ 3. 13 1 compiled by Matthew McDermott EVERY MONDAY 8:30 i=.M. To NIIDNIGHT '1/15 sing along with Alex ‘Nrilkins 1/22 DJ 1/29 a night of jazz J AVA AT co1=FEEpeopleMusIcmore THE GHQ photo by Emily Bames/Executive Editor ‘ BACK TO THE GRIND. After a long Christmas Break, students brave the Colonnade again during the first week of winter term class. PHI OR DIE » Meetings every Tuesday at 7 p.m., second floor of the v University.Center, Room 208. LEXING TON COFFEE if’-fij .‘r./fini.s-2a}:r'j';li).v.J¢zrq9-.- l..INCER AT A FIRESIDE TABLE CC)l"T"l.".Ii 0 l:.'Nl’RES'S{J I l'.'+51l’l-'lJ('.{,'.lN() ' I-‘A.‘5'|'R IE5 ' HAIH-'s[.S 9 ‘WEST ‘VASHINGTON STREET ' LEXINGTON ' 454-6586 OCR::/Vol_103/WLURG39_RTP_20010115/WLURG39_RTP_20010115_003.2.txt .lANUAl2Y 15, 2001 ("lire Ring-mm ifiht PINION PAGE 3 Beware of the Greeks? At Washington and Lee, we enjoy the benefits of many a unique institution. Whether it be the honor system, the speaking tradition, our small size, or respect for tradition, ' these facets of the W&L gestalt all contribute to a college experience unlike any other. There is, however, one as- pect of our undergraduate years that is especially influen- tial in creating this atmosphere, the Greek system. Like nearly all other spheres of human endeavor, politi- cal correctness has poisoned what was once a flourishing and successful system nationwide. Now, throughout the country, fraternities are being impugned as rnisogynist, chauvinist organizations that do little but party, drink, and cause general chaos in an Animal House manner. Article after article has appeared in papers from the Washington . Post to the Boston Globe to the Los Angeles Times decry- ing orrmipresent hazing, binge drinking, and promiscuity at fraternities. Every time one chapter, in an isolated inci- dent, tragically costs one member his life, the public is bombarded with somber editorials, investigative reports on 20/20, and shocked news anchors all calling for fur- ther restrictions on the activities of these destructive, dan- gerous, and delinquent organizations. A more recent approach has been to write articles de- tailing the movement to eliminate alcohol at many frater- nities and the enthusiasm with which schools are forcing houses to go dry. Brothers are described as raucous drunks out—of—sync with the more sober lifestyle of con- temporary college students. Simultaneously, fraternities are demonized for corrupting impressionable pledges and fostering a “culture of alcohol” on y Christine Metzger dodgeball as too violent and ‘slingshots as too danger- ous, but believe that homosexual necrophilial pomegra- phy is art. campuses across the nation. Such inconsistency is overlooked by the critics of the fraternity system. Right Side of the Aisle Brett T. Kirwan ’04 We at W&L, rather than reject generations—old traditions, have embraced and allowed them to To those who would abandon a time-tested system of scholarship and service, fraterni- ties are holdouts from a male-dorninated, violent, intoler- ant society in the sensitive, accepting, hyphenated present. , Interestingly, it is not the Elks, VFW, or American Le- gion that is bad—mouthing fraternities into the history books, but, instead, the same people who would prohibit @112 ititng-tum lfllri Executive Editors Emily Barnes Stephanie Bianco Matt McDermott Max Smith Mike Agnello Tara Ann Friedel Alexis Yee-Garcia Jeremy Franklin Bryan Early Heather McDonald Michael Crittenden Mary Guy Ashley Daly News Editors Assistant News Editor Opinion Editor W&Ltfe Editor Sports Editor Last Word Editor Copy Editor Contributing Editor Photo Editor Stajj‘ Photographer Circulation Director Business Manager Charlie Tonelli Paul Seifert The Ring-tum Phi is published Mondays during the undergraduate school year at Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia. The Washington and Lee Publications Board elects the Executive Editor, but The Ring-tum Phi is otherwise independent. The Ring-tum Phi welcomes all responsible submissions and letters. All submissions must be in the Phi office, room 208 of the University Center, by 5 p.m. on Friday to appear in the following week’s edition. The Ring-tum Phi reserves the right to edit submissions for content and length. Letters and columns do not reflect the opinion of The Ring-tum Phi Editorial Board. Advertising does not reflect the opinions of The Ring- tum Phi or its staff. This newspaper observes current court definitions of libel and obscenity. The Ring-tum Phi 208 University Center Washington and Lee University Lexington, VA 24450 Telephone: (540) 462-4060 Advertising Office: (540) 462-4049 Fax: (540) 462-4059 E—mail: phi@wlu.edu http://wlu.edu/~phi Annual subsription rate: $30 flourish, enriching both the qual- ity of life and the education. Here, the fraternity system is strong and will continue to be so because it offers to students exactly what it is named after, fraternity, broth- erhood, philia. What is overlooked by the naysayers is so evident in our fraternities and sororities. The not- able—to-be-duplicated, intense camaraderie that results from shared experiences, during pledgeship and party- time, common goals, and deep loyalty. While hard to define, the administration, alumni, and trustees have recognized, or personally benefltted from, its existence The independent Greek Largely superceding all other pursuits this frantic pledge week have been thoughts on Greek life. Tears fall, doors slam, hopes rise and fall to this worldly construct. Yet there is hope. The brotherhood and sisterhood, the tradition, and the prospect for future success that come with Greek life cause many bright young men and women to lose their perspective on what it means to be an individual and to be liberally educated. ‘ I do not mean to suggest, as you may assume, that Greek life neces- sarily renders one’s understanding of these concepts barren. What I call attention to is the need to place the value of an indepen- dent and freed mind into the context of what Greek life means to us as members of the Washington and Lee community. But what does this mean? Like any sort of relationship, the chance for success is enhanced exponentially when its co-signers have the abil- ity to stand alone. Trouble often comes when members of a relationship depend on the support of the other member(s). As in any relationship, hunger for allegiance in the Greek community will only lead to further despair and confusion. After all, a group comprised of individu- als all seeking for fulfillment in each other can never achieve satisfaction. Perhaps a relevant question to ask oneself when en- tering the process of rush and pledgeship is if he, to any degree, is complete as an individual and whether he sees Greek life as a reciprocation of personal wanting. Does he expect the Greek system to complete himself or does he seek to affect the system? A fundamental goal of any liberal arts education is to free a student from those things which enslave him-—- an inability to think critically and logically and a dependence on the knowledge of others, among other things. This concept applies to non—acadeinic areas, as well. A person should look for spiritual and emotial stability before entering into a contract. Anything different will TALKback: “Because my grandmother only ThePatn'ot Joel Pepeia ’04 and are certain to not let it die at W&L. On a more practical level, living the Greek life, by its very nature, creates a nationwide, if not international, net- work of friends and contacts. Also, instead of fostering a “culture of alcohol,” fraternities provide a safe, supervised atmosphere where young adults can learn to become re- sponsible and mature drinkers. Finally, fraternities and sororities are committed to philanthropy. Brothers and sisters run blood drives, food collections, Habitat for Hu- manity projects, charity runs, walks, and innumerable other compassionate programs. Unfortunately, there are few, if any, others schools in the nation the have encouraged fraternities and sororities as W&L has. As demonstrated by our experiences, when allowed to thrive, Greek life brings out the best in students and is an integral part of their education for adulthood. These really are Greeks bearing gifts. only till the ground for destruction of the individual as well as the whole. As one aspect that should be considered when making the difficult decision to “go Greek,” the ability to stand alone has great importance. Yet this decision also includes many other intricacies: one’s ability to experience positive personal growth within the Greek system, the relevance and importance of cornraderie, the academic consequences, and countless other issues. As college is a time to stretch limits in a number of ways, the choice to join the Greek system should regard the possibil- ity for personal growth and for one’s ability to affect outer culture. The individual should decide whether the Greek system allows for both. Through prayer, thought, worthy counsel, and self-ex- arnination, every individual is capable of making the cor- rect decision for himself. Once made, this decision should not be questioned. Whatever you decide, have faith that it was the right choice. Good luck to everyone in comtemplation. Godspeed. A uote of the Week: (6 At rush, everyone becomes very religious. They all worship the porcelain god. — Colin Harding ‘04 ‘ 7 7 _Why did you comeback from break? , “Good times on the fourth “My Winamp playlist.” “The opportunity to have my sends my care packages here.” floor and pledgeship.” -Heather Bane ‘04 picture in the paper.” -Vicky Romeo ‘04 -Bill Gilsenan ’04 -Jonathan Browder ’04 OCR::/Vol_103/WLURG39_RTP_20010115/WLURG39_RTP_20010115_004.2.txt Eh: Zfliug-tum iflhi PAGE 4 SORORITIE JANUARY 15, 2001 C ongratuaitions to Tfie Newest fllofifitions to Kappa De Lia Sorority, Tfie fpsifon Cfass Tiffany Barfow Bnmwey Inman fden Tarés fllmanda Basfiarn ‘ Katie Rifey Lfise Judd Katie Berg Laura Rosario Cate Lacy C [aire C arotfiers Laura Samuefi Carofyn Duffy Cristina Garcia Liz Law , Lisa Sauer j-"ontaine .’Marcoux Corinne .’Mat/"Lieu jmnie Tompkins Carrie Qrafiam C firistina Tworney Sfieffey Meyer _13[a£e green Jzlnsfey Warren Lisa .’Mo6[ey Kara flarbert Cfiristina Wefister Ginny Jvloncure flfifiy Harding Joy Wfiitefiead sari, Tena Jvloure Heather Niesman Bfair Oaéfey Sarah Michaels Brooks Morgan Elizabeth Osborne Emily Averitt Mary-Wommack Barton- Liz Burton Jessica Cedarholm Beth Creasey Natalie Deibel Martha Edwards Daley Formby Nancy Francis Meghan Hayde Emily Helander Hilary Henry Susannah Hewlett Tate Hoeffel Sara Jurkowsky Sarah Kavanaugh Kari Lassen Jess Lake Jen Lalley Kate Leggett i Jennifer May Molly McGinty Millie Rand Jess Rotzell Maury Stegall Kate Talbert Ashley Thompson ; Lee Wheeler Sarah Yakots I I I , 0 \ ~. . I 2 I ‘, 3 ha I Gene Adams Elizabeth Loyd aess Bennet A maggie mason Cameron Billups aenny mcélunkin Bennie Dauxson Kelly mcFarlane Kathryn Drinkard Caroline Parker Katherine Emerson Elizabeth Postma Austin Gee Alicia Iaavenel Hattie Gruber i Brooke Boseberry Stephanie Haldy miriam Rodgers Lucy Hinkle Cynthia Rush Helen Hughes Lizzie Scruggs Congratulations to the 2001 Pledge Class oi? jlsappa Kappa Gamma assasaeoeeéérasssswseeoesassaewsess 11111 Blair Sanzone aoanna Schubert Virginia Snider Sarah Stanton Stacy Suseet Emily Baylor Katherine Ehomas Amelia (Haring Arnita lfloiiiiord Anne Séoung OCR::/Vol_103/WLURG39_RTP_20010115/WLURG39_RTP_20010115_005.2.txt JANUARY 15, 2001 (E112 fling-tum iflhi SORORITIES PAGE 5 %' fie/a Jfanna gfmeaf 1 Car-ofine W2-%'z2ney zUz'z2z'/9-eJ gbes yennzfer %T/er yennzfer flee-[e fiarrell 9Ghron Jfea/fer Lam 5% 5«7;,3,a,r 77¢:-Jae gniesa fioscf via/or1'a Women yacyue/yn Gfarf Ga/fez-z'z2e csa//er/}'e/J Jfea/fer Gofeman 6/fie (Simpson 9G'co/e $auof Weyan csmi/I Griz: fiouyfer/y 1 Wary flu/fa (S/one Bauren Cyferl ‘ maria csjsia gmanJa .7G'zn5fe gessica yayfor 9'35/ey jffiizzp yamie 70:0 xegeaca .70-amer 925-egg//e Ia,-Jmm Bauren Bafue .729’/[cry zflzfa/er giana flflaioyan I 0. 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