0 0 mB Wensdy Jnar 6 21 / heSatmn Wednesday, January 26200 The Statement 3B news in review The Rise and Fall of Greek Chapters Similar to fashion trends, sorority and fraternity chapters cycle in and out of campus communities across the nation each year. Greek Life representatives say that the desirability of the University's Greek system puts it on the upward end of the cycle and draws more chapters to Ann Arbor. Despite the popularity of sorori- ties and fraternities on campus, it's not uncommon for chapters to leave and return after a few years. Throughout the past five years, two Panhellenic Associa- tion sororities - Alpha Epsilon Phi and Zeta Tau Alpha - and eight Interfrater- nity Council fraternities - Pi Lambda Phi, Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Pi, Sigma Chi, Alpha Tau Omega, Theta Delta Chi, Tau Kappa Epsilon and Beta Theta Pi - have returned to campus after brief dis- memberments. Sororities AEPhi and Zeta returned to the University Greek system in 2008 and 2009 respectively, accordingto assistant director of Greek Life Chris Haughee. Over the past few years, Haughee said there has "definitely (been) a growth in both number of members and number of chapters." The return of the IFC fraternities spans from 2005 to today. Pi Lamda Phi returned in 2005, followed Delta Tau Delta and Sigma Pi in 2006, Sigma Chi in 2008, Alpha Tau Omega in 2009. Theta Delta Chi returned to campus in 2008 and rejoined IFC in 2010, Tau Kappa Epsilon returned in 2009 and Beta Theta Pi returned in 2010. This fall, Acacia fra- ternity will also return to campus. LSA junior and Panhellenic Society Vice President of Public Relations Sarah Smith, who is also a Michigan Daily col- umnist, said the Greek community at the University is growing with each passing year. "We're doing more," Smith said. "Not only are we getting more new members, but our councils are becoming more active with events, programming and philanthropy. It's a great time to be a Michigan Greek." This year, the University accepted its largest freshman class ever. Compared to previous freshman classes, Smith said more of them decided to joina fraternity or sorority and "go Greek." Dissolving a chapter Most fraternities and sororities on campus are part ofalarger nationalorga- nization and must adhere to the policies and procedures set up by that group. Haughee said the decision for a Greek letter organization to leave campus usu- ally roots from risk management issues and the national organization's decision to remove the chapter. It's generally not up to the University to determine which chapters can stay on campus. Smith said it's not that something is "fundamentally wrong" with a chapter that makes them leave and come back, but rather a desire to start over. Haughee clarified that the two coun- cils - Panhel and IFC - ultimately, determine whether or not a chapter exists in its organization, but the nation- al organization dictates if the chapter "It's like a franchise like McDonalds or Starbucks," he said. "You have a lot of McDonalds all over the country, and all over the world some of them are a lot better than others. Now applying that to fraternity and sorority life, sometimes the quality isn't there so the franchise chooses to shut it down and reopen it with a potentially new owner. It works the same way." come back," she said. Smith echoed this sentiment, saying a chapter may have a certain reputation when its founded, but five years later, it can be completely different. "They could recruit different men or women," she said. "They could start to abide by or not abide by policies. It total- ly depends on the group of people in the organization. I don't think they are con- cerned about looking better or coming back with a better image because that image can change." Smith said chapters that return are often motivated to join the local coun- cils rather than existing outside of them. The benefits of being a member include recruitment assistance, participation in Greek Week and protection and assis- tance.- "There's also a sense of community that comes with being a partofit,",Smith said. The new Panhellenic sororities Five of the most talked-about stories of the week, ranked in ascending order of actual importance On her show on Monday, Oprah Eric Schmidt stepped down- on Keith Olbermann announced Fri- On Monday, a suicide bomber set In his State of the announced that she has a half Thursday as chief executive of day that he will no longer host off an explosion inside Domod- last night, Pre sister named Patricia. Patricia Google, making co-founder and his show "Countdown with Keith edovo, Moscow's busiest airport. Obama proposed. said Oprah's show brought them University alum Larry Page his Olbermann" on MSNBC. The Russia President Dmitri Medve- year extension tof together. They met the first time replacement. Schmidt will remain announcement came after he was dev blamed airport authorities on domestic progr on Thanksgiving Day. the executive chairman of the criticized for his presidential cam- on Tuesday for not preventing the would cut down d company. paign donations. attack. $400 billion overt Union address sident Barack a two- to three- freeze spending ams. The freeze eficits by about he next10 years. 4 . w.w w. . 1 i ---------------------- 1 1 Haughee added that many national The process for returning sororities is organizations have spoken with some "complicated," Haughee said. New chap- of the local chapters and the Office of ters require approval from the National Greek Life at the University to map out Panhellenic Conference and the local a strategy for a future return to campus. Panhellenic Association. Addition- He said the alumni base is also para- ally, the starting chapter must acquire a mount to the success of a chapter's house and prove it can fill it with enough return, adding that that they are often women. the "key players." Meg McAvoy, LSA junior and Panhel's Smith said regardless of the reason for vice president of internal recruitment, departure, the chapters always desire said returning chapters go through returning to the University. a modified process during Panhel's "They always want to come back pro- recruitment in the fall. Those chapters vided they can support a chapter (at the meet in the Michigan Union and make University)," Smith said. themselves known to potential new members. Re-building the bonds "You can't host formal recruit- ment without members," McAvoy said. Smith said a chapter's return is not "What they did is they took representa- simply a matter of improving its image tives from around the country and gave and presence on campus. presentations in the Union and would "That can be a thing; but its not so recruit women after formal recruitment much about the name or reputation of ended. The following year they'd par- the chapter," she said. "If the national ticipate in formal recruitment like all the organization feels (the chapter) is not other chapters." a safe environment, or if they feel the Interested women can either drop out problems are increasing, (nationals) will of formal recruitment right away and choose to remove the chapter and come pursue the new chapter, or wait until the back later. It's about keeping the mem- end of the recruitment process to show bers safe." that they want to join. Eligibility of new LSA junior and Panhel President Tay- members is determined through inter- lor Schmidt agreed. Schmidt said chap- views with adult representatives of the ters may get rid of their negative image organization. over time, which helps a chapter return Smith saidthe reasonthataparticular to campus. process exists is because members are "I don't think there is any redemption 'essential for recruiting in the traditional that they are trying to fulfill when they way with amenities like party sets and 0 .A 1 2 3 6 4 5 6 7 8 $9W 1NN quotes of the week from the archives 'As my father always used to say, Nothing is ever "Orkin Man, Look Out!" easy in life.'Nothing is ever easy. This is just one turn in the road."' RAHM EMANUEL, after an Illinois court withdrew his name from the Chicago mayoral ballot because he hasn't been a Chicago resident for one year. "It will not only hurt Italians but all Americans.. Their outrageous, reprehensible behavior will make us look like buffoons and bimbos." REPRESENTATIVE FROM UNICO, an Italian-American service organization discussing implications of the MTV show "Jersey Shore." relocating to Italy in its next season, f you're browsing YouTube, search 'UM Patriots,' and you might chuckle at the content you come across - specifically a mad dash of students running through the rules the FishBowl and library while dressed as Pac Man characters. The incognito group, called UM Patriots, strategizes its super secret operations through phone calls and anonymous recruiting. No. 307: No. 308: No. 309: In March 2007, The Michigan Daily published an article, "Inside the UM Patri- Just because they If you're sitting Hypothermia is not ots," which explained the inner-workings of the group, especially how members coordinated the videotaping and the exact moment to run through a packed lec- aren't University- in the aisle seat worth the risk of ture hall. sanctioned, doesn't of a lecture hall, checking your coat Their equally famous "Orkin Man" stunt was performed at the beginning of a ucan't still move to let people at Rick's or Skeeps class, when an insect killer chased a life-size pest. Some of the group's stints have mean you been reproduced by students at the University of Washington. The UM Patriots have snow days. through. have successfully garnered more than 15,000 views on YouTube. by the numbers COURTESY of THE NEW YORICTIMES Lowest estimated number of people who Number of people injured in the suicide Number of people who died last March died from Monday's suicide attack at a bombing attack. when two female suicide bombers detonated Moscow airport. themselves on a Moscow subway. &'ITLA 4TNX