Rider University - Shadow Yearbook (Lawrenceville, NJ)

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Strikes Campus Debbie, We feel we have a lot to offer a person and to just cut them off at a 'C' average doesn't seem fair. Possibly we could help the girl who has the lower average. Sort of a sorority service project aimed at a prospective sister. And service is another aspect of the Greek life at Fli- der and other institutions that is gradually gaining ac- ceptance. lnstead of the fraternities and sororities turn- ing to help themselves grow, there is a very strong move to help others. To show the college community and the surrounding areas that the old image of the Greeks is changing and changing for the better. Zeta Beta Tau took the lead in this new aspect with its drive for the American Cancer Society. Everyone heard of the Jack Cryan fund. That is, of course, asso- ciated with Zeta Beta Tau, They have also expanded it to the American Cancer Society's Send A Mouse To College campaign, which collects money for research. But Zeta Beta Tau is not the only Greek organization that has or will dive into the new idea. All the houses are turning to it as a substitute for the pledging end of it. The new pledges coming in will be part of a service project that the house is sponsoring, Jerry said. They will be judged by the brothers on how well they perform in the project and how well they work with the group. This is all part of the new fraternity image The sororities will be the same, according to Deb- bie, but she points out that as early as a year ago one of the sorority houses turned to this method of service. lt definitely helps the house and it begins to wipe away some of the stigma that the community college and outside environment had of us. We are out to help 59 lvl xl W 11 wljl '.., lfl,.!1 S in A R 'fins ' W 11 A ir fZ n5?.fff?'Z3l- F - .ff , if , f' ,. , if 3 u lj, -lljl' l'i,'iN' WlXt'Z'P' I, I9 -...muvl 'ff lkxxwlt ,sf 1 W if l lit j 4 ' ll' I I xx: KK .Wt f , VI. .- X ng- gl -7 j X. , ff Z ., L ,jj .l X f' f' 'WF A l ' -ff: xt F ijwllilv X - ' 'Q 'Q Hx lxixlxsgl W 1' I f. '1.fg il: 1 ly A ,ll ' gx X j 'V+ ll ll!! I XY, 'gn' V 'I' X X 1 'Qin 1 K ,X X Allin ' T ,U gifs ll ,gp jf , l N1 ' is- V, - -f , vi , Wir Q f 59 lf

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An interview with Jerry Wall and Debbie Fangikas Ask a Greek about pledging and he will probably come up with a story of horror equal only to the story of the Christians being thrown to the lions. That is the way it used to be. Jerry Wall, lnterfraternity Council presi- dent and Debbie Fangikas, Panhellenic Council presi- dent, see that tradition being broken down. That was the image that frats had in the late fifties and to some degree in the sixties. It is sort of out of date now and the Greek organizations at Fiider have done something to improve the situation. For instance, we have virtually eliminated the physi- cal hazing that used to be so much a part of the frater- nity life. Also, we have broken the image that a frater- nity is an ultra-exclusive club for the elite on campus. We want only to be sure that those who enter the house will contribute something to its growth Jerry pointed out. Greek Uprising Debbie tended to agree. We in the sororities feel that a lot of worthwhile people were turned off by the physical aspects of the pledging. We want it open to as many people as possible. Even academically the sororities and fraternities have reached out to get people. They have recently lowered the grade point average that one needs to pledge. Be- fore it was a 2.00 but now it is 1.75 for the sisters and about the same for the fraternities, although they didn't set an exact figure. According to Jerry, there were many and varied reasons for the move. We felt that many good potential pledges only had averages of 1.8 or 1.9. With pledging becoming less physical and time-consuming, they can participate with lower average and still have time to study. Another justification for the move was expressed by H 1' 4, I ' F f n I ' I . 1, A H ffl 511.14 1.31, 1 ir' ' - ? anti ' 41d'11',,.1AAd 1 i P1191--.. if 58

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others and through that experience learn about our- selves and the people around us. It will be like an educational experience outside of the classroom. She spoke of eliminating some of the negative reputa- tions that have hung over the houses and elaborated more on it. People tend to look on the sororities, and for that matter the frats also, as being very conservative and not caring too much what happens outside their four walls, We are attempting through the service program to get more people involved and show them through actual experience that we are not that way anymore and that we are trying to change our image. While service is the main objective of the frats, a good solid group to initiate that service is also essential. lf we accept someone into our organization it is be- cause we feel that they will definitely contribute some- thing to our efforts. We do not want someone who wants to be in a fraternity just for the sake of saying that he is or just to wear the Greek Ietters, Jerry commented. Relations with the independents have been strained in recent years especially in matters concerning Home- coming. Both Debbie and Jerry would like to improve that relationship. l don't think there is a need to fight, as we are all part of Rider College. We would all be better off it we could work together and have fun together. l think it ridiculous that one group be excluded from something because l think something is lost in the process. Debbie agreed saying that this interaction would point up the sororities' efforts to become more in- , .il1E'K1f5iEQT:Q jj - X 111,55 fijfjff 9575553 J A i 1 - ,ll '- JV..- VAK v1j? j1N'1fT f ' ','1'77Kp'Y'lf-'f - I , ' rj, a,n,.,m , , cr 1 1 .t , . 2.2 'It' 5759? ' .-1.--.rj--1. 'Y' --s Q f.-, ' ,-f' il is l 60 - X ,,