8C - The Michigan Daily - New Student Edition - September 8, 1998
Fraternities,sororties'Greek
to many first-year students
By Susan T. Port
Daily Staff Reporter
Fraternity parties, community ser-
vice and friendships are aspects that
motivate many students to rush campus
fraternities and sororities.
The Greek community, comprised of
the Interfraternity Council, the
Panhellenic Association and the Black
Greek Association, is the largest student
organization on campus.
The Interfraternity Council and
Panhellenic Association act as a gov-
erning and coordinating bodies for
33 fraternities and 17 sororities on
campus. The Black Greek
Association is the governing body
for 10 fraternities and sororities at
the University.
MaryBeth Seiler, advisor to the
Panhellenic Association, said she
encourages students to rush. In the
third week of the fall semester,
about 800 students will rush, Seiler
said. After a series of mixers and
parties, students have the opportuni-
ty to decide if they are ready to go
Greek and commit to being in a
sorority.
"it gives students a couple of weeks
to get settled," Seiler said.
Seiler said many students begin their
University career with a preconceived
notion of what Greek life is.
"Every student has an opinion about
it," Seiler said. "There are so many stereo-
types and misconceptions out there."
Seiler estimated that approximately
18-20 percent of the student body par-
ticipates in Greek life.
John Mounts, advisor for the
lnterfraternity Council, said the two
main recruitment periods occur in the
fall and winter. Mounts said most men
do not visit all the fraternity houses.
"They decide what chapters they
would like to visit on their own,"
Mounts said.
Mounts said there are opportunities
for students to meet members of the
individual chapters during informal
meetings on the Diag and in the
Michigan Union.
Mounts said fraternity members are
"looking for someone who will fit well
in their group."
Michigan Student Assembly
President Trent Thompson, a member
of Beta Theta Pi, said he made lasting
friendships with the other members of
his fraternity.
"The experiences I have had through
the fraternity system are something I
will remember for the rest of my life,"
Thompson said.
The pledging process for men is
described as "membership education,"
which lasts from 7-10 weeks.
Bryan Cook, advisor for the BGA,
said rush varies depending on the indi-
vidual chapters. Cook said students
need a number of community service
hours to be able to pledge.
"None of the organizations are
allowed to take first semester fresh-
men," Cook said. "You can't come in
straight out of high school and
pledge."
Cook said BGA has a tradition of
upholding academic scholarship and
community service.
FILE PHOTO
During last year's sorority bid day, members of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority drive down the street in their sport utility vehicle.
About 18 to 20 percent of the University student body is Involved in the Greek system.
SACUA advises administration
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By Chris Metinko
Daily News Editor
When thinking of the "powers that
be" at the University, images of the
Board of Regents and the Michigan
Student Assembly arise in most stu-
dent's minds. While these organizations
represent the administration and the
student body at the University, the fac-
ulty also has means of representation.
The Senate Advisory Committee on
University Affairs and Senate
Assembly, while not one of the most
visible groups on campus, advises and
consults with the University president,
the Provost and the executive officers
on matters of University policy, all the
while keeping in mind the best interests
of the faculty. SACUA has recently
been consulting the administration on
such issues as tobacco divestment and
the recruitment of under-represented
minority faculty.
'SACUA is kind of like the sport of
curling," said Professor of Internal
Medicine William Ensminger, current
chair of the committee. "We're basical-
ly the sweepers. We can try to sweep in
such a way so things turn out good from
a faculty perspective," Ensminger said
"From everyone's perspective."
Despite this goal of trying to convey
faculty opinion, the committee is not
always perceived as being active, or
perceived at all sometimes.
"I probably didn't even know what
SACUA was beforeI joined the Senate
Assembly," said SNRE Prof. James
Diana, who chaired the committee from
1992-93.
So what is SACUA?
The Senate Advisory Committee on
University Affairs is a nine-member
committee that helps govern the faculty
and is also the faculty's most direct link
to the administration of the University.
Diana said that as he worked his way
through Senate Assembly and eventual-
ly became a part of the committee, he
realized that it did have power.
"It's a very significant honor and
duty," said Prof. of Nuclear
Engineering James Duderstadt of being
elected to serve. Duderstadt has a firm
understanding of SACUA from not just
the faculty's side, as he was elected to
the committee but never served, and the
administration's side, being a dean and
a former president of the University.
"It's an important voice," said
Duderstadt.
Current administrators seem to agree
with that description.
"I believe that SACUA plays several
very important roles in University
affairs and governance," Provost Nancy
Cantor said. SACUA "serves as an
avenue for bringing faculty concerns to
the forefront on a wide variety of
issues.
A
"It works very closely with the
Provost's office in particular, and with
the various schools and colleges
through our offices," Cantor said.
Although the committee is mandated
by the regental bylaws of the University,
SACUA holds no executive power and
is just advisory to the Senate Assembly
and the administration.
"That's probably how it should be,"
said Prof. of Physiology Louis
D'Alecy, who chaired the committee
from 1997-98, adding that the advisory
role allows the committee more of an
opportunity to bring a wider variety of
topics to the table.
"Some faculty is frustrated that it's
only advisory," D'Alecy said.
Regardless of its level of power,
D'Alecy said it is important to serve on
the committee, and represent the facul-
ty without having one's own agenda.
"You have to have people carry onW
the battle because it is a good fight,
D'Alecy said.
UHS provides variety
of health care services.
By Nikita Easley
Daily Staff Reporter
Is there a doctor on the campus?
At the University Health Services,
there are plenty.
With four general clinics and eight spe-
cialty clinics, UHS provides all types of
medical services to University students.
"It is one of the premier health ser-
vices in the Big Ten Schools" said Janet
Zielasko, associate director of UHS.
UHS has a variety of services, includ-
ing nutrition, gynecology, radiology and
psychiatry.
The majority of the services at the
UHS clinics are free for University stu-
dents. With the exception of the allergy,
eye care, immunization and pharmacy
clinics, University students can receive
free treatment because of the health ser-
vice fee already implemented in their
tuition.
Along with free medical care, UHS
also offers walk-in and on-call services
until 10 p.m., Zielasko said.
"Students can call a clinician and the
clinician can tell the student if they need
to seek medical attention for their prob-
lem," Zielasko said.
Zielasko added that many students do
not think they will get ill in school, and
therefore UHS has trained clinicians
and physicians to help with any surprise
medical problems.
"It's the first time away from home
for most students and they need to take
responsibility for their health," Zielasko
said.
Caesar Briefer, MD., the director of
UHS, said many students have not pre-
viously been responsible for their med-
ical care.
"Part of the college experience is
learning how to take care of yourself,"
Briefer said.
Recently, the UHS building under-
went a S 7 million renovation.
"Students now feel that UHS is mod-
ern, attractive and convenient," Briefer
said.
School of Music senior Jeff Powers
said.that since the renovation, UHS i
"more like a doctor's office and does-
n't feel like a run-down old build-
ing."
The renovations to UHS also help to
improve the confidentiality for students
and their medical records, Zielasko
said.
"We have a whole new computer self
check-in area," Zielasko added.
Powers said he was happy with the
improvements to the building and the
treatment they offer.
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