University of Texas Austin - Cactus Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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Many Greeks were members of honorary organizations as well as academic honorary groups. TV QSERTOOK Beyond the stereotypical mold . . . If a student needed information about the Greek social scene, he could plant himself on the West Mall and read the many t-shirts advertising upcoming events. T-shirts publicized many Greek parties, and as a result, students did not realize the extent of Greek involvement in other activities. We are fighting a stereotyped image, Kelley Kenney, business senior and Alpha Phi member, said. I think that people don ' t look past the letters to see who the person is and what the person is involved in. Greeks have been working hard to improve their image on campus and to inform the public that we are more responsible than they give us credit for, Kevin Jessing, bio-chemistry sophomore and Delta Sigma Phi member, said. Due to the competitive rush system at the University, Greeks comprised only about 10% of the student population. Despite their small numbers, Greeks were active in many organizations. We have members in 105 different student organizations on campus, Joal Cannon, government-pre-law junior and Alpha Delta Pi member, said. Independents don ' t think we are very visible since many of our big projects are done for our own philanthropies in the community and not always on campus. I ' ve been here eight years, and it ' s my impression that Greeks are not particularly active in organizations outside of their own, Jeff Hunt, graduate student in history, said. However, Greeks could be found in virtually every student organization. Many Greeks were members of honorary organizations as well as academic honorary groups, and 30 fraternity and sorority members were selected as Outstanding Students or Goodfellows in 1988. We have someone on almost every committee, Cliff Vrielink, Plan II sophomore and Delta Sig member, said. Most of us join a club together as a group and, because we have fun in it together, we continue to participate in it. Upon discovering Greek involvement, some students changed their pre-conceived opinions. The perception I had of the Greek community coming into this job was incorrect, Mike Fannin, Daily Texan News Editor and communications sophomore, said. Greeks are active in the community and that was suprising to me. I ' d say that there is a definite trend toward more involvement in student organizations due to the recent increase in interaction between the University and the Greek system, David Ruth, English-finance junior and Tau Kappa Epsilon member, said. Greeks are becoming more visible to UT as a whole. by Chrissi Noyd FRATERNITIES EDITED BY CHRISSI NOYD SORORITIES EDITED BY BEVERLY MULLINS Greeks 395

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' J . . IT T ' T X T T 7k k man, pre business junior, talks with nursing homes was just one aspect of the philanthrope effort: home rrsulent Nina MiCarty Apr. 18 Visiting nursing undertook by the Greek community. 394 Greeks

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PANHELLENIC COUNCIL The Panhellenic Council at the University took two major steps in 1988. After 20 years, the sororities registered as campus organizations. Some people perceived the move not to register in 1968 as an avoidance of the anti-discriminatory clause on the reg- istration form. However, that clause was only one of five requirements, including the stip- ulation that campus organization membership be limited to students, faculty and staff, thus posing a problem for sorority alumnae. Another obstacle was finding a University advisor who had been initiated and could attend meetings as required. According to Panhellenic Advisor Evelyne Bennett, since the main point of registering was to gain use of University facilities, and since the sororities had gradually moved off campus and become self-governed, Panhellenic chose not to register. Panhellenic continued to enjoy a friend- ly relationship with the administration. But Bennett said campus registration was talked about off and on for the next 20 years. On Nov. 17, 1986, President William Cun- ningham appointed a commission to study the goals of student fraternal organizations, includ- ing the status of the off-campus sororities. As a result of the commission ' s report, issued on Oct. 9, 1987, Panhellenic, backed by a united alumnae group, decided it was in the best interest of the organizations to register. But even before that decision was made, Panhellenic decided to implement an open rush program. Closed rush had been a tradition fairly unique to the University since 1904. Open rush would allow any girl who registered with Pan- hellenic to attend all sorority houses during first round without regard to specific invitations. The closed rush program required that a rushee have an invitation to attend a particular house. According to Panhellenic Council President Christine Yura, accounting junior, many people thought that registration with the University would make open rush inevitable. The two steps appeared to go hand-in-hand, but they were very separate issues, Yura said. Open rush was a Panhellenic Council issue, discussed since October and approved in De- cember. The University registration was voted on in January but had been talked about for over a year. It was talked about strictly with each sorority president and advisor. Council registers with L7] after a 20 year absenc lr n It was a good thing that we made the open rush decision ourselves before we even reg- istered. It looks better be cause we did it for ourselves not because the University suggested it. Yura said one of the main reasons open rush passed was the declining number of rushees. However, the number was not expected to fluc- tuate in 1989 simply because not enough girls, especially small town girls, would be informed about the new opportunities provided by open rush. Similarity, immediate results in integrating the sororities were not expected. Honestly, I think we ' ll get bad press after rush because some people think sororities will be integrated now, Yura said. The intentions are to eventually reach that but they, the people outside the system, have to see it realistically. We ' ve been the same for so long, and we just took two big steps. We ' ll just take it slowly and not expect too much too soon. by Beverly Mullins 396 Pan) cllrnic Council Muh.icl Sir. THE MORE, THE MERRIER: Floats draped with mt bers of sororities and fraternities were the order of the da the Round-Up Parade. PREPARATION: Members of Panhellenic Council look over hand-outs prior to a meeti