The Campus November 11, 2015 – Volume 110 Issue 10
Homecoming week wraps up
Ali Wonderly Student Publications
The women of Gamma Phi Beta celebrate after winning the Homecoming Sweepstakes on Saturday in Abe Lemons Arena in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. Second place overall went to Alpha Chi Omega, and Phi Mu took third. This year’s Homecoming theme was “Unite.” The theme honored the class of 1965. Activities included banner making, window painting, building a spirit structure, and performing in Lip Sync. The Homecoming committee crowned Valentino Valentin, acting junior from Kappa Sigma, and Amanda Wright, acting senior from Gamma Phi Beta, as the 2015 Homecoming King and Queen. Alpha Chi Omega received this year’s Spirit Award and People’s Choice award for Lip Sync.
Gamma Phi places first in all categories, wins Sweepstakes Sage Tokach LIFESTYLES EDITOR
Homecoming ended as the ladies of Gamma Phi Beta swarmed the basketball court to accept their Sweepstakes trophy. The sorority won the overall Homecoming championship Saturday. The Sweepstakes award ceremony was after the men’s basketball game in Abe Lemons Area in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. The Stars won the game against Southwestern Oklahoma State, 73-70. Eight campus organizations competed in the festivities. Six of those groups entered submissions in all four categories: banner, window, spirit structure, and
Lip Sync. The organizations that competed in all parts of the competition were: - Alpha Chi Omega, - Gamma Phi Beta, - Phi Mu, - Kappa Sigma, - FIJI, and, - Kappa Phi/Delta Alpha Chi. Earning honorable mentions as small organizations, Ris4Thurday participated in banner and window, and United States Institute for Theatre Technology entered a structure. Gamma Phi Beta placed first in all four categories, awarding them the Sweepstakes prize. Alpha Chi Omega won the People’s Choice award for Lip Sync and the Spirit Award. They took second place
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As a senior, I could not think of any other way I would rather spend my last moments. Leslie Marie Coffman acting senior Gamma Phi Beta
in Sweepstakes, and Phi Mu took third. “It was an amazing win for Gamma Phi,” said Chandler Hardy, biology sophomore and Gamma Phi Beta member. “But the real win was growing as a sisterhood.” Leslie Marie Coffman, acting senior and Gamma Phi Beta member, said winning was great, but the most incredible part was working
with people she loves. “As a senior, I could not think of any other way I would rather spend my last moments,” Coffman said. Other students said they felt the same way, loving the Homecoming process, regardless of the results. “You prepare for a long time and go through periods of stress, but, once it’s all over, you’re just on cloud nine,” said
Isa Ramirez, dance performance sophomore and Phi Mu Homecoming chairwoman. “It’s an amazing experience.” The Homecoming committee kicked off the announcements during halftime of the basketball game, when they crowned this year’s Homecoming royalty. Each competing organization submitted a nominee for the crown. Valentino Valentin, acting junior, and Amanda Wright, acting senior, won the titles of Homecoming King and Queen. Valentin represented Kappa Sigma, and Wright represented Gamma Phi Beta. “I am so proud of my sisterhood and all organizations involved for their hard work and unity during Homecoming,” Wright said. “It was an honor receiving Homecoming
Queen on behalf of Gamma Phi Beta because I love my sisters and my OCU family more than they know.” Students voted on OrgSync to choose the Homecoming King and Queen. The other events were scored by a panel of judges unaffiliated with any participating Greek organization. MaryAnn Grover, Student Government Association vice president of student activities, said she thought Homecoming was a success. “Our goal was to unite the campus, hence our theme,” Grover said. “I am proud to say that the organizations competing and the wider campus community embraced that goal.”
Two campus organizations unable to participate in festivities Emily Wiley EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Two campus organizations did not participate in Homecoming this year. Alpha Phi sorority decided as a chapter not to participate. Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity could not participate because of an ongoing investigation from the headquarters for potential hazing. “While it is sad that these two organizations can’t participate, we are still trying to unite the campus together,” said MaryAnn Grover, Student Government Association vice president of student activities. “Both are a big part of the campus, but they are also still students, so I would hope that they still feel a part of the community.”
Alpha Phi’s decision not to participate came after a photo of one of their members surfaced on social media. She is seen dressed as Jay Z with her face painted black, a practice known as “blackface.” “We as a chapter felt that we needed to focus on addressing internal chapter needs,” said Tamara Doherty, Alpha Phi president. The chapter also has not participated in any other social events or hosted a philanthropy week this semester to continue to focus on internal needs, Doherty said. “We have taken a step back and will continue to do so for the remainder of the semester,” Doherty said. “We really need to focus on just education for our chapter.”
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The chapter plans to participate in social and campus activities next semester, Doherty said. Lambda Chi Alpha was told by their international headquarters they could not participate in Homecoming because of an ongoing investigation into potential hazing. The investigation started when a student made a comment to an university official about a scavenger hunt hosted by the fraternity where the men had to ask a woman on campus if they
could give her a lap dance. The university official then reported it to Lambda Chi Alpha’s international headquarters, said John Hiller, the fraternity’s president. “We have given the university and headquarters all of the information each has requested as part of the investigation,” Hiller said. The fraternity had to send any videos taken of members participating in the scavenger hunt, a list of members who participated, and a list of what
activities were part of the scavenger hunt to headquarters during the beginning of the investigation. The list included drinking a raw egg, getting slapped in the face and chugging an energy drink, Hiller said. The chapter was placed under limited operations while the investigation is pending. Under limited operations, the chapter cannot host any social or philanthropic events, perform new member education or host a chapter meeting without a representative from the university there. Fraternity members are waiting to hear from headquarters about what to do next. “A report has been written and read by the appropriate people at headquarters so now
we are just waiting to see what will happen next,” Hiller said. “It is my understanding that there will be some repercussions such as having to do some training such as anti hazing or Title IX or social probation.” Hiller said university officials are waiting to see what the headquarters decides to do as far as punishment. “They will affirm whatever headquarters decides to do, unless they think it is not enough,” Hiller said. Amy Ayres, vice president for student affairs, was unavailable for comment Monday. Editor’s Note: Hiller is copy editor for Student Publications. He did not participate in the writing or editing of this story.
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