NEWS 3A
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, AUGUST 25 2008
GREEK LIFE
Sorority recruitment undergoes changes
New schedule and events mark largest turnout in recent years
BY BRANDY ENTSMINGER
bentsminger@kansan.com
Keri Henning and Sarah Duarte, Hutchinson freshmen, and Leanna Mooney and Kelsey Charles, Overland Park freshmen, scream in excitement as they open their bid cards in the Union Ballroom on Saturday evening. Duarte was accepted to Chi Omega sorority, the same sorority of which her sister is a member.
The Panhellenic Association's annual Fall Formal Recruitment featured more participants, a new schedule and two new events this year.
Leslie Rhoton, Lawrence senior and Panhellenic president, said more than 900 women took part
in the first round of recruitment this year, compared with about 700 last August.
Rhoton said the higher number of women participating was mostly because of a larger class of incoming freshmen to the University, but that the higher number also reflected a stronger focus on recruiting by current sorority members.
@ KANSAN.COM
See more photo from recruitment at Kansan.com
Allison Richardson/XANSAN
Maggie Gremminger, Shawnee senior and Panhellenic Vice President of Recruitment, said the recruitment schedule began a day earlier than it did last year to allow participants to focus on the first few days of school.
The new schedule left the first two days of school free for activities other than visiting school houses. On Thursday the recruitment staff
held a mocktail party for active sorority members, where non-alcoholic drinks and food were served and a DJ provided music for chapter members to dance to at the Holdome.
On Friday, the recruitment staff hosted an event for prospective sorority members called "Go Greek Sneak Peek" at the Kansas Union, where potential new members
learned about Greek life, specifically the sorority community's four pillars of leadership, scholarship, service and sisterhood. The event
featured a moonwalk, massages by local salons and a nationally recognized speaker. Dr Lori Hart Ebert.
Molly Herd, Wichita junior, served as a recruitment counselor this year and said Hart Ebert did a good job relating to the prospective members.
"She was real to us about the whole thing," she said.
The "Go Greek Sneak Peek" also featured a room where prospective members could participate in service projects, such as writing letters to soldiers in Iraq.
Rhoton said the two new events were introduced to give both active
and prospective members a chance to relax after a stressful week of recruitment activities.
Aside from Friday night's event being held at the Kansas Union the building became the home of recruitment headquarters last week. In the past the recruitment
staff has lived at the Holidome for the week of recruitment, but this year the women relocated to a group of alcoves in the Union.
Rhoton said the change made it easier for staff to respond to the needs of the chapters during the week. Staff was also able to
respond to the needs of prospective members and recruitment counselors more quickly because of the Union's close proximity to sorority chapter houses.
"If we ever needed anything, they were there 100 percent," Herd said.
Saturday night marked the end of this year's Fall Formal Recruitment, when prospective members found out which sorority they had been invited to join.
- Edited by Rachel Burchfield
TRANSPORTATION
KU on Wheels changes fares and routes
smiyakawa@kansan.com
BY SACHIKO MIYAKAWA
smivakawa@kansan.com
Students can ride buses on and off campus for free this semester by using their KUID. In addition to the new free system, KU on Wheels has eliminated and combined different routes to increase efficiency.
RIDE FOR FREE
Students, faculty and staff can take a KU bus and city bus for free this semester.
In the spring, students voted to eliminate bus passes, which cost $140 per year. The new fare-free system required all students to pay $20 more per semester through student fees.
KU buses are free for anyone at on-campus stops. Passengers off campus are able to ride the bus with their KUID.
Derek Meier, Independence, Mo., sophomore and transportation coordinator, said the free fare would reduce parking congestion on campus.
"The more students who leave their cars at home and ride the bus, the more parking stalls available for those who do not live on bus routes." Meier said.
The Lawrence Public Transit, or the "T", is also free for students, faculty and staff with KUID but they will need the new, redesigned KUID after Oct. 1. Students can exchange their old KUIDs for new ones for free at the KU Card Center in the Kansas Union.
The University's Transit Commission and the Lawrence City Commission agreed on the new policy this summer. City residents with a "T" bus pass also have free access to the KU buses.
Cliff Galante, public transit administrator of Lawrence, said the city buses allowed students to participate in the community and events offered on and off campus.
"Not every student who comes to KU can afford an automobile," Galante said. "It provides more mobility options to everybody."
Xiaosen Zhou, Chengdu, China, senior, said she sold her car last year because she couldn't afford high gas prices. She said she would use her KUID to ride the T to go grocery shopping and downtown.
"If a city bus is free, why not use it?" Zhou said.
CHANGING ROUTES
KU on Wheels routes and schedules changed this semester to increase efficiency of the KU buses and avoid construction zones around campus.
Passengers without a KUID pay $1 to ride the "T" or a KU bus at off-campus stops.
The adjustments include a merger of two routes, three new route names, the southbound route stop change and elimination of the Night Campus Express.
The Naismith and Oliver route and 23rd and Louisiana route merged into Stewart and Louisiana. The route stops at the same places as the previous two, but now one bus covers them all. The buses are scheduled to come every half hour.
The construction of the Oread Inn at 12th Street and Oread Avenue means that instead of stopping in front of the Kansas Union's entrance, buses now stop at Spencer Museum of Art on Mississippi Street, which is behind the Kansas Union.
The Night Campus Express is no longer available this year. Meier said students who lived on Daisy Hill could take the Park and Ride buses. The Student Recreation Fitness Center and IRP Hall circulator also serve main campus until 10:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Edited by Ramsey Cox
bus system changes
KU on Wheel changed the names of some routes 25th and Melrose replaced
— Southbound routes entering campus stop at Spencer Museum instead of the main entrance of the Kansas Union
— The Night Campus Express is no longer available
New service and changes of bus system this semester — KU buses and city buses are free for students, faculty and staff with their KUID The Oliver and Naismith and 23rd and Louisiana routes were merged into Stewart and Louisiana
New route maps and schedules are available on campus and online: www.kuowheels.ku.edu/
24th and Ridge Court
— 6th via Emery replaced 6th and Crestline
24th and Rudge Court
— Bob Billings and Kasold replaced 15th and Crestline
— 6th and Emerson and Gittar
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