WINGS ON ICE Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson dons hockey pads and wings in his latest family-friendly film. SCENE page 5
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By SARAH RUDNICK Eagle Staff Writer
EDITORIAL
AARON BERKOVICH / THE EAGLE
FRESH START — AU’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu, or “SAMMY,” is now officially recognized as a colony. The fraternity lost its charter in 2003 due to alcohol violations and administrative non-compliance. Chase Freeman, a freshman, has taken over as president.
Columnist Erin Cady weighs in on proposed housing changes page 3
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SPORTS UNDEFEATED Women’s basketball stays perfect in Patriot League play page 8
Formerly-exiled fraternity Sigma Alpha Mu recently regained official campus and national recognition as a colony, according to Curtis Burrill, director of greek life. Sigma Alpha Mu, better known as “SAMMY,” lost its charter in 2003 for administrative noncompliance and alcohol violations, The Eagle previously reported. Even without campus legitimacy, the group continued operating as a regular fraternity for the past seven years, Burrill said. Regaining charter is no common venture; it must be a collaborative effort between the campus, the national organization and the Inter-Fraternity Council, he said.
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“SAMMY headquarters sent three men down to meet with the guys, find out what they’re doing … and there were two options for them,” Burrill said. “One, send out a letter to cease and desist and start a lawsuit, or keep the men and start a colony.” For several years, SAMMY contemplated the decision to colonize, according to Rob Daley, member of SAMMY and senior in the School of Public Affairs. However, the fraternity’s autonomy was one main concern — some wanted to retain freedom from AU’s regulations, while others wanted to regain its legitimacy, Daley said. “There was a very heated debate for awhile between some of the brothers here, and even the ones that were abroad last semes-
ter when we were debating whether to come back on campus,” said SAMMY president Chase Freeman, a freshman in the School of International Service. “But now everyone is on board.” SAMMY proved that it is inline with the positive goals IFC is seeking to achieve this semester, said Adam Tager, public relations chair for the IFC. “We definitely want to clean up the image, because we get a bad rep that’s not really there,” Freeman said. SAMMY is an addition to colonies Zeta Psi and Tau Kappa Epsilon on campus. The rapid expansion of AU’s fraternity world has sparked some controversy among chapters — some of which believe too many colonies would n
see SAMMY on page 2
Hurst Hall pipes free of lead, water safe By ASHLEY DEJEAN Eagle Contributing Writer Rumors of lead pipes in AU buildings have been circulating around campus, but according to Director of Facilities Management William Suter, these rumors are false. Lead, however, does exist in some of the older building’s valves and solder, he said. Small amounts of lead leach into all water sources due to small amounts of lead in plumbing fixtures, valves and older solder, according to Suter. “Solder containing lead was banned over 20 years ago and has not been used on campus since the ban,” he said. While minimal amounts of lead leak into the water of some of the older buildings, it is still drinkable. “Our testing, along with testing performed by [the Water and Sewage Authority] our water provider, shows that our water meets [Environmental Protection Agency] and D.C. standards for quality,” Suter said in an e-
mail. AU’s campus was built over a hundred-year range, from 1897 until present day with the construction of the new School of International Service building. Hurst is one of the older buildings and deals with some water quality issues. However, it meets EPA and D.C. standards, according to Suter. “The symptoms we know about in Hurst include water discoloration and substances that clog water filters in the building,” Suter said. “These symptoms can stem from deterioration of the line feeding the building or from other contamination sources. An investigation and likely replacement of this line is part of a broader water and sewer system master plan in the initial stages.” Older water systems on and off campus are undergoing plans for renovations to ensure water reliability is more consistent on campus, Suter said. “Most of our water reliability problems are related to WASA lines feeding the university rath-
er than lines on campus,” Suter said. “WASA typically has water line issues in the winter and this winter has been no exception. WASA has line replacement projects underway.” Some students use water filters because they are uncomfortable with the drinking water at AU. “I think people are worried about the AU water quality because D.C. has a bad reputation for its water,” said Gina Maffucci, a freshman in the School of International Service. Drinking water faucets in AU dorms are typically fitted with water filters as well. The water is safe to drink, according to Suter. “Our testing, along with testing performed by [DC]WASA, our water provider, shows that our water meets EPA and D.C. standards for quality,” Suter said. You can reach this writer at news@theeagleonline.com.
SPLASHDOWN Men’s swimming and diving finish victorious against Georgetown
VOLUME 84 ISSUE 30
‘SAMMY’ gains colony status
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A HOUSE, A HOME
JANUARY 25, 2010
PHILLIP OCHS / THE EAGLE
JUMPING UP — Stephen Lumpkins fights for a ball in the air against Holy Cross as Vlad Moldoveanu looks on during Saturday’s “Phil Bender” event. AU won 71-64 and gave Head Coach Jeff Jones his 300th win at AU. It was the Eagles’ second win in Patriot League play.
‘AU Rising’ earns $3,000 AU dumps for Haiti relief fund rival Holy Cross 71-64 By RACHEL KARAS
Eagle Contributing Writer
As Haitians continue to struggle against the lingering effects of a devastating earthquake, AU students came together to help support the ongoing relief effort. Caribbean Circle, a student group, and the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity sponsored “AU Rising for Haiti,” a benefit concert with a recommended donation of $10 per person. The concert, hosted in the Kay Spiritual Life Center on Jan. 22, featured various AU performers including a capella groups, singers, a comedy troupe and more. Over 400 people attended, according to Brian Banks, a senior in the School of International Service, who helped organize the event. The event raised over $3,000 for Partners in Health, a non-profit organization currently running General Hospital in Port-au-Prince, according to the event’s program. Leah Bomberger, an AU alumna recently back from mission work in Haiti, commended the audience for their spirit of
joy and hope. “How the Haitian people would want you to help them ... [is to] rejoice,” she said. “Rejoice for what is to come.” Banks said he felt obligated to act after seeing reports of more than 100,000 people dead. “Something about this disaster struck me more than any other disaster at any other time,” he said. “It gripped me so much I knew I couldn’t do nothing.” Banks, who said the event came together at the last second, said he was “mind-blown” by its turnout. “We couldn’t have asked for a better group,” he said. “The performers gave it everything they had. People were opening up their pockets and digging deep for donations.” One goal of the benefit was to raise awareness of the country and its culture in addition to the current tragedy. “There are so many stereotypes about Haiti, but now people are looking into the country, seeing its rich history and its beauty,” event organizer Yanique Campbell, a freshman in the Col-
lege of Arts and Sciences, said. “I believe the earthquake is a turning point for Haiti ... everything will come together.” Emily Weinrebe, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of Dime A Dozen, said she was excited to be both participating in and watching “AU Rising for Haiti.” She said it gave her a sense of the earthquake’s impact on the people and their homes. “All the groups are amazing, and this is an unbelievable way to get everyone together to help,” she said. “AU’s response has been awesome. This school is really passionate about its activism and tonight is a great example of how committed we are.” Though the benefit raised over $3,000, many in Haiti continue to suffer. Event organizer Nakeesha Jeanne Ceran, a senior in the School of Public Affairs, lost her cousin in the earthquake and reminded people not to let Haiti become another forgotten headline. “It’s one thing to give your money and have a good time, n
see HAITI on page 4
By TOM SCHAD Eagle Contributing Writer The AU men’s basketball team got back on track with a huge victory over their nemesis Holy Cross 71-64 at the annual “Phil Bender” event Saturday. The win gave Head Coach Jeff Jones his 300th as head coach and extended the Eagles’ home winning streak in Patriot League play to 19 games. Vlad Moldoveanu led American with 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Stephen Lumpkins recorded his third career double-double with 17 points and 15 boards. The Crusaders were held to 39 percent shooting in the game. “We certainly earned [the win],” Jones said. “It was very hard fought, as we knew it would be, but I thought we hustled, we scrapped and we earned it.” Coming off a 20-point loss at Army during the week, AU looked to bounce back against Holy Cross in a rematch of last year’s Patriot
League Championship. A season-high 2,743 fans were in attendance. “It was a great atmosphere in here,” Jones said. “Our guys also know that we didn’t distinguish ourselves against Army. We were to determined to come in here and, at the very least, compete.” The Eagles were aggressive early on, by quickly getting a lead with layups from Lumpkins and fellow sophomore Simon McCormack. Holy Cross also got off to a quick start as sophomore Devin Brown knocked down back to back three pointers. AU was in control through the first 10 minutes of play; the Eagles shot 60 percent from the floor, controlled the rebounding margin and had all the momentum on their side. The Crusaders looked flustered and several of their shots failed to even grace the rim. As the first half progressed, Holy Cross slowly began to pull itself back into game behind the n
see VICTORY on page 8