BID DAY, BIG DAY Wednesday, September 10, 2014 Indiana State University www.indianastatesman.com Volume 122 Issue 9
ISUPD hires new officer STEVE WININGER Reporter The Indiana State University Police department has hired a new officer who will begin working with the force later this month. Andrew Piske completed a rigorous selection process that includes a physical abilities test, knowledge tests and an interview. Joseph Newport, Police Chief and Director of Public Safety, is glad to have the new officer on campus. “Once Piske completes his training at the Indiana State Police Academy, he will begin an on-the-job training process with the campus police,” Newport said. Once Piske’s on-the-job training is completed, he will then be assigned duties and responsibilities as all other members of the university police department. “There is no plan to increase the size of the campus police force. Piske is filling a vacancy within the department. Later this year another officer will be retiring, and thus we will go through the selection, hiring and training process all over again,” Chief Newport said. Also joining the campus police earlier this year as assistant police chief was Michele Barrett, a twentyyear veteran of the Terre Haute Police department.
Sorority women welcome new sisters at Sunday’s Bid Day event at the fountain following a series of Rush Week events (Photo by Kira Clouse).
Sororities find new sisters at the fountain RANDY RICCI Reporter Students, faculty and staff lined up at the fountain on Sunday to watch the sororities host Bid Day at Indiana State University. Bid Day is an event where all the women who were recruited to sororities during the formal rush season line up at the fountain and run home to stand with their new sorority. Bid Day is a very emotional event for the women because they find out who their sisters are and which sorority they will call home for the next three to four years. Hannah Hendrix, a sophomore special education major and an Alpha Chi Omega sorority member, was at the fountain early to help set up. She talked about her bid day last year when she was on the other end, running home to
Alpha Chi Omega. “I actually cried during my bid day; it is a very important day where you find your sisters for life,” said Hendrix. “It is your home away from home during college.” Finding the sororities with which they belong is a very long process for these women. The sororities meet and interview many ladies and host rush events to see if they will fit into the sorority. At the end of the night, the sororities select women they believe will fit in, and the women select their top picks for sororities as well. After a few rush events, women get eliminated from sororities, and others get invited back and stay in the running. At the end of the rush events, the women finally find out which sorority they are going to join. Sororities will take
anywhere from between 25-45 new sisters every year. On Bid Day they all line up in front of the sororities and run home to their new sisters. Bailey Craig, a freshman biology major, was one of the freshman sorority recruiters running to their new home on Sunday. “Bid Day was amazing,” Craig said. “Running to my new home and being welcomed with open arms by all of my sisters was an indescribable and phenomenal experience. I’m a sister of Chi Omega, and couldn’t be more pleased to call myself part of this chapter. I think everyone should at least look into Greek life because already it is an amazing experience.” Greek life is big at Indiana State University and only growing larger as the freshman classes keep growing. From Fall 2011 to Fall 2012,
the number of members in Greek life grew from 993 to 1,067, almost 100 members just in one year. There are many negative stereotypes about fraternities and sororities on campus, but over the years the members of Greek life have been proving those wrong. Greek life on campus contributed $60,000 and over 22,000 hours of community service just last year. Austin Thomas, a senior chemistry major and the recruitment chairmen for Lambda Chi Alpha, talked about his Greek life experience during his four years here at Indiana State. “I wouldn’t have wanted to go through college any other way,” Thomas said. “Greek life was an amazing experience and it gave me brothers I’ll have for the rest of my life.”