A Message to Parents

Dear Parents and Family Members,

Since 1870, Fraternities and Sororities at Lehigh University have been creating opportunities for leadership, development, and lasting friendships for those who choose to join one of our various Greek letter organizations on campus. This letter has been sent to you because your son or daughter has expressed interest in the fraternity and sorority community at Lehigh. It is important to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs (OFSA) staff that parents and family members are aware of the opportunities and obligations that come with being part of the community. Some of these include; information regarding the community, the New Member Education process, and potential of life-long membership in a Greek organization.  Lehigh University maintains a commitment to creating a positive learning environment where students can engage and participate in the full collegiate experience. Fraternity and sorority membership will provide each member with the opportunity to develop valuable leadership skills, pursue academic excellence, foster relationships on Lehigh’s campus, and serve the greater Bethlehem community.

A great place to start is the OFSA website: www.lehigh.edu/ofsa. On this website you will find information on each organization in our three governing councils (Interfraternity, Multicultural Greek, and Panhellenic Councils) as well as programming opportunities for members, reports and statistics, new member education plans, and contact information the six professional staff members working in our office.

In an effort to keep parents and family members informed about the happenings of fraternity and sorority affairs at Lehigh University, we will be implementing virtual Illuminate (online webinars) and weekly Google Chat sessions (live chat with an OFSA staff member). For those who are interested in receiving regular communications, a Parent and Family listserv will also be utilized. If you are interested in receiving emails from our listserv, please email Rosa Guzman at rmg308@lehigh.edu. You may also choose to follow us on Twitter at @LUGreeks, “like” our Lehigh Greeks page on Facebook and subscribe to the Greek Community Blog, which is under the “Lehigh Greeks Blog” link on our website.  

As administrators and advisors to the fraternity and sorority community, we are committed to assisting each student achieve their highest potential. We work diligently to ensure safety for each member and have a strict anti-hazing policy at Lehigh University. More information on Hazing Education Awareness can be found on our website under the “Hazing Ed. & Awareness” link.  

It is our hope that each student has a positive, life enriching experience while at Lehigh University. Please know that we are here to help and assist in any way that we can. If you have questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact the appropriate staff member below.

Sincerely,

Tim Wilkinson

Assistant Dean and Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs

Interested in joining a fraternity at Lehigh?

Prospective Greek Students,

Thank you for showing interest in becoming a part of the outstanding Greek Community at Lehigh University.  As the fall semester comes to a close, I wanted to inform you of the process for joining an Interfraternity Council (IFC) fraternity.

Recruitment Kick-Off: There will be a kick-off event located in Perella Auditorium on Tuesday, January 17 from 6-8 pm. This is an event where you will get an opportunity to meet members from each IFC chapter as well as the IFC Executive Board members and to learn more about the Greek community at Lehigh.

Recruitment Period: Tuesday, January 17 - Saturday, February 4, 2012

Recruitment is an opportunity to explore the Greek Community and decide if joining an IFC fraternity is right for you.  Chapters will contact individuals or advertise open recruitment events.  These events are an opportunity to learn about the chapters, their values, and meet the brothers to decide which chapter is the best fit for you.

Bid Signing

• Monday, February 6^th: 10am – 4pm
• Tuesday, February 7^th: 10am – 4pm
• Wednesday, February 8^th: 10am – 4pm

-If you receive a bid to join a fraternity, you will be notified by email by a member of the OFSA staff starting Monday, February 6^th.  The email will contain instructions detailing how to accept/decline your bid.

Eligibility Requirements:

In order to be eligible to receive a bid to join an IFC fraternity, you must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.25 or higher.  Additionally, you must be a full-time Lehigh University student, taking at least 12 credits, and have a minimum of 12 earned credits from Lehigh University. (Some organizations may have higher academic standards.)Transfer students must have a minimum of 12 approved transfer credits and meet the GPA requirement.   

New Member Education:

New Member Education may begin on Thursday, February 9^th.  New Member Education is different for each chapter, but may only last 6 weeks and hazing is strictly prohibited. More information on the Anti-Hazing policies, please go here.  New Member Education plans will be submitted by each chapter to OFSA and will posted on the OFSA website, here.

Multicultural Greek Council:

Additionally, you have may have met with men from the three Multicultural Greek Council fraternities, Kappa Alpha Psi, Lambda Sigma Upsilon, and Omega Psi Phi, during open houses this year. Each of these chapters is also actively recruiting men who are interested in their chapters. If you are interested in any of these culturally-based chapters, please contact Christa Wessels (caw408@lehigh.edu), who can provide you different information regarding the Intake process. The process for culturally-based chapters differs in dates and has a 2.5 GPA requirement.

Lastly, we hope you may choose to follow the Lehigh Greeks’ Twitter account @LUGreeks, “like” our Lehigh Greeks’ Facebook page, and subscribe to the Lehigh Greeks’ Blog here.

If you have questions about any of the topics outlined above, please feel free to contact any of the following resources:

John LeDuff	Tim Wilkinson	Jessi McPherrin
IFC Recruitment Chair	Director of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs	Assistant Director of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs
Jpl312@lehigh.edu	tsw205@lehigh.edu	jlm@lehigh.edu
	(610) 758-4157	(610) 758-4157

Regards,

John LeDuff

IFC Recruitment Chair 

Faculty Advisor Spotlight: Professor Sinclair

Professor Kenneth P. Sinclair

Education/College: Ph.D., University of Massachusetts (1972), M.S. in Accounting (1970), University of Massachusetts, B.B.A. University of Massachusetts (1968)

Role on campus: Professor of Accounting (1972—present) and Senior Advisor to the CBE Dean (2007—present)

Are you a member of a Greek organization? If so, please specify:  Chi Phi

Chapter you advise:  Chi Phi

How long have you been advising this chapter? Since 1973

What is your role with the chapter? Faculty Advisor

What do you find is most rewarding about advising? 

Students seem appreciative of what is done for them.

What are some chapter accomplishments you are proud of? 

Chi Phi has typically excelled in all areas, but even when the fraternity has faced challenges, all related Chi Phi constituencies have rallied together to address the challenges successfully.

What is your best advice for Greek-affiliated students? 

I have always believed that the happiest and most successful Greeks are the ones who balance academics and what I call personal growth. 

Do you have any specific interests or areas of expertise that you would like to share with the fraternity/sorority community? 

I have presented a “Career Opportunities” program to Greek chapters.  I have also presented a program on “Oral Communications Skills.”

What do you like to do when you aren’t helping to advise? 

I still enjoy teaching after 40 years at Lehigh. Outside of Lehigh I am a huge sports fan, following my favorite teams and attending countless games.  I am also an entertainment enthusiast, going to independent movies, theater performances, and concerts. I am a political junkie, reading, listening, and observing important national people and issues.  Traveling is also something I like to do.  Finally and most importantly, I enjoy being with my family.

Anything else you would like to include:

Staying very active and helping others are my secrets to being content.

Greek Week Chair Application

If you are interested in being the 2012 Greek Week chair, please fill out the following in a document format and send completed forms to maw212@lehigh.edu

GREEK WEEK CHAIR APPLICATION

Name:

Chapter:

Major:

Email:





Briefly explain experiences and positions that qualify you for this position:









What would you like to see different in next years greek week?

Urgent Message from the Health & Wellness Center

We wanted to make you aware that a female undergraduate Lehigh student who lives on campus is suspected of having a bacterial meningococcal infection. We are awaiting the results of medical tests, and she is currently being treated at St. Luke's Hospital.

We have already contacted individuals who have been in close contact with
the student in order to make them aware of the potential risk of exposure
and provide them with prophylactic antibiotics. The ill student attended a
party at Theta Chi on Tuesday, November 15th. If you attended this event
and drank out of a cup that may have been used by others, please come to
the Health Center for consideration for preventative medicine.

Students who have been in close contact to a person ill with meningococcal
disease should take preventive antibiotics even if they have been
vaccinated, as they may still be susceptible to the illness.

Please note that this disease is typically spread only through close
contact such as shared saliva, or prolonged contact with a person who is
infected. It is not spread through casual contact, such as being in the
same classroom or eating in the same dining hall. Infectious disease
experts do not recommend treatment for people with casual or random
exposure.

Some common early symptoms of meningococcal meningitis include fever,
severe sudden headache, lethargy, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting and rash. It
is extremely important to seek medical attention if you do have these
symptoms.

The Lehigh University Health Center will be open until 10 p.m. this evening
(Thursday, November 17th) and again beginning 8:15 a.m. on Friday, November
18th.  Any students who need medical attention after the Health Center has
closed should call Campus Police at 610-758-4200.

Additional information about the disease can be found at
www.lehigh.edu/health or on the website of the Centers for Disease Control
at http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/about/faq.html

Questions can also be directed to the Health Center at 610-758-3870 or by
email at inluhc@lehigh.edu

Susan C. Kitei, M.D.
Director, Health and Wellness Center

Alpha Phi is internationally recognized for their Intellectual Development

Last weekend, seven of the newly elected members of Lehigh’s Alpha Phi executive board attended the Alpha Phi Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regional conference in Baltimore, Maryland. At the conference, the new executive board members had the opportunity to network with the Alpha Phi international office members, as well as fellow Alpha Phi executive boards from schools throughout the region. Each chapter contributed ideas and thoughts on how to generate a positive influence on our own campuses, along with explanations of how our individual chapters operate. Our executive board was able to gather many new ideas, and we are excited about introducing them to our chapter. Our chapter (Epsilon Psi) was awarded for our Intellectual Development Program, which is a program that is meant to generate positive influence throughout our chapter. Personally, the conference served as a great learning opportunity and experience and has helped to prepare me for the challenges that I may come across while serving as the President of our chapter.

The Alpha Phi regional conference was an opportunity for our new executive board to develop leadership skills relevant to our own individual responsibilities, as well as skills that can be used to help our chapter function sufficiently. Discussion-based lectures gave us an opportunity to share the practices of our chapter with others, while also allowing us to learn other chapters’ best practices. We hope to incorporate some of the things other chapters discussed into our own programs. Being in a group with fellow Presidents and VPs gave us the opportunity to openly discuss struggles different chapters face and ways to overcome them. These discussions educated me with ways I can shape our chapter’s future through effective management.

Our chapter’s executive board shared ideas from our Intellectual Development Program since it is one of the most successful programs our chapter possesses. Our Intellectual Development Program fosters women empowerment and open intellectual conversations. An important aspect of our Intellectual Development Program is our “Jam Sessions,” which are serious intellectual discussions between our members and faculty adviser, Professor Walsh. These discussions are based on both worldwide issues as well as campus-based issues. This year, our topic for discussion has primarily been sexism, in honor of the 40th anniversary of women at Lehigh. Other parts of our Intellectual Development Program promote intellectual relationships between our members and their professors. In events such as “Tea with A Phi,” members were given the opportunity to converse with their favorite professors outside of the classroom atmosphere. Events such as Tea with A Phi create an environment in which deeper discussions can be held, and learning can be taken to the next level. We believe there is more to learn than what is taught in the classroom, and our Intellectual Development Programs cultivates a continuous learning atmosphere within our chapter.

Alpha Phi Internationals has recognized this program and awarded us for its success. Over the course of the weekend, we were asked to share with other chapters the importance of the program and how we incorporate it into our chapter’s activities. Other chapters showed interest in the program, and we hope our ideas will be able to travel and have a positive impact on other chapters throughout our region. We were happy to contribute to the overall purpose of the Alpha Phi conference, and hope that our chapter was able to generate a positive influence and stream of ideas to other chapters.

-Kaitlin Slattery, President

Alpha Phi, Epsilon Psi
 
Photo:  From left to right - Ellie Fried (VP Program Development), Kaitlin Slattery (President), Rachel Sarakin (Director of Formal Recruitment), Val Phillips (VP Member Recruitment), Kelly Bloom (Director of Finance), Janine Necef (VP Chapter Operations), and Christine Caruso (Chapter Adviser)

Peer Values Educators Applications

As a student-driven initiative, a group of individuals came together in the fall 2008 semester to develop dynamic programs that allow for open and honest conversations in a true peer-to-peer format on a variety of topics including alcohol and social decision making, anti-hazing education, and bystander intervention. Peer Values Educators have been presenting to different Lehigh student groups ever since. This program is made up of upper class student representatives of the Lehigh Greek community who serve as positive role models and facilitate interactive workshops for the campus population.

Expectations of Peer Values Educators:

-To serve as a leader and positive role model within your organization and the Lehigh community

-To have strong public speaking and group facilitation skills

-To engage with audiences in an authentic and enthusiastic manner

-To attend PVE trainings and meetings through the year

-To represent the Greek community and the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs in a positive and professional manner

Apply to be a Peer Values Educator today! http://www.lehigh.edu/~indost/greek/programed.shtml

LSU AIDS Week

Lambda Sigma Upsilon will be hosting the 3rd annual AIDS Week from Dec 1st to Dec 6th. The week will start off with the human red ribbon event on the UC front lawn at 12:10pm. We are also placing orders for AIDS week t-shirts. Show your support and please inform all of your members.

The shirts are $12 each and all proceeds will be donated to St. Lukes HIV/AIDS center. Orders are due by Sunday Nov. 20th and can be given to me in person or put in my campus mail box B889. Attached is the shirt design and the order form.

Thank you.

Daniel Cobar

Lehigh 2012
Chapter President
Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity Inc.- Uman Chapter.

Thanksgiving Break Safety Memo

If your off-campus residence is going to be unoccupied during Thanksgiving break, you should register the residence with the University Police. To register on-line, go to Lehigh's home page and select "Police" and access the registration form by clicking on the "Living off-campus" link or you can simply go to (http://www.lehigh.edu/~inlpd/liv_1.html).

Off-campus security is a concern of everyone. By registering your residence when you are away, you will enable our department, as well as the City of Bethlehem Police Department, to serve you better.

Also, as an extra safety precaution, be sure to make arrangements regarding mail and newspaper deliveries so they do not accumulate outside your residence.

Edward K. Shupp
Chief of Police

Panhellenic Woman of the Month - October

Mary Nunley, of Zeta Tau Alpha, has been selected by Lehigh's Panhellenic community as the October 2012 Panhellenic Woman of the Month. Mary's chapter members had this to say about her:

She is our VPI (Coordinator ofCommittees), and has been a fantastic role model for our large group of new Zeta’s by going completely above and beyond her call of duty. Mary has been working hard as our VPI, while also working as the President of Student Senate, being a Teaching Assistant for an architecture studio, and working as the Alumni President of her High School in New Mexico. She always makes time in her busy schedule to help out the community at an Animal Shelter on weekdays, and absolutely loves to play with the kittens there. Mary is an Architecture /Civil Engineering Major juggling an extremely tough course load. She is now studying hard (staying in many weekends) for the GRE’s for graduate school admissions. After graduation from Lehigh she will be taking a year off to help children by participating in the Teach For America Program, and then will be off to graduate school. Many of the girls in ZTA look up to Mary because of her many leadership roles on campus, her time management skills, her devotion to the community and humanity, and her ultimate success in every task that she takes on.

A short and specific example of Mary’s devotion to Zeta was extremely apparent this Fall. Upon returning to Lehigh, many of the girls with executive positions in ZTA dropped out. Without anyone asking, Mary cheerfully took on the loads of these positions while we were interviewing others to fill the positions. Mary did a fantastic job filling these positions, and showed the girls that with some hard work, you can keep an organization running through some tough times.

The thing that separates Mary from other students here at Lehigh is her passionate attitude towards helping people. She never becomes involved inactivities just to “put them on her resume”. She is an extremely genuine person who just loves to help whoever she can, when she can. Thank you for considering Mary as a nomination for Sorority Woman of the Month- She certainly deserves recognition for her hard work, and definitely does not get thanked enough!

Panhellenic Woman of the Month- September

The Panhellenic Council at Lehigh University would like to congratulate Jackie Kocot, of Delta Gamma, for being named Woman of the Month for the month of September. Here is a little bit about why Jackie is so deserving of this title:

Jackie is the Director of New Member Education for Delta Gamma which is a large task as the chapter is creating a completely revised program for their new members. Furthermore, Jackie is a Pre-Med student, works with Emergency Medical Services, the Senior Program Coordinator for Greek Allies, and also helps to deliver babies at a local hospital. Her sisters had this to say about her: "Jackie is able to manage all of this with a smile while still enjoying her senior year at Lehigh. She is a role model for us in Delta Gamma."

MOVEMBER

A message from Nick Gambino, IFC Community Service Chair:
As you may have notice, last months Breast Cancer awareness month was a great success across the board. Lehigh students, both Greek and Non-Greek, came together raising both awareness and money to help the female community support cancer research.

Now the time has come to help support a cause closer to the males of the Lehigh community. As you are all aware Movember is in full motion and the increasing presence of mens facial hair has been generating a lot of attention.

In an attempt to further increase the awareness of the theme of the month of November, we at IFC have created a T-shirt with the intention of spreading the word. Shirts will be sold for 12 dollars each and can be purchased through FMA as well as cash.



In order to get the shirts before the month of November is over, I will need a total number of shirts desired by each house no later then sunday night by 6pm. Again, shirts can be purchased through FMA.



Please spread the word to those within your respected houses, faculty/staff, as well as those who may not be greek affiliated.
 
Email Nick at nag213@lehigh.edu for ordering shirts and other information.

Barnespeaks and Students Listen - by Emma Shannon, AOII

Barnespeaks and Students Listen

by Emma Shannon, AOII

In today’s college atmosphere, the word hazing gets thrown around all the time and yet few students and faculty members are confident of the definition. Though there are some obviously unethical actions, easily classified as “hazing”, it is often hard to determine where some actions lie on the spectrum. When Rick Barnes from Campuspeak came to Lehigh as part of Hazing Prevention Week to discuss the grey areas surrounding the issues of hazing, he took a unique approach to the discussion. Instead of the typical reprimanding tone that many presentations cling to, Barnes began the discussion away from the concept of hazing altogether.

            Barnes started his discussion by presenting a spectrum of morally questionable behavior, from an innocent yet age-segregated quiz game to an obviously unethical violent action of an upperclassman towards a new member of a hypothetical organization. He asked the audience what they thought of the actions and the response to the violence was predictable – obviously wrong, hazing. However, the nodding of heads and remarks of agreement were not as universal about the other side of the scale. Was the other incident mentioned hazing? Barnes used this inability to come to a consensus as a segway into his next point.

            No one can truly agree on the absolute definition of hazing, largely because there is no absolute definition. Universities nation-wide are called to act in prevention of issues surrounding hazing and yet there are as many definitions for wrong behavior as there are universities. With that said, pleading ignorance is hardly the solution to hazing problems on campuses nation-wide. Barnes’ solution to this elusive concept is simple: the golden rule. If we learn to treat others the way we wish to be treated, the issue of hazing will disappear altogether.

Barnes’ presentation was effective because it was untraditional. Instead of reprimanding students for crossing lines they didn’t know existed, Barnes simply reminded the audience that eradication of hazing is as simple as that, do unto others as you would do unto you.

Update 11/4

To all members of the Fraternity & Sorority community:

During the power outage Lehigh originally committed to feeding the members
of the Greek community who are on a board plan through Sunday dinner. Once
power was restored, a second email went out to fraternity & sorority
leadership which explained that meals would be offered through Thursday
dinner. This change was made based on power restoration occurring on
Wednesday and information that we received in consultation with FMA and
several cooks that food programs within the houses would be up and running
by Friday morning. Tim Wilkinson, Director of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs
sent a communication to house leadership explaining this change on
Wednesday. We apologize if this information did not filter down to all
chapter members. We did our best to accommodate you during the power outage
and throughout your return to campus, but now that the campus is back to
normal operation and activity, as of this morning, your board plan is your
chapter house responsibility. Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,
David Joseph
Executive Director of Student Auxiliary Services

Faculty Advisor Spotlight- Alpha Phi- Professor Walsh

Name: Vincent A. Walsh

Department: English

Chapter You Advise: Alpha Phi

As a faculty/staff advisor, why did you become involved with Alpha Phi? 

Two of my former freshman English 1&2 students, Jenny Ingalls and Bari Mogil, both members of Alpha Phi, approached me during the fall term of 2008 and asked if I would be willing to serve as faculty advisor for the sorority. Since I had developed a great relationship with both Jenny and Bari as students, I readily agreed. I am very interested in Greek Life here at Lehigh, as well as nationally; I’m also an enthusiastic supporter of student activities, particularly initiatives that develop strong leadership and critical thinking/problem solving skills, and also activities that promote intellectual life at Lehigh. I serve as faculty advisor for a student club on campus -- one that formed just last year -- called The Music Box, which provides a forum for Lehigh musicians to stage performances on campus and at local Bethlehem venues that showcase the amazing musical talents of Lehigh students, particularly those who are not formally involved in Zoellner’s music program. I’m also working as a mentor for student mentors who will be working with local inner-city students in Allentown and Bethlehem; this mentoring program is being organized and directed by Christa Wessels from OFSA and Maria Asayag from Admissions. In general, I feel that Greek Life has so much to offer our students and our campus community that is truly exemplary! I want to help develop these positive aspects of fraternity and sorority life, at the same time as we interrogate and challenge some of the less savory aspects of Greek Life, which unfortunately get a lot more press. It has been a true privilege to work with Tim Wilkinson and all of the staff at OFSA, and to feel part of the amazing work all of you are doing to transform Greek Life on campus, so that it can realize its optimal potential, and also serve as a model for how Greek Life should be promoted and transformed nationally.

As a faculty/staff advisor, what are you expecting from Alpha Phi in regards to communications with you?

Kaitlin Slattery is our scholarship/intellectual development chairperson this year, and she’s doing a great job. We keep in steady contact via email and phone; we are planning one jam session (seminar style conversation) each month for the rest of the year; our first session in early September focused on the topic of sexism, and we’ve all decided to stay with that topic for the year, especially considering this is the 40^th Anniversary of Women at Lehigh. Kaitlin has also worked with me to get Alpha Phi on board as a sponsor for the special Women’s Concert at Lamberton on Nov. 5 -- which will feature all women performers; this event is being sponsored by the Women’s Center and President Gast’s 40^th Anniversary Celebration of Women at Lehigh Celebration.

As a faculty/staff advisor, how would you like to get involved with Alpha Phi?

I see my main role as helping develop the intellectual achievement of Alpha Phi, and communicating the importance of this crucial aspect of Greek Life with other Greek houses at Lehigh, and across the campus generally. I also want to help connect Alpha Phi to events like the Nov. 5 concert, and also elicit their continued support for Lehigh’s outreach effort to connect with students in nearby inner-city schools. We had our first jam session at Lehigh with the Latino Leadership Club members from William Allen H.S. in Allentown last spring; Alpha Phi provided a huge stack of fresh hot pizzas and a small lake’s worth of a variety of soft drinks. The jam was a huge success; in January, we will be kicking off a mentoring program run by Lehigh Latino undergraduates who will be working directly with the William Allen Latino leadership Club; we hope to expand this program to Bethlehem schools next year.

Do you have any specific interests or areas of expertise that you would like/be willing to share ?

I bring a wide-ranging scholarly research base of knowledge that can help promote intellectual discussion on numerous levels, particularly issues connected directly to students’ individual majors and specific career and research interests.

Do you have any specific interests or areas of expertise that you would like/be willing to share with the entire Greek community?

I would like to help promote serious intellectual discussion among all members of the Greek community at Lehigh -- both about crucial issues affecting the world at-large, and in particular issues right here in the Greek Life we share at Lehigh regarding hazing, sexism, the out-of-control drinking “culture,” racism, and homophobia.

Any other additional comments?

I feel proud and happy to be part of the OFSA and Lehigh’s vibrant, evolving Greek Life; I really think we can create a model here at Lehigh that will serve as a lodestar for Greek Life across the country.

UPDATES

Good Morning All,

I hope the last few days have been as smooth as possible. We all appreciate your cooperation and flexibility as we worked through this most unique circumstance. Please forward this update to all chapter members as soon as possible.

Power has been restored to campus this morning and we are asking students

to return to campus after 4 p.m. today. We understand that this is a

compressed time frame, but we are doing all we can to return to normal

operations at the university as quickly as possible.  Classes are canceled

for today, Wednesday, but will resume tomorrow, Thursday, November 3rd.

Four o'clock exams scheduled for Thursday, November 3rd will be moved to

Tuesday, November 15th.  

Please reiterate to chapter members the need to not return to the facilities until 4 p.m. Staff members have been continuously working to ensure the safety of each facility as the power comes back up. I can only imagine how badly you all want to return to your homes, please work with us little while longer.

Upon your return to the facility, if you have a specific building-related issue to

report, please contact Facilities at 610-758-3941. After 5 p.m., emergency calls should be directed to LUPD by calling 610-758-4200.

Most chapter cooks have confirmed that food shipments will be up and running tomorrow morning and dinner will be served in the facility tomorrow night. Please check in with your chapter president and/or steward regarding the status of your organization. Meals will still be served to chapters without food service through tomorrow night's dinner (Thursday, November 3rd). Meals will be served to chapter members on a fraternity/sorority board plan. Please bring your ID with you in order to verify student status. Please note: meals will be served in Rathbone Dining Hall only.

Although custodial staff was able to discard most of your perishable items from your refrigerators and freezers, some were locked or inaccessible. Please take the time to evaluate your refrigerators and freezers and dispose of any leftover perishable items as soon as possible.

We understand that most of you left your chapter house in a rush and did not have the time to clean the areas of the house for which you are responsible. Please take the time today or tomorrow morning to address these areas.

OFSA will be up and running as of noon this afternoon. Your Assistant Directors will be in touch regarding resuming activities and answering questions. Please compile chapter related questions for your Assistant Directors so as they check in with you, they can be thorough as possible.

Thank you again for your cooperation and flexibility. Keep checking your e-mail and the #LUGreeks twitter account.

Best,

Tim Wilkinson

Important Memo

To all Fraternity and Sorority Leadership-

This email is a follow up to our previous communication regarding the status on campus at Lehigh. As previously mentioned, the university lost power on Saturday, October 29, 2011 at approximately 1 PM. Unfortunately, power is still off and it looks like it will remain off for at least the next day. As a result your houses have now been without power for almost 3 days.



Some updates:




•
As previously mentioned, all food in refrigerators and freezers is lost and beginning to smell.  In order to avoid excessive odor issues, we have begun to work in your facilities to dispose of kitchen trash and food that has spoiled within your facility.



•
We understand that once the University reopens, your kitchens may not be able to function until new food deliveries are made. Again, Lehigh plans to offer all fraternity and sorority residents access to University dining halls for meals through Sunday evening, November 6, 2011. All students need to do is show their Lehigh ID and will be able to enter and eat for free.



•
Please understand that students cannot return to campus until all power has been restored to the entire campus and all safety concerns have been rectified. We will update more on this as information becomes available.



•
You should be working with your various billing agencies to coordinate timing for new shipments of food.



•
As of right now, students should prepare for classes on Thursday, November 3. If classes resume on Thursday,please be prepared for exams unless instructed otherwise. Please note this is subject to change pending updates on power on campus.



•
Parents’ Weekend is currently still schedule to occur. Once power is restored we will re-work existing needs for that event: tailgate registration, events, etc.






Again, thank you for your patience and understanding. Please call Residential Services at 610-758-3500 or e-mail either one of us with any questions.



Ozzie Breiner 

Director of Residential Services

lb05@lehigh.edu



Tim Wilkinson

Assistant Dean and Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs

Tsw205@lehigh.edu

FALL OPEN HOUSES

Interested in joining a Fraternity at Lehigh? The Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) will be hosting their Fall Open House events next week for all interested men. Events will run from 5-8pm at individual chapter houses or the Ulrich Student Center. This is an awesome opportunity to get to know the many different chapters that Lehigh has to offer!

The schedule is as follows:

Monday October 24:
Psi Upsilon
Delta Upsilon

Chi Psi
Kappa Alpha
Delta Phi
Delta Chi (Ulrich Student Center)

Tuesday October 25:
Lambda Chi Alpha

Phi Gamma Delta
Theta Xi
Theta Chi
Alpha Tau Omega
Sigma Phi Epsilon
Pi Kappa Alpha (Ulrich Student Center)

Wednesday October 26:
Kappa Sigma
Phi Kappa Theta
Phi Sigma Kappa
Chi Phi
Sigma Chi

Lambda Sigma Upsilon (Ulrich Student Center)

If you have questions please contact: 
IFC- John LeDuff-jpl312@lehigh 
MGC- ArmandoBerdiel - arb512@lehigh.edu

Order of Omega: Now accepting applications

Written by Kimberly Preusse, Kappa Alpha Theta

The Zeta Lambda Chapter of the Order of Omega was re-activated in spring 2011 with 12 new members. One honorary membership was also given to Professor Terry Hart, faculty advisor of Delta Upsilon, for his overall commitment to the fraternity and sorority community at Lehigh University. The current active membership is planning for a great year, but we need you! Applications for this junior and senior class standing Greek leadership honor society are now available and due by 12:00 noon on Friday, October 14^th.

Zeta Lambda’s Chapter goals are based off the results of a survey that was given to juniors and seniors at Greek Council Meetings at the end of the spring 2011 semester. These goals include providing networking opportunities with Greek alumni in terms of mentoring and career aspirations; bridging the gap with faculty and administration; providing a service to chapter presidents; engaging in service; and programming related to transitioning out of Lehigh University. Exciting possibilities related to these goals are already being discussed for the fall and spring semesters. Leadership positions are available within the organization!

Throughout the year, Order of Omega Headquarters awards members with scholarships. Since 1985, Order of Omega has awarded $721,850 in undergraduate scholarships, including $63,150 during the 2010-2011 academic year. Graduate fellowships are also available! Zeta Lambda is currently in the process of nominating two active members to apply for scholarships ranging from $300 to $1,000.

We are very excited for the future of the Zeta Lambda Chapter of the Order of Omega!

For more information, please see the below timeline. Applications for membership can be found on the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs website under “Policies and Forms.”

Timeline:

-Completed applications are to be submitted by 12:00pm on Friday, October 14th, 2011.

-Notification of membership will be communicated by email on Tuesday, October 18th, 2011.

-If accepting membership into the Zeta Lambda Chapter of the Order of Omega Greek Honor

Society at Lehigh University, two separate payments are due. A check in the amount of $50 to

Order of Omega and a $25 check to the Lehigh University Chapter of Order of Omega is to be

submitted to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs (Warren Square E.) by 5:00pm on

Monday, October 24th, 2011.

-An Order of Omega Initiation ceremony and program will take place at 5:00pm on Monday,

November 7th, 2011.

Novak Institute for Hazing Prevention: Erin Wildeman

I attended the Novak Institute for Hazing Prevention this summer. I feel as though my experience at the institute was pretty unique compared to most of the people who went. I come from a chapter that has recently gotten in trouble for hazing, so before last semester, hazing prevention was not something that was even on my radar. I always equated hazing to the stereotypical events such as forced alcohol consumption or paddling, but beyond that I feel as though my definition of hazing was very narrow. Because of this, the biggest thing I took away from the institute was a whole new definition of hazing. I learned that hazing isn’t about the task you are being made to do, but it is an attitude. The attitude stems from the hierarchical structure that can be found in most our organizations, as well as that mindset of dominance or power.  

As an undergraduate student, I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve heard that “hazing is a grey area.” When we think about our new member education plans, whether they are our official or unofficial plans, we tend to look at each activity individually. For some of the activities it’s simply hard to understand why OFSA thinks its hazing. The institute taught that we need to take a step back and truly think about the major goals of our member plans.  If we keep in mind “attitude” and then reflect on the member plan as a whole, rather than trying to analyze each activity individually, much of the “grey area” surrounding hazing is eliminated.

My chapter has been presented with a difficult challenge, to stop hazing. One of the hardest parts has been gaining universal chapter support. Hazing is part of our tradition as a chapter, and it is fueled by the fact that hazing has been so normalized across all of Greek life at Lehigh. It is hard to go from chapter that hazes, to one that does nothing over night, but when it really came down to it last semester, everyone chose to keep our charter over continuing with these traditions. I am proud to tell you that physically, my chapter has stopped hazing, but mentally, not all of our members have fully grasped it yet. They are willing to stop hazing because they could see how critical our situation was, but it is hard to understand why we are not just channeling our efforts into brainstorming better and more clever ways to hide what we are doing from OFSA, because that would definitely be easier.

I would say that the biggest thing that has helped our chapter move forward has simply been to have a more open dialog about hazing. I know that several members, as well as myself now feel comfortable having these discussions with people in OFSA or conduct officers at Lehigh. Furthermore, I learned that it only takes a couple of members who are willing to lead their chapter to turn the attitude of hazing around. We now have the unique opportunity to be an example for the other chapters on campus. I think that we are on our way to proving that we can be just as close and have just as much fun without hazing in our chapter. 

-Erin Wildeman