8
February 12,1998
News
Rushees await bids from Greek organizations:
What are the good and bad points of Greek Life?
Carolyn Lampila
Staff Reporter
Throughout this week, many
nervous but excited women can be
seen walking around Elon in suits
and skirts as they complete the long,
stressful process of rushing.
The past week has been filled
with parties, introductions, rounds
and countless hours of voting by
the sororities themselves.
The true test of their commit
ment will be on Saturday,
Valentine's Day, when they will be
in their rooms anticipating a phone
call to see if they got in the sorority
of their choice rather than from
their Valentine Day sweetheart.
Men are also rushing at this
time, a process that doesn’t seem as
stressful, since they have the chabce
to rush in the fall.
Greek life and the process of
rushing brings around many differ
ent views from students at Elon.
One common excuse for not
joining a Greek organization is
money as some students said that
joining a sorority or fraternity is
similar to buying your friends.
The average cost to belong to a
sorority at Elon is between $300
and $500 which isn’t expensive
when compared to other colleges,
said Naomi Bleecher, Panhellenic
rush chair.
Bleecher said she believes
there are many advantages of being
involved with Panhellenic and stu
dents will get their money’s worth
with the acquirement of leadership
skills, connections and meeting
many different people.
Another problem seen with
rushing, especially in the fraterni
ties, is hazing.
Scott Nelson, assistant dean of
students, said hazing does not seem
to be a problem at Elon as there
were only a few cases since he has
been here, none of which were se
vere.
“Amanda Harless (director of
greek life ) has done a good job in
preventing serious cases of haz
ing,” Nelson said.
Bleecher also believes that a
problem with hazing does not exist
at Elon.
“Every time anything goes
wrong, it’s always pinpointed
against Greeks,” Bleecher said.
Nelson said he believes lead
ership activities, organizational
skills, opportunities for scholar
ships as well as connections and
the chance to meet many different
Elon Alumnus running for
United States Senator in fall
Lauren Bigge
Staff Writer
Michael Robinson, a graduate
of the Class of 1981, said that al
though he doesn’t have the money
and political connections, formally
aniiounced his campaign for U.S
Senate during a press conference
last month at Piedmont Triad Inter
national Airport.
Robinson is seeking the Demo
cratic nomination in order to chal
lenge U.S. Sen. Lauch Faircloth,
R-N.C., in November.
“I’m running to give a place to
the non-lawyer, the non-million
aire,” he said: “I believe that many
politicians get elected and then
spend the next term paying off spe
cial interests that they owe and try
ing to get re-elected for the next
term. Because I will accept no
large donations, I will not owe any
one except the people of North
Carolina, and because I will not
stand for re-election, I will spend
the entire term working for you. I
believe that career politicians and
special interests have gone too
far...but that common man still has
a place in government," he added.
Robinson spent his time at Elon
working to improve life for the
community here as well. “Radar”
Robinson (a nickname he was given
for the apparent resemblence to the
actor who played the character of
Radar on M*A*S*H) was active in
several community service projects
with his fraternity, Tau Kappa Ep
silon. He was also Vice President
of the Student Union Board, served
terms as Social Chairman and Presi
dent of his fraternity, active in sev
eral drama productions, involved
with WSOE in its early years,
played Lacrosse, a contributing
writer for The Pendulum , and a
two-year member of the Religious
Life Committee.
Robinson is now a 39-year-old
businessman who runs his own
management firm. Triad Training
and Consulting. Robinson said he
knows what it’s like to make a
living as an ordinary American,
driving two cars with more than
100,000 miles while trying to save
money for a child’s college educa
tion.
He acknowledges that his cam
paign approach will limit his op
tions financially.
Robinson simply wants to
work for the people of North Caro
lina.
“I’m on a great adventure,” he
said.
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people arejust a few of the advan
tages of being a part of Greek Life.
“There’s a lot more to it than
‘buying your friends’,” Nelson
added.
Nelson, who in his college
years was the president of a frater
nity (not Elon related), admitted
that he had a great experience.
Former Lambda Chi President
Zach Poole said being in a frater
nity allows for more opportunities
to be involved in group activities.
“It allows you to do things that
you couldn’t do on your own,” he
said.
Poole says he doesn’t see any
thing negative about being in a fra
ternity.
“I’m completely happy about
it,” Poole said.
Senior Kelli .Palmer, former
president of Alpha Kappa Alpha,
has also been very happy with her
experience in a sorority.
“I’ve had a lot of opportunities
to serve," Palmer said.
" I have gained valuable friend
ships and connections with the com
munity,” she added.
She said she feels that Alpha
Kappa Alpha has been “a family
away from home.”
In addition to the leadership
skills, service opportunities and
friendships which Palmer gained,
she was awarded a $500 under
graduate scholarship from Order of
Omega, a Greek honor society.
Nelson believes that this is an
average year for tbe number of
students that are rushing and es
timates that by the end of the rush
process around 33% of Elon’s
campus will be Greek.
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