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Has the return of fraternities impacted campus life?
Faraji Whalen
Co-Editor in Chief
Campus looks a little bit different
this year. Although the buildings are
pretty much the same, save for the name
change over at Brazeal, formerly Forbes
Hall, there is a slight shift in the air.
Students walking in front of the
cafeteria are ever more frequently
hearing brothers calling each other "fraL'
and every once in a while, their ears are
assaulted by an unintelligible yelling
followed by a chorus of "OOOOOOHH-
SIX!" All of a sudden, students are
walking around with brown jackets with
weird nicknames, or black and gold hats.
The fraternities have officially arrived.
Last semester saw the return of the
long absent Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,
Inc. and Iota Phi Theta, Inc., in addition
to the ubiquitous Omega Psi Phi and Phi
Beta Sigma fraternities. The addition of
the Alphas and Iotas was long heralded
as the spark needed to excite the staid
social atmosphere on Morehouse's
campus. In the few months since the fall
lines crossed, members of all the
fraternities have been increasingly visible
on the yard.
Johnny Lee Moore, a junior from
Tallahassee, and a member of Alpha Phi
Alpha, described what he perceives as
his fraternity's contribution to campus
life: "You're starting to see spontaneous
displays of brotherhood; I mean when's
the last time you saw brothers just
stepping outside of Gloster before this
semester?"
Moore attested that the return of the
fraternities has also ushered in an era of
manners at Morehouse: "The decorum
of certain students has improved. I
mean, people that are members of the
fraternities have been taught how to
represent their organization, and those
applicant are realizing that people are
watching them and their actions, so you
are starting to see a change in how
people carry themselves."
Gejuan Cole, a sophomore math and
mechanical engineering major from
Houston, Texas, agreed that the
fraternities' return has had a positive
impact on social life at Morehouse.
"Before we came back, campus life was
dead, there was no energy, but I'm
starting to see some spirit coming back,"
he said.
Besides the parties and increased
energy at sporting events, Cole also
mentioned another contribution his
fraternity has made. "We were doing
some community service in the cafe and
it was Brenda, one of the cafeteria ladies',
birthday so we all gathered round and
sang happy birthday to her and she cried.
I think a lot of times it 7 s those little things
that really help to make Morehouse a
better place," he said
Although the return of Alpha Phi
Alpha has generated the most hype,
another fraternity has quietly made its
presence felt on campus Iota Phi Theta
also returned to campus in the fall
semester, and its members have been
increasingly visible on the yard.
Levar Smith, a sophomore
international studies major from
Oakland, California, and member of Iota
Phi Theta, gave his views on the re-
emergence of frat life: "I think the level
of enthusiasm has increased, the level of
competitiveness between the frats has
increased. I think everyone wants to
represent their group and I think that
makes everything more exciting."
Smith also commented on the
perception of fraternities, particularly
the relatively young Iotas: "We're trying
to build up understanding of our frat,
which can be difficult at Morehouse,
because a lot of people come from
families with a real deeply entrenched
connection to the older frats, but we're
going to be doing some things that
benefit everybody, not just our frat
brothers." The same sentiment was
echoed by Moore at the Omega vs.
Alpha basketball game: "Events like
this, everybody can come out and have
a good time, regardless of whether
you're in a fraternity or not; it's really
for everyone."
D.A. Graham/Special
Members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc pose with the cafeteria
workers who were allowed to take a day off while the Alphas worked
the cafe.
S T R
E
E
T
Tke Unofficial
Official Word
Photos By
Compiled By
Sterling Taylor
Sterling Taylor
Martin Walker
Senior
Englisk
Waukegan, IL
"Our SGA president and staff
will ke taken serious ly if tke
student kody takes tke elections
seriously. You'll only get kack
wkat you put into it."
Jacok Qualls
Senior
Business/marketing
Springfield, IL
“Tkere seems to ke more
aspiration to run tkan any
otker year I've keen kere. Wko
wants it for tke power andwko
wants it for tke good of tke
sckool? After tke students
kave answered tkis question,
tkey can vote."
David Perry
Junior
Biology
New Orleans, LA
“I tkink tke students
skould get out and vote. It does
affect you in tke long run.”
This weeks Street Beat question :
“What's up with the elections?”
Jo Natkan Daniels
Senior
Pyckology pre-med
Alkany, GA
“For tke most part I tkink
students skould vote. It's tke
only form of representation we
kave.”
Ckris Dixon
Sopkomore
Finance
Monroe, LA
“Well, I tkink a lot of its based
on popularity. Tkere skould ke
a dekate so us underclassmen
can know tke platform.”