Philanthropy

Here is a list of charities that I know various fraternities and sororities help aid. If you know which charitable organization your house helps please post a comment so I may update the list:

Sororities	Fraternities
Alpha Chi Omega: Battered Women Shelter	Beta Theta Pi
Delta Delta Delta: children's cancer research	Sigma Chi: National Kidney Foundation
Delta Gamma: Service for Sight	Delta Chi
Kappa Alpha Theta: CASA- court appointed special advocates for children	Lambda Chi Alpha: North American Food Drive
Kappa Kappa Gamma: Reading is fundamental	Phi Delta Theta
Pi Beta Phi: Links for Literacy	Phi Gamma Delta
	Sigma Chi: National Kidney Foundation

Greek Ritual Speaker

Last night a speaker was brought to Denison to address the entire Greek community. The topic “Living the Ritual.” This topic addressed the need for members of sororities and fraternities to live a life style that is constant with the ritualistic beliefs of the organization. I fully agree.

It is through these commitments and promises that make the organizations strong. This added weight adds more meaning and weight to any project, which then makes for better results.

While I think the speaker was appropriate and had some points to say, I think it is more relevant for each individual chapter to do an evaluation of how they consider their ritual, because they are secret only the members can know what it means to the chapter as a whole, as well as each individual member. Perhaps instead of a speaker for the whole community, it would be a good idea to encourage each organizations nationals to send an educational/leadership consultant to help reinstate meaning and relation to the ritual.

None the less, once these problems are solved, then the entire community will prosper and thrive allowing for the stereotype of the Greek system at Denison to evolve from something negative to something influential in a positive fashion.

Fraternity Pins

Fraternitis have been associated with pins since they were founded. Initially the pledge pins were to show that pledges had already associated. Active pins serve as a summary of various symbols and embloms of the organization.

How it all Began

Since the 1980's the existence of a Greek community at Denison University has been under question. The status of most of the fraternities in the mid 80’s and early 90’s was rather poor. While Denison excelled to be ranked as one of the top party schools, it quickly dropped from academic rankings. The solution of this came in 1993 when Denison revoked the fraternities privileges to live in the houses. The outrage that ensued resulted in vandalism and poor forms of protest.

Since this time period the university has been swift to act on such problems as well as hazing problems. Thus, there has been adequate reason to believe that Fraternities and Sororities do not have a place on Denison. However, the situation has changed and now their existence is essential to maintaining a positive atmosphere at Denison University.