The
S TUDENT P RINTZ www.studentprintz.com
SERVING SOUTHERN MISS SINCE 1927
Thursday, January 27, 2011
R CHILI AND BEE
Volume 95 Issue 32
GREEK LIFE
Greeks get better grades Tierra Clemmons Printz Writer
See page 5
US SUDAN NEEDS
See page 7
HOP CONTEST
See page 8
Thursday
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Does going Greek mean good grades? The Institutional Research proves that the numbers definitely do not lie. The university’s all-undergraduate average stands at 2.600; the all-Greek average is 2.927. The 14 percent undergraduate Hattiesburg Greek population outperformed the average USM student by .327 grade points. It doesn’t stop there. The university’s all-female average stands at 2.680 compared to the allsorority average at 3.096. The 15 percent undergraduate Hattiesburg sorority population outperformed the average USM female student by .416 grade points. The university’s all-male average stands at 2.480 compared to the all-fraternity average 2.658. The 13 percent undergraduate Hattiesburg fraternity population outperformed the average USM male student by .178 grade points. Greek Life definitely was on Santa’s nice list as these averages sent cheer throughout the Greek Life staff over holiday break. While this news may be a surprise to many, it was no surprise to the Greek Life staff – Greeks’ grades have been higher than the average student for years. “The all-sorority average was
Joshua Starr
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The university has taken disciplinary actions against a USM student charged with distributing a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of the university. The student, Christopher Lindahl, was one of four employees arrested Jan. 19 in a raid of the Ra Shop, located at 2706 Hardy St., across from Lake Byron. Sgt. Allen Murray, spokesperson for the Hattiesburg Police Department, said the Ra Shop was raided after the department received a series of calls telling them that spice, a synthetic marijuana, was being sold at the location. “Calls from numerous tips informed us that spice was being sold at the [shop]. Officers
INDEX Calendar ...................... 2 Crossword ..................... 2 News ............................. 3 Arts & Entertainment .....4 Feature ......................... 5 Opinion .......................... 7 Feature .......................... 8
secret is. Most sororities and fraternities have GPA requirements for potential new members to ensure that they get “the best of the best.” Once in these organizations, many chapters have consequences for members who do not maintain the chapter’s required GPA. Consequences include so-
cial probation, suspension, etc. Some may believe that the higher GPAs are a result of chapters having test files. “Yes, test files exist,” said Maley Morris, member of Phi Mu so-
See SORORITY, 3
Spice burns the Ra Shop, students Printz Writer
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and still is consistently above the all-woman’s average for as long as most people can remember,” said Josh Schutts, Assistant Dean of Students for Greek Life. “The fraternity average has climbed above the all-men’s average for the past three years.” Many may wonder what the
LOCAL
Friday
Saturday
Eli Baylis/Printz
Caitlin Seale, Delta Gamma sophomore, on right, studies with her sorority sisters in the Delta Gamma house on Sunday, Jan. 23. Delta Gamma sorority is reported to have the highest grades on campus and as a whole Greeks have a higher GPA than non-Greeks on average.
observed spice to be sold there [and] obtained a warrant, and 2195 packs of spice were confiscated with a street value of $85,595,” he said. Though Murray said possession of spice was originally going to be misdemeanor due to a city ordinance, Gov. Haley Barbour signed a law banning the drug Sept. 3, 2010, which superseded the ordinance and the penalty for possession became more serious. “Distribution of spice has the same penalty as marijuana. It’s a felony,” Murray said. Dean of Students Eddie Holloway said the university’s decision to seek disciplinary action against Lindahl has yet to be made. “I’ll speak with the university police about the inquiry of [Lindahl’s arrest],” Holloway said. “We function by the code of conduct.
The leverage for us [the university] to go off campus is if a student’s behavior creates a clear and present danger or the perception of a clear and present danger.” Holloway said usually the code of conduct restricts university disciplinary action to regard only acts committed by students on campus, but the university does make exceptions for the sake of students’ welfare. USM theater major Annie Cleveland said she feels conflicted about the possibility for Lindahl to see disciplinary action. “If [Lindahl] knew what he was doing was illegal, he could have chosen not to do it, he could have quit his job. But at the same time I’m not sure it’s the college’s place to step in,” Cleveland said. Holloway said that the issue of spice is beyond being simply a
matter of public opinion. “Whether I don’t feel [spice] is an issue or not, the university and state policy must follow state law,” he said. In addition to Lindahl, store manager Alfred Jordan, employee Stephen Perry and now former employee Margaret Sciolino were also charged with possession with intent to distribute. Murray said an investigation of the Ra Shop is still ongoing, which may result in further charges. “At the moment, I don’t know where the department and the DA are going with their investigation. The matter is still under investigation,” he said. Storeowner Louis Bettencourt could not be reached, and Ra Shop management refused to comment.