GREEK LIFE at CSULB

Adventures of Greek Life at CSULB

Hey everyone. Read about what it's like to be a member of a fraternity or sorority on the California State University, Long Beach campus. Greek life is not just about the events and parties that are held, like the stuff you see on TV, but focuses more on life in general when it comes to everyday values, friendships, community service, and leadership in the brotherhood and sisterhood. This blog will target all the CSULB students who have ever thought about joining a Greek chapter on campus. Students will hopefully come to see that being involved in Greek organization on campus will be a life changing experience. At CSULB there are 30 different Greek organizations and each of these offer individual focuses on student life. Having brothers and sisters to share wonderful college experiences with will help to make your college years so much more memorable.

Did you know........
Famous athletes, entertainers, and politicians that were ALL GREEK!


Photograph taken by Michael Yee

Monday, May 5, 2008

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Greek fashion show fundraises for children with cancer

The Panhellenic sorority, Delta Delta Delta, hosted its annual Fashion for Life fundraiser Wednesday night, in the CSULB Student Union Ballroom. The fashion event featured two models from each CSULB sorority and one model from each fraternity to help benefit the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. An inexpensive designer jean sale also took place immediately following the show, with 15 men and women designer brands. The event aslo included other clothing and accessory vendors as well as live entertainment provided by five local bands- Centrevol, The Sequence, The Donner Party, and Allura.

"Tri Delta hosts Fashion for Life every year because it is a great way to raise money for a wonderful cause," said Courtney Davis, the Tri Delta philanthropy chairwoman. "I think that the best part about it is that it allows us to host an event that brings Greeks and non-Greeks alike together to enjoy a night that is not out of selfishness, but to celebrate and raise money for a much better cause."

Tri Delta is an international women's sorority founded in November of 1888 in Boston, Massachusettes. Tri Delta has committed in making an impact on individuals and communities, both locally and nationally. Tri Delta members are encouraged to develop their philanthropic spirit through community service hours as well as contributing great time and effort to Tri Delta sponsored events. Therefore, at a Tri Delta convention in 1974, it was decided that its designated philanthropy was going to include and support Children's Cancer Charities. The group formed a national parternship with St. Jude's Children Research Hospital in 1999, and for this particular event, all profits made from the Tri Delta's Annual Fashion Show will go to St. Jude Hospital.

St. Jude is unlike any other pediatric treatment and research facility anywhere. Discoveries made here have completely changed how the world treats children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. They are some of todays' most gifted researchers and are able to make a difference in chidlren's lives.

Philanthropy is very important to the Tri Delta organization. "We will continue to have this event because it is a great way to showcase our Greek system and CSULB community. It shows how we can all work together in order to raise money for great philanthropies such as St. Jude Children's Research Hospital," said Hayley Crombie, Tri Delta president. "I feel proud that Tri Delta contributes our time and effort to such a great cause. The time and energy is all worth it when I think about the children at St. Jude that are in need."

Fashion for Life is one of Tri Delta's major events of the year. The sorority will continue to hold this event in hopes of further benefiting its philanthropic causes.

Media Credit: Rachelle Weigand, from the CSULB Daily 49er.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Alcohol,Drugs, Boy/Girl Sleepovers......

Caitlin Roberts, the CSULB Greek Life coordinator, says that alcohol, drugs, and boy/girl sleep overs are strictly forbidden in all sorority and fraternity houses. "I can't imagine such a strong Greek system without Caitlin being our advisor, and everyone can be her best friend, but at the same time she knows how to put her foot down," said Justin Downes, the vice president of the IFC Chapter at CSULB.

Housing for Greeks:
Housing is controlled by an organization of alumni that the members pay to. "Availability and preference determine which room you're in," said a sorority member who lives in a Greek house. There can be anywhere from 8 to 12 members per household, so sometimes it can get a little crazy. Some members may share the larger rooms or may have a room all to themselves. Food tends to not be communal as members clearly mark which products belong to them. There is an unspoken mutual understanding that every member respects each other's property no matter what.
Fact:
Although the houses are located near campus, sorority members are more likely to drive to the CSULB campus because "its just easier and Long Beach is not the most safest place to walk or bike through," said an anonymous member.

Alcohol Rules:
Fraternities and sororities must be familiar with the State of California laws regulating the sale of alcoholic bevergaes. No alcoholic beverages may be sold without a valid license from. No monet whasoever, including donations, entertaninment fees, or the collection of money from students, may be collected at any function where alcoholic beverages are being provided or sold, unless a valid liscence and permission is given (which usually is not given to farternities or sororities on college campuses. Therefore, no chapter members may provide alcoholic beverages directly or indirectly to members or guests by selling tickets or cups, by collecting admission fees, etc.

During Dry rush, no alcoholic beverages shall be present at any chapter or council recruitment, regardless of location. No alcoholic beverages shall be present at any pledge, associate, new members program or activity, including; initiation or pre-initiation activities, pledge retreats, meetings, big brother/big sister revealing, etc.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Greek Week is back!!!

The 10th Annual Greek Week is going to be held this week from Sunday April 20th to Saturday April 26th. "The purpose of Greek week is to bring the chapters together to mingle and get to know each other," said Caitlin Roberts, the Coordinator of Greek Life. The first annual Greek week began in October of 1998 and has been a huge success and allows students to interact with each other and make new friends. While also having fun and showing pride being a Greek, the Greek Week events are an opportunity to raise money and donate to Camp Heartland, which is a camp for children with HIV, and to raise money for the Long Beach Rescue Mission.

If your interested in watching any of these events, please read the following:

Sunday April 20th, on the friendship walk, the participating Greek chapters will gather to compete in Gauntlet relay races.


Monday April 21st, the Greek chapters will gather to compete in building castles out of cans. Each fraternity and sorority will be paired up and compete against one another to see who makes the best castles out of canned foods. This will beheld at the Beach Circle near the CBS building on the CSULB campus.


Tuesday April 22nd, at the Gold Mine Gym, the dizzy bat, trivia, and tug of war games will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Greeks students will be paired up with other fraternities and sororities to compete in these sporting events.


Wednesday April 23rd, an HIV Positive Fraternity Alumni named Ben Goldman, will speak to Greek students at the Long Beach Polytechnic High School. This will be held at 7 p.m.


Thursday April 24th, the Greek sing and dancing event will be held at the Long beach Polytechnic High School as well. The Greek sing and dancing is an event where the Greek chapters are paired up together to perform a five-minute skit or dance routine.


Friday April 25th, will be a day of academics for the Greek students and there will be no events this day.


Saturday April 26th, will be the last day of Greek week. The Greek chapters will come together during the Kaleidoscope event that will be held form 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. here at CSULB.


Greek week is a very important part of being involved with Greek Life on campus and students who participate can teach each other about their values they represent in their chapter.

Photograph taken by Michael Yee.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

New CSULB Chapter Awaits Initiation


16 Cal State Long Beach students await initiation for a new CSULB chapter.

Sixteen students in the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity have been invited to join the eight other Interfraternity Council fraternities and colonies in the Cal State Long Beach Greek System during the 2007-08 academic year.

Zeta Beta Tau was founded in 1898 as the nations First Jewish fraternity in New York City. Today, it is the oldest and largest growing Jewish fraternity, with more than 80 chapters and 110,000 undergraduate and alumni members nationwide. Niall Adler, a Zeta Beta Tau chapter advisor, said that the recruits are awaiting to start off the new fraternity until approval from the national fraternity. "As of right now, the current members are still considered a colony until the Zeta Beta Tau decided to initiate them into a chapter," Adler said. The members who get initiated into the first official Chapter will be considered the founding fathers for Zeta Beta Tau at CSULB, which will start off an exciting experience for the years to follow. By becoming a founding father, "an amazing leadership opportunity is at hand," Adler said.

Along with all the other fraternities at CSULB there will be many different academic and leadership programs available to help personal development of the new members. The new members can become involved in social events, community service, and academic leadership programs. The members of ZBT will definitely be a strong fraternity.

To be given a bid to join the fraternity, the incoming members need to pledge and within the first 72 hours of pleadging, during the initiation the pledges are basically given the opportunity to become a full brother. By becoming part of the fraternity the new members receive all of the responsibilites and rights as the rest of the chapter and are eligible to take on any position within the house.

Information was taken from the Daily 49er. To read more visit the Daily 49er Web site.


Thursday, March 6, 2008

OUT & GREEK


Taken from the CSULB Greek Life cite: Important Links....

On November 13-16, 2008, for the first time ever, the Lambda 10 Project- National Clearinghouse for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Fraternity & Sorority, will participate in a national conference surrounding issues on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression within the college fraternity/sorority. The conference will be held on the campus of DePaul University in Chicago, IL.

This link was posted by the CSULB Greek Chapter Management in the Panhellenic Association and the Interfraternity Council (IFC) to guide students who may have questions regarding gay and lesbians in their brotherhood or sisterhoods who may not know how to handle situations.

I think this a great opportunity for students to interact with other fraternities and sororities across the nation, that have a fraternity brother/sorority sister that is gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Most fraternity and sorority nondiscrimination policies and educational efforts neglect to discuss sexual orientation. As a result, many fraternity brothers and sorority sisters more than likely have never knowingly encountered someone who is gay, lesbian, or bisexual and may not know what do when they learn a brother or sister is gay, as explained by Shane L. Windmeyer, a public speaker for the Lambda 10 project. Such lack of knowledge and preparation perpetuates the ignorance and fear surrounding homosexuality and jeopardizes brotherhood/sisterhood for both gay and straight brothers and sisters.
A fraternity brother/sorority sister comes out to you... what do you say?
* Listen to what your brother/sister has to say and try to keep an open mind

* Understand the personal risk he/she took in telling you and if you are confused,
honest about your feelings. Realize he/she trusts you.

* Realize your brother/sister has not changed. you may be shocked, but remember
that he/she is still the same person he/she was before he/she came out to you

* Respect his/her choice to tell you by letting him/her know you will not tell anyone
he/she is gay until they are ready

* Feel free to ask them question in an open manner to better understand him/her. Do
not shy away from them

This was an excerpt taken from "Out on Fraternity Row: Personal Accounts of Being Gay in a College Fraternity," edited by Shane L. Windmeyer and Pamela W. Freeman. To read more on LGBT in a fraternity/sorority on campus, visit Interesting Greek Factoids at the Lambda 10 Project Website.

Factoids:
*** Today there are over 900 million men and women who have joined college fraternities and sororities. There are currently 750,000 undergraduate fraternity and sorority members with 12,000 chapters on 800 college campuses across the United States & Canada

Greeks become leaders beyond campus:
*48% of United States Presidents are Greek.
*42% of the United States Senate is Greek.
*30% of the United States Congress is Greek.

*40% of the history of United States Supreme Court Justices are Greek.

*30% of Fortune 500 Executives are Greek.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

CoOrDiNaToR oF GrEeK LiFe

Caitlin Roberts is the Greek Life coordinator, who provides resources and leadership development to the fraternities and sororities on campus. Roberts advises three of the four Greek councils at Long Beach State; the Interfraternity Council (IFC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and the Cultural Greek Council Chapters. She is basically the go-to girl when it comes to planning and promoting events. As a Greek life coordinator she also helps coordinate the SOAR program and the annual Homecoming celebration.

“Live, breathe, sleep Greek life,” is one of Roberts’s favorite Greek phrases. Roberts believes in all the values that she has been taught and believes in spreading her love for Greek life to the students at CSULB. “I visit Ms. Roberts almost every day and would never ask anyone else for guidance, she is like my own personal advisor,” said Justin Downes, the Vice President of the IFC Chapter and a current student at CSULB.

On March 3, 2007, Roberts was named Greek Advisor of the year at the Western Region Greek Association Leadership conference in San Francisco.

If your interested in learning more about Greek life, you can contact Roberts at (562) 985-7501 or visit her in the University Student Union (USU) in room 207. You can also email her at crobert5@csulb.edu.


Thursday, February 28, 2008

Pi Kappa Alpha member dead in NIU shooting

February 14, a day of love and spending time with the people that make us happy, turned to a day of misery for students at Northern Illinois University. Steven Kazmierczak stepped onto the NIU campus and entered the Cole Hall auditorium at about 3 p.m. Thursday and started shooting at students that were in their ocean science class. Six students were killed, including the gunman, who shot himself, and 18 others were hospitalized, according to a news post in the Los Angeles Times.
As word of the shooting spread that afternoon, members of Pi Kappa Alpha quickly gathered back at their fraternity house and did a head count to make sure everyone was there, while text messaging those who were not. Everyone was accounted for that was present, except for one brother, Dan Parmenter. Some members were checking the Kishwaukee Hospital when Parmenter's cousin called them with the news. "I went into shock at first for about five minutes and then I broke down," said Jason Garcia, president of Pi Kappa Alpha's NIU chapter.
Parmenter had graduated from York High School before attending NIU. He hoped to be an intern at the Chicago Board of Trade this summer, but because of the actions of another, he will remain a wonderful memory to those who knew him. "He was always helping people out, giving you a ride to class, helping with homework, doing community service," said Garcia.
"I'm not angry," said his stepfather, Robert Greer. "I'm just sad, and I know that right no what I need to do is comfort my wife."

Quotes and text taken from an LA Times News Story