Valparaiso University - Beacon / Record Yearbook (Valparaiso, IN)

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Photos by Sherry LaMorticella Upper left: Arts arid crafts displays attracted many patrons to the Valparaiso area despite the crowded streets. Upper right: Entering the finish chute together are Journalism Professor Carl Galow and English Professor William Turner. Lower left: Although Quarterback Scott Lange 0er was a victim of the 93-degree heat and was forced to leave the Popcorn Bowl, the Crusaders rallied to win, 28-24. Lower right: Showering runners at the finish line was necessary to offset the intense heat. Opposite page. Above: This crowd is just one of the many formed along Lincolnway and its adjacent streets during the 7th annual Popcorn Festival. Below: As part of a Muppet clan, Kermit rides along the parade route to entertain the younger audience. Popcorn FestivaV17

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In the early September heat Valparaiso explodes for the seventh annual opcorn Festival s as quw- Valparaiso's famous Orville Popcorn Panic, several faculty Redenbacher's popcorn. You could and students finished with slower get it popped,'raw, caramel- times than previous years. flavored, butter-flavored, bulk, Everyone's times were slower, packaged, yellow, white or in a said senior Barry Acton. At 3V2 variety of other forms at the miles, people were starting to tail off. Popcorn Festival held September 7. Its theme, Popcorn Salutes Cartoons, was reflected in the creative floats of the morning parade and the many displays and booths cluttering Lincolnway on that blistering 100-degree Saturday. Despite the intense heat and high humidity, nearly 60,000 people from the Region attended the 7th annual event, according to Festival Coordinator Roberta Pierce. Due to a starting temperature of 72 degrees for the widely publicized 5-mile race, the 1UPopcorn Festival The humidity made everyone tired. Members of the VU Cross-Country Team were required to run in the race, with veteran Acton finishing 12th out of 1100 entrants. It was a good run, although some people did get sick at the finish line because it was so hot and humid, said Mel Kortge, a second-time participant. I plan on doing it again next year. As a service project, the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity helped direct traffic and park cars from noon until 5:30 pm. - Brenda Magnetti

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Greek life at VU is on the upswing With eight local sororities and twelve national social fraternities on campus, Valparaiso hosts a relatively large Greek system. About 40 percent of students, excluding freshmen, belong to a Greek organization, and the percentage grows each year. Greek organizations across the nation have been the subject of much controversy in past years. Movies like Animal House and Revenge of the Nerds have presented a distorted picture of fraternity and sorority life, which has aroused the concern of administrators, parents and even students. For the most part hazing pledges has become obsolete, some incidents are still reported. The biggest problem today is consumption of alcohol by minors, which has spurred Despite tightened local policies and bad press about Greek chapters nationwide, moves to l'dry out campuses nationwide. Failure to adhere to stricter policies has resulted in the dissolution of many Greek chapters. Until Greeks realize the seriousness of the administrators, restrictions will continue to tighten for the many chapters that still remain. In past years, even fraternities and sororities at VU were presenting a negative image. Problems with alcohol caused most of the uproar, and stricter policies were introduced. Though at first these 3iccihol policies caused much controversy among students, many of the complaints have subsided. There haven't been as many concerns from parents and administrators since the adoption of these policies, and the Greek system's image at VU seems to be moving toward the positive. The most apparent change is the banning of freshmen from parties where alcohol was served for the first seven weeks of school. Many complain that this delays their drinking and hits them at mid-terms with the effects of freedom, but it also forces them to get to know each other before the semester is almost over. The past three freshman classes do seem to have a strong fellowship within themselves, without alcohol provided by fraternity keggars and happy hours. Fraternities and sororities have attempted to adjust to the changes, too, by sponsoring non-alcoholic mixers for freshman men and women. Most of these parties are very successful, not only for the freshmen, but also for the members of the Greek system. Fraternities an sororities pair up to use these event as fundraisers, and the men use the as rush functions. This allows members to get-acquainted-with freshmen in a non-alcoholic setting before formal rushing begins. The policy against charging-fer alcohol has made the Armory partie and happyshours remnants of the past. In addition, a non-alcoholic beverage must be available at all parties where alcohol is being serve and it is recommended that iiThere is no excuse for people saying they did not want to drink When they come home drunk. ii fraternities serve some kind of food throughout the evening. lnter-fraternity Council President Russ Fowler feels that these changes have forced students to take on mo responsibility. Since the alternatives to drinking are so well publicized, students no longer can push off the personal responsibility on the T