The Michigan Daily-Thursday, September 4, 1980-Page 3=D
Greek life at University
enjoys subtle resurgence
By BONNIE JURAN
Among the housing alternatives that
beckon new college students each year
are fraternities and sororites. On this
campus, the 49 "Greek" houses will
soon open their doors to prospective
members.
Over the year's, fraternities and
sororities at the University have en-
dured topsy-turvy, almost cyclical
levels of popularity-their acceptance
by the overall student body seems to
change with the times. Currently, these
groups are enjoying a period of modest
prosperity, after an era (ap-
proximately 1965-'75) when joining
them was generally frowned upon by
many as overly "conformist." Most
groups today boast full houses, and the
attention now seems focused on the
positive aspects of Greek life, such as
fundraisers, intramural sports com-
petition and all campus parties and
dances.
FOR THE STUDENT, fraternities
and sororities can provide both a
welcome diversion from the rigors of
academic life, and a reasonably priced
housing alternative (membership fees,
and room and board costs vary with
each house, but they are comparable to
dormitory rates). Unlike dorms and
apartment houses, fraternities offer to
men, and sororities to women, a close-
knit, tightly structured fellowship. On-
ce you have joined a house, you will live
and work closely with other members,
and will help put together the shape
your group will take in the future.
The Greek system also features un-
conventional fraternities and
sororities, which are oriented towards
specific groups, such as blacks and
Jews. In addition, there is one Greek
house, Theta Xi, open to both male and
female members.
MEMBERSHIP IN a fraternity or
sorority begins with a process known as
"Rush." Rush will begin in late Sep-
tember, a period which is annually
marked by colorful banners in the Diag
calling attention to the individual
houses. At this time students visit dif-
ferent houses to become acquainted
with the members and observe the
characteristics of each chapter. Chap-
ter members decide which students
they would like as members of their
organization.
If a student decides to accept an in-
vitation to join a fraternity or sorority,
he or she next undergoes a period of
orientation called pledgeship. Pledge
classes learn about the policies and
traditions of their individual chapter
and plan pledge projects as they
prepare to become full members of the
chapter. According to Liz Steinbaum, a
member of Sigma Delta Tau, "this is
the time that you get used to the house
and they get used to you." Following
pledgeship, members are formally
initiated as full members of the chap-
ter.
Mark Westerberg, a member of
Sigma Chi, said he joined a fraternity
because he was looking for a place that
was "more social" than a dormitory.
He said a fraternity encourages a
"more cohesive bond" among its mem-
bers than does a dormitory and "people
have more in common. I kind of like the
spirit of it also," Westerberg added.
STEINBAUM SAID she joined a
sorority because she wanted to be
associated with a small, personal
organization, amidst a "university that
is so big you kind of lose your identity."
Steinbaum said she was able to meet a
See GREEK, Page 6
Daily Photo by JIM KRUZ
Toga parties, a Greek tradition since the release of "Animal House," are among the popular activities for fraternity men
and sorority women. The Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority is pictured above.
Co-ops o er social,
?financial advan tages
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MICH IGN
MEN'S GLEE CLUB
By MAURA CARRY
If you are one of those unfortunate
transfer students without a place to live
in the fall, or are a freshperson who
cannot endure the cramped quarters
and unpredictable cuisine found in most
&dormitories, then a co-op may be just
the type of housing you have been
looking for.
The 22 co-ops spread around campus
are among the cheapest housing
available to students. University
housing rates for room and board will
run as high as $308 a month for a single
room, and $260 a month for a double.
This fall, the average rate for room
and board at a co-op will be $185 per
month.
CO-OPS ARE BASED on the idea that
occupants contribute 4-5 hours of work
per week to the house; this way, money
is -saved. Jobs include cooking meals,
cleaning, maintenance, and house
government psitioiis.
The work'is not difficult to fit into the
schedules of most students, but some
jobs are preferred over others, said
Nakamura Co-op President Mary Ann
Wesselman, "Cooking is popular, once
one learns the ropes."
"I was scared the first time I had to
cook for 30 people," said another
Nakamura resident, Judy Zinker. "It's
a lot easier than it seems," she added.
She also has the chore of cleaning
bathrooms twice a week.
Occasionally someone won't show up
or will skip their chores, but these in-
stances are rare, said Wesselman. You
can usually find someone to switch with
you, but it's not always easy, especially
during finals," she said. Students who
take the liberty of skipping their jobs
are fined, she added.
LUTHER BUCHELE, a member of
the Inter-Co-operative Council (ICC)
explains many students join co-ops
because "they want to manage their
own place, and still have a sense of
community."
He continued to say co-ops provide
students with the opportunity to take
what they learn in the classroom and
apply it to the real world.
"This is the best way for a business
student to learn about business," added
co-op resident John Donovan.
The procedure for obtaining a space
in a co-op involves several steps. First,
one must go to the ICC office inthe
Union to find out which houses have
vacancies. The student then visits the
various houses, preferably around din-
ner time. Once the individual has
chosen where he wants to live, he
returns to the office to sign a lease. The
ICC requires each student to pay both a
refundable deposit of $100 and a non-
refundable membership fee of $50.
THE CO-OPS also cater to boar-
ders. The rates vary with each house,
but generally run between $75-$85 a
month for 14 meals per week. In con-
trast, dorfnitory meal contracts are
about $135 a month for the same num-
ber of meals. Each boarder generally
puts in two hours of house work a week
and must also sign a contract which
requires a $20 refundable deposit.
Buchele explaiend that a big drawing
factor for co-ops this year is they were
all renovated last summer. "The
houses are in the best shape ever," he
said. Improvements included painting,
carpet laying, and the installation of
new kitchen and bathroom facilities.
All co-ops have several things in
common, for instance all day GUFF
(General Unspecified Free Food),
which includes breakfast food and old
standbys like peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches. Each house also has free
laundry, a house government, rebates
for un-spent money, parking, and TV.
After that, however, the differences
among houses outweigh the
similarities.
MINNIE'S HOUSE, for example,
voted a rule into its constitution that the
house should be painted purple. House
president John Binder said "It's great
because you don't even have to tell
people the house number, you just tell
them its the purple house."
Minnie's residents eat their meals at
nearby Michigan or Vail house, but
have a bright orange and yellow kit-
chen of their own for snacks and Sun-
day brunch.
An annual event at Minnie's is the
Jack Daniels backgammon tour-
nament. Binder started it last year
because the game had become so
popular among residents. After writing a
few letters, Binder convinced Jack
Daniels to sponsor the tournament. The
liquor corporation donated a large Jack
Daniels mirror, chips, and mugs for
prizes.
LESTER HOUSE, which features a
vegetarian menu, is another example of
an atypical co-op.
"Whole wheat is our theme," ex-
pounded Lester resident John Donovan.
Lester houses 16 residents and feeds
another 14 daily. Students experiment
with vegetarian recipes containing
unusual beans, vegetables, fruits and
dairy products.
"WE HAVE THE largest selection of
veggie cookbooks in Ann Arbor," said
Mark Knopper. He continued to say
most students do not know how to cook
vegetarian when they arrive. "Those
who do know, teach," he added.
- The house, moreover, attracts a cer-
tain type of individual. "Everyone's an
activist here, politically aware,"
stressed Donovan. The house sent a
group to Washington last March to
protest registration for the draft.
Last year Lester residents traveled
all the way to Manitoba to view a total
eclipse of the sun. Other unique
features of this house are its co-ed
rooms and room and board rate, which
is a low $175 a month.
IN OTHER CO-OPS, the cuisine is apt
to be more familiar to the average
student. Wesselman said residents
there usually are served chicken, fish,
pork and vegetarian meals throughout
the week.
Most decisions concerning house
policies are made during house
meetings. Binder explained that
policies are flexible, and conflicts are
usually worked out between in-
dividuals.
"Usually, we can reach a com-
promise," he said. There is respect for
Mass Meeting:
Monday, Sept. 8-7:00 p.m.
Anderson Room,
Michigan Union
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