Presenting their chant at roll call. freshman Jonathon Stewart, new Chi Lambda Chi member, performs in the Benson Auditorium Nov. 17. The c hant wa sbased on the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" theme song . •(.urlesy.fM,HW.lton During the 2005~2006 academic year, social clubs remained a visible and active presence on campus, old clubs continued traditions while new clubs made history. Seven n(!\v clubs were added into the social club community in three years. According to Dustin Vyers, director of student life, more than half of the students were club members after the C lu b Week activities. The high percentage of dub involvement was the result many new clubs were hoping for. "There JUSt weren't enough girls' clubs," junior KatherineMitchell, Iota Chi charter member, said. "We thought other clubs were great but we knew there was something missing." C hanered in 2005, Iota Chi membe rs said they believed the women who wanted to become club members would appreciate and respond fO anmher oprion. "There needed tobemore because there were so many (women who] didn't get infO clubs," junior Amy Bingman, lora Chi charter member, said. "You couldn't put your finger on what was missing, but there was a void." Fou nding members of the me n's club Chi Lambda C hi said they agreed there was a need for more diversity among social clubs on campus. "We were really anxious and afraid at the same time," senior Brad Turpin, founding member ofC hi Lambda Chi, said. "None of the clubs on campus really seemed to fit LIS." 1he women of Pi Theta Phi, chartered 2004, said they hoped to create a social club that would appeal to women in a diffetent way. "We \\fanted ro Stlrt a new [women's) d ub," jWlior LauraJernigan, charter memberofPi Thera Phi, said. "We wanted ir to be a service-orienred d ub." Throughout theyear, new dubsbegan to establish traditions and became involved with various campus and community activities. For the first time, members ofloraChi p.:1f(icipated in Spring Sing 2006, along with Gamma Sigma Phi. Bingman, Spring Sing di rector ofthe club, said she hoped the union ofthese two dubs during the-show would become a tradition for Iota C hi. Many clubs also chose to create new CUStoms through functions and other activities. Theta Nu Xi, chartered in 2005, planned a river boat function in Little Rock, which members hoped to continue. "[ think that's going to become one ofour tradi– tions," senior C harlie H ardage, charter member of Theca Nu Xi, said. Pi Theta Phi also had a function that became a tradition. "We have ou r messy function every fall," Jernigan said. In addition to everyday traditions, C lub Week required special attention from new clubs. For members oflora Chi, the interest in their dub and new member participation during Club Week reassured them there was a place for their club. "It solidified that we had done the right thing," Mitchell said. Although Thera Nu Xi was recogn ized as a new men's club in the fall, no new members were added during C lub Week. "We didn'r get Stlrted until late April or earlyMay so we didn't have a [club] class," Hardage said. Almough the new dubs were active and involved, me traditions and themes for the dubs cominued to be determined and developed by club members. ""As Far as tradi tions, righ t now we haven't set any," Turpin said . ""We want to be sure when we set them, we follow through. We feel like we need to establish ourselves." According [0 Vyers, no more new clubs would be permiued to charter in 2006 in an effort to help small clubs grow. ·Jilli,n Hick, new traditions
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