THE UNIVERSITY DARY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2006
NEWS
3A
GREEK LIFE
Closed fraternity chapter progresses toward renewal
BY MATT ELDER
Delta Tau Delta is returning to the University of Kansas campus for the first time since its closing in June 2001.
After its disappearance from a decline in members, the group's national organization has begun the rebuilding process for the Kansas chapter.
Ryan Weber, Kansas expansion team and chapter leadership consultant, began the interview process Monday for recruits interested in the new chapter and the opportunities it presents.
"The kids are getting the chance to start an organization from the ground up," he said. "They will have an alumni advising team and chapter consultants, but the KU chapter will set their own standards."
The expansion team is stressing the importance of academics,service and leadership as the foundation of their organization. Nick Goldsberry, Delta Tau Delta director of expansion, said he had seen interest from over 100 students already.
"We tend to get guys that took a look at the greek community and didn't find what they were looking
for," he said. "This is a good opportunity to come in and really fulfill a fraternity that's going to fulfill that extra niche in the Greek community."
Academics will serve as a large basis for the chapter's recruitment process. Of the 21 colonizations the Delta Tau Delta national organization has made since 2000, the average grade-point-average of the recruitment class is 3.6. Overall, the nationwide GPA for Delta Tau Delta is 2.95.
"When we say we're an academic leader, that's what we're striving for." Goldsberry said. "We've tended to be in the top 10 every year for the past 20 years."
Both Goldsberry and Weber have spent their time marketing and promoting the new Kansas chapter since their arrival on Sept. 1, attempting to create a buzz around the Lawrence campus. The next two and a half weeks will be geared toward the interview process.
"I know that their efforts here are to recruit high academically achieving students," Laura Bauer, program director of fraternity and sorority life, said. "And that will be reflected in their recruitment process I'm sure."
Recruits will be expected to carry more than the Delta Tau Delta academic traditions on their shoulders. The national body will be observing Lawrence specifically, as the Kansas chapter will be used to pilot several educational programs aimed at leadership and involvement within the campus and community, Goldsberry said.
The group also provides several chances for its members to attend national leadership conferences. With locations nationwide, including Maine, West Virginia and Washington, D.C., all members of the chapter will have the opportunity to attend summer and spring break sessions.
For the 2006-07 school year, Delta Tau Delta will not have a house for its members but is looking into plans for a future house.
The formal pledging ceremony will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Malott Room in the Kansas Union, and will be open to the public.
Kansan staff writer Matt Elder can be contacted at melder@kansan. com.
Edited by Natalie Johnson
Jeff Keyseear, left, Delta Tau Delta fraternity consultant, chats with Paul Kolark, Overland Park senior, about joining Delta Tau Delta on Tuesday at Wescoe Beach. "We have had lots of interest for our fraternity," Keyseear said.
Megan True/KANSAN
EDUCATION
Program helps Hispanic high school students go to college
BY COURTNEY HAGEN
Eloy Gallegos grew up in a city well known for its meat-packing industry and the Hispanic and Latino population it employs. He was brought up in a strong Spanish-speaking culture by parents who came to the U.S. from Chihuahua, Mexico, before he was born.
The Garden City senior was one of the first in his family to attend college. Since coming to the University,
Gallegos has found himself in an unfamiliar situation.
Gallegos said that in Garden City, Hispanics were the largest minority.
According to a 2000 United States Census Bureau report, 43.9 percent of the population of Garden City was Hispanic or Latino — well over the 7 percent Kansas average.
"Here at KU it is different," he said. "There are much less Hispanic and Latino students. Here I am in the minority of the minority."
The Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Multicultural Resource Center and the Office of Admissions and Scholarships offer a program aimed toward recruiting and securing the success of students like Gallegos.
The program, titled Mi Familia, or my family, has traveled to Western Kansas towns for the past two spring semesters to get the word on higher education opportunities out to a Hispanic and Latino population.
"Our message that we want to get to the students is 'go to college', " lzaguirre said. "Regardless of whether you go to KU or another school or a community college, our message is to go to college."
Juan Izaguirre, assistant director of Multicultural Affairs, said the program traveled to Western Kansas area high schools to deliver programs entirely in Spanish to Spanish-speaking students and their families.
Instead of catering strictly to prospective students, the program is designed to incorporate their families as well to help them understand the process of applying to and attending college. Izaguirre said the program helped to educate parents who never attended college and may be unaware of what college life entails.
Gallegos thinks the Mi Familia message is a message that needs to be heard.
"It would be really easy for most
to quit school and go work in the meat packing facilities and make $110 to $12 an hour." Gallegos said. "It is hard not to focus on the now and instead think of future success that you might have by going to school."
Kansan staff writer Courtney Hagen can be contacted at chagen@ kansan.com.
- Edited by Brett Bolton
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