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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 7, 1999)
Alcohol screening day hopes to end misconceptions Only 52 percent of students drink once a week, says University By Teri Meeuwsen Oregon Daily Emerald Alcohol use on campus isn’t as prevalent as students perceive it to be. Now the University is aiming to add a touch of reality to those perceptions. On Thursday, the first National Alcohol Screening Day will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Collier House. A projected 600 colleges across the nation will participate at their own campuses to prevent high-risk drinking on college cam puses through individualized screening and education. The screening day is a program of the national Mental Illness Screening Project in partnership with the National Institute on Al cohol Abuse and Alcoholism. “This will be an opportunity, not to be preached at, but to do your own, personal assessments,” said Annie Dochnahl, peer health education coordinator. According to the 1997-98 Uni versity of Oregon Annual Report on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Programs, prepared by the Office of the Dean of Student Life, the perceived use of alcohol is much higher than the actual use. Students perceive 96 percent of their peers to drink once a week, while in actuality, 52 percent drink once a week. Sororities set to begin spring rush tonight Rush activities will continue on throughout the week and weekend By Erin Snelgrove Oregon Daily Emerald University sororities are kicking off their spring rush activities today in an attempt to attract new pledges. Beginning at 6 p.m. in the Willamette Atrium, interested rushees have the opportunity to at tend an informational session. Rep resentatives of six sororities will an swer questions about their chapters and about Greek life at the meeting. “We’re hoping the open house will encourage people to come and learn more about sororities,” said Kristen Oldham, Panhellenic Council vice president of recruit ment. “This is an opportunity for everyone to have fun and talk to each other without feeling over whelmed or intimidated.” Spring rush is not a regular event on campus. Oldham said re cruitments can be made continu ally throughout the year, but be cause of an increasing interest in the Greek life, an official rush was instigated for spring term this year. “By having rush now, people can make informed decisions about their living arrangements for next year,” Oldham said. “They can decide if they want to live in the dorms, an apartment or a soror ! CRIME WATCH (Reported March 30 to April 5) ■ March 30, Reckless Burning, 1300 block of Agate Street, Hamil ton: poster burned. ■ March 30, Burglary II, 1000 block of Patterson Street, Univer sity Inn: items stolen. ■ March 30, Robbery 1,500 block of 14th Avenue: Items stolen. ■ March 31, Theft II, 1200 block of East 13th Avenue, EMU: items stolen. ■ March 3t,Theft II, 1400 block of Onyx Street, Straub Hall: Items stolen. ■ March 31, Theft II, 1300 block of Kincaid Street: items stolen. « March 31, Reckless Burning, 1000 block of Patterson Street, University Inn: ceiling burned. ■April 2, Theft II, 900 block of East 13th Avenue, Gilbert Hall: items stolen. ity house. Now is the time when people are seriously thinking about where they will live next year, and we want women to consider the chapter houses as an option. ” Four sororities are filled to the 90 member-capacity and will not be participating in spring rush. These chapters are Delta Gamma, Kappa Delta, Alpha Phi and Pi Beta Phi. “Although these chapters are filled, they are still involved in spring rush by helping to recruit new members and by being avail able to answer concerns of the rushees,” Oldham said. Spring rush activities will con tinue throughout the weekend. On these days, rushees are invited to participate in one- to three-hour activities, which can include bowl ing, hiking or barbecues. “We encourage people to come out and see what we’re all about," Oldham said. “Unlike fall rush, where everybody does pretty much the same thing, spring rush is more relaxed. The chapters throw activi ties that reflect their personalities. ” People can receive a list of the times and locations of the outings at the Greek Life Office. Prior reg istration for spring rush is encour aged but not required. “We want as many people to come out as possible,” Oldham said. For more information, contact Kristen Oldham at the Greek Life Office at 346-1146. Today’s Events Wednesday, April 7 ■ The Educational Opportunities Program and Academic Learning Services presents two workshops on “Planning for Graduate School." Part one is from noon to 12:50 p.m. in the Ben Linder Room in the EMU. The topics include: why graduate school, selecting gradu ate programs, completing applica tions, meeting deadlines and locat ing financial aid resources. a Public Forum on Kososvn with Pete Mandrapa, 4J teacher and Serbian immigrant; Bojana Ste fanovska, former resident of Mace donia; Michael Carrigan, of Oregon Peaceworks; and Steve Johnson, of Decision Research. It will be at Har ris Hall, 125 8th Ave. at 7 p.m. Sponsored by Eugene Peace Works. a “A Woman’s Place”, a documen tary about women using law to transform their lives in different countries wiP be shown tonight. The film will begin at 6:30 in the Ben Under Room of the EMU. The film showing was sponsored by the YWCA. This perception is perpetuated by word-of-mouth and the media, said Byron McCrae, assistant dean of student life. “How people talk about it per petuates the problem,” he said. "They all know about Animal House, and 1 see MTV using alco hol as a means of selling that kind of lifestyle. It’s just a matter of un learning these attitudes. We’re just lucky that we haven’t had tragedies like at MIT. ” MTT and other colleges around the United States have had in stances of students dying from al cohol poisoning. The alcohol consumption per ception itself also helps to pro mote the wrong kinds of drinking decisions, Dochnahl said. "Given the amount of alcohol that college students are perceived to drink, people think that it’s a natural, normal part of college,” Dochnahl said. “They have this 'wanting-to-fit-in’ energy, so if that means drinking more, that’s some thing that they might do. ” Using the wanting-to-fit-in en ergy, McCrae said the Office of Student Life is inviting groups of students from the Greek system, Housing, the ASUO and others to the screening day — and encour aging them to bring friends. “We hope they will set the stan dard of participation,” he said. “If people show up in groups, it will be easier for them to talk about al cohol. If one person is going, it might be pretty intimidating. If more people are educated about health and alcohol, it will change the campus attitude. ” Students and community mem bers will receive information about how to know whether they, friends or family members have drinking problems. Afterwards, they can learn the "action steps” to take to get help or find people to talk to. People who are most at risk of being alcoholics or binge drinkers are probably the least likely to show, Dochnahl said. “But even if only a few show up, it will be beneficial for the people who do,” she said. “And that's what counts.” For more information about Na tional Alcohol Screening Day, call McCrae at 346-3212. Work-study students to be honored The prize winners were recognized for their attitiude and reliability By Dan Strieff tot the Emerald Some of the best and brightest work-study and technology-fee student employees will be hon ored today in an awards ceremo ny at the EMU. The ceremony is part of Nation al Student Employment Week, which recognizes student em ployees and the contributions they make to their colleges and communities. About 70 percent of the Universi ty’s 17,000 students work while at tending classes, according to a re cent Career Center survey. To acknowledge the contributions of these students, the Career Center of fered campus employers the chance to recognize exceptional students with an award nomination. Criteria for the award included reliability, quality of work, initia tive, disposition, attitude, longevi ty, adaptability, and uniqueness of contribution. This year’s winners are Edward Callow, Erin Pattyn, Katy Reiber, Holly Wright and Darlene Xiong. Winners, who will receive a mon etary prize, were notified last week. The students have all taken ad vantage of the campus work-study and technology-fee programs, which offer many amenities not available in an ordinary student job, they say. The jobs are available through the Career Center to students who meet specific financial aid re quirements. Positions are in vari ous areas, but most tend to be in office-related jobs, said Linda Hu bert, employment services spe cialist for the Career Center. The jobs are generally on or near campus and readily accommodate students who plane their academ ic programs first, Hubert said. Work hours are always planned around classes. The ease of scheduling is partic ularly helpful, student award winners say. “It is really great because it al lows you to schedule work hours and still have time to study,” said Darlene Xiong, who's worked fora year as an assistant for the Univer sity Foundation Developmental Office. Katy Reiber has worked as a re ceptionist with the office of the Oregon University System for six terms. One of the program’s strongest points is convenience, she said. “The work-study program real ly helps you find a job when you come here,” she said. Presentation of the awards will be from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the EMUGumwood Room. SPRING USH B*i*C*l*N*l T-O-D-A-Y WED • APRIL 7TH ■ (PM WILLAMETTE ATRIUM Chapters will hold fun activities throughout the week -ALL WOMEN WELLOME For more information call Kristen Oldham at 346-1153 or visit Greek Life' Suite 5 * EMU Ground Floor ALPHA (HI OMECA • KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA • GAMMA PHI BETA DELTA DELTA DELTA • IIGMA KAPPA ■ (HI OMEGA