The
S TUDENT P RINTZ www.studentprintz.com
SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927
Tuesday, August 24 , 2010
Volume 95 Issue 2
Recruitment revamps GREEK LIFE
THE BIG
T SUCCESS EVEN
SEE PAGE 3.
OIL SPILL
UDENTS REACHES ST
SEE PAGE 8.
H NASTY BUNC
Samantha Schott/Printz
From left to right, Delta Gammas Lacey Blankenship, Amber Langley, Carlee Lewis, Amber Bailey and Caitlin Siedell work on costumes Sunday for Formal Recruitment which will occur on Labor Day weekend.
Changes to benefit incoming students Mary Margaret Halford Printz Writer
SEE PAGE 7.
TODAY
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The Southern Miss Panhellenic Council voted in October of 2009 to change the date of sorority Formal Recruitment from the week before school begins to Labor Day weekend from Sept. 2 to Sept. 7. The change means that instead of coming to school before classes start, potential new members of Greek life are in school for two and a half weeks before recruitment begins. They are able to see a whole new aspect of sorority life prior to going through the recruitment process. Assistant Director of Greek Life at USM Lisa Moore said that the change was voted through for a few reasons, one of which was financial. This year potential new members pay a $60 registration fee, whereas in previous years they paid the registration fee plus a
housing and dining charge for the week of recruitment. Another reason for the change is to give new girls a chance to “get grounded and be students first” before joining an organization, Moore said. Kayla Waddell, a freshman from Vicksburg, Miss., agrees with Moore on the issue of being a student first. “I think it’s a good thing because it allows us to get our feet planted and get used to living the college life before we join a sorority,” Waddell said. She also said that getting to know different girls before recruitment has been a positive experience. “Every girl I’ve met has been very friendly,” she said. “I’ve gotten to meet new people without the prejudices of what sorority I may join.” In addition to the financial and academic benefits of a later recruitment, potential new members will also have the opportunity to see the personali-
Samantha Schott/Printz
From left to right, Delta Gammas Jessica Nester, Hadley Holifield and Lacey Blankenship work on costumes Sunday for Formal Recruitment which will occur on Labor Day weekend.
ties of each chapter on campus before recruitment begins. On the other hand, sororities will also see the personalities of the girls coming through. Senior Delta Gamma, Lacey Blankenship, had mixed feelings about recruitment occurring after the start of school. “I think it is a good and bad thing,” she said. “Being a GEWW crew leader, I had to be careful and worry about all the rules about talking to new girls, but I do like that we can
see these girls for who they really are before Formal Recruitment.” “Having recruitment after the start of school seems to be a national trend, and people seem nervous about the change, but excited,” Moore said. “We’ve already seen a dramatic increase in the number of women registering for sorority recruitment this year.” As of Monday 361 girls had registered, breaking USM’s record.