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Show THE VOICE OF DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY VOLUME XLIII NO. BY MATTHEW JACOBSON Opinion Editor Greek life is strictly forbidden as a part of the Dixie State University Club Council bylaws, but one student is alleging it was her attempts to start a sorority that resulted in the universitys administration forbidding Greek organizaThe tions completely. Indigo Klabanoff, a senior communication major from Boston, has been attempting to formulate a sorority on campus since September of 2012, but she said its been an uphill battle since the ideas inception. I started it all by my- she said. The first order of business was to talk to Del Beatty, so I did and that was the whole start self, of everything. Brandon Lewis, a senior communication major from Coalville and the DSU Student Association vice president of clubs, said hes been impressed with Klabanoffs enthusiasm with attempting to bring a sorority to campus. Really, we have never l WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2013 had a student as passionate about having a sorority on campus, he said. But passion didnt make Klabanoffs pitch any easier. Klabanoff said Beatty told her a sorority would be a tough sell and that DSUs administration didnt want the school to be affiliated with any Greek life because it connotes partying. mentioned (to Beatty) how good it would look I for Dixie if we as a sorority were involved with the community, she said. We want to help out at Dixie Care and Share and volunteer at the preschool. Klabanoff said she wasnt shown any club bylaws on the issue and claims she asked to see documentation on rules concerning Greek life. She alleges the bylaws forbidding Greek life werent drafted until after her request to start a sorority. Theyre just making rules as they go along, she said. Its been really shady. They made the bylaws because I asked them (about a sorority). According to the DSU Student Association Club Council bylaws, which can be found at Dixiestuden-tlife.co- National are not sanctioned by Dixie State University. Article III, section A, No. 3 goes on to state that fraternities and sororities would need letters of acceptance from DSU President Stephen Nadauld and the president of the board of trustees, and ...sponsorship of such organizations is not part of the Dixie State University mission, and the current leadership at this institution will not allow these charters. The section also states that no club at DSU is allowed to use Greek letters in its name unless those clubs are national honor societies. While the date listed on the bylaws is April of 2012, the bylaws themselves were recently changed to reflect the administrations views on Greek life. Lewis said the inter club council did take a vote to update the bylaws over Indigo Klabanoff, a senior communication major from Boston, fights for a Dixie State University sorority. The Greek letters were a concern when new bylaws were made to refrain from allowing the sorority on campus. the summer. Since none of them could meet in person, they did so via text and email. He confirmed that the bylaw change was due to Klabanoffs request to start a sorority because Nadauld was against Greek life on campus. I said, Theres nothing written in our bylaws (about Greek life), Lewis said. We have to be in accordance to President Nadauld and his wishes. Klabanoff also met with Nadauld, and she said while he was open to speaking with her, his mind was made up from the beginning. As far as a sorority was concerned, Klabanoff said the university simply doesnt want the Greek letters. In fact, she said she could start a club that does Construction becsins BY PAYTON DAVIS Copy Editor miss class on account of lost time might be more inexcusable than normal come later this school year. Work on a clock tower to sit between the Jeffrey R. Holland Centennial Commons and Udvar-Haz- y School of Busi To h ness begins this fall, and the Inproject should be complete by spring. fluenced by numerous financial aspects, Dixie State University administrators late-yefinally cleared it after realizing construction has benefits. As last reported by Dixie Sun News, a bulk of the clock towers completion was slated for summer break. However, money for it couldve gone several other three-mont- ar pretty much everything a sorority does, but she could not call it a sorority. Lewis said alternative club ideas were provided to Klabanoff, but we cannot have any sororities or fraternities (or clubs) that give the impression of Greek life. He said the bylaws were updated but even if they dont pass, a Greek life entity still wouldnt have a chance on DSUs campus. These bylaws reflect what the president wants, he said. In accordance with the interclub council bylaws, the bylaw revisions have to be voted upon by at least four representatives from the executive council, and the new bylaws have to be available for the student body to read online before they are voted upon. Those bylaws were online until yesterday when the council met to take a final vote. At the meeting, Lewis made sure to reiterate that even if the new bylaws were changed in favor of using Greek letters, the schools policy wouldnt change. Since the meeting was not publicized, only Klabanoff, Dixie Sun News, inter club council members, Dean of Students Del Beatty, DSU Public Relations Director Steve Johnson and Director of Student Involvment and Leadership Jordon Sharp were present. The council unanimously voted to approve the bylaws that stated the university will not accept clubs that include Greek letters in the title. mow face of DSU places depending on enrollment, said Sherry Ruesch, executive director of campus services. We did wait to start to see how fall enrollment went, and we wanted to make sure we werent spending our funds on something else when we needed to cover jobs and some other things, she said. With DSUs enrollment steady, President Stephen Nadauld chose to proceed www. DixieStiEiM ew s . com with the project, and Ruesch said its timing could be positive in other regards. We will get better bids doing it during winter because some Salt Lake construction firms will charge at low costs to keep their employees working during the winter, she said. With the green light, work on the clock tower will fill what Ruesch said is a basic see CONSTRUCTION page 2 |