News from the Industry

The University of Miami and the University of Pittsburgh have both attracted nationwide (TIME) and city-wide press coverage of activity by sororities that led to their suspensions. At the University of Miami, the Delta Gamma chapter had reports of alcohol and hazing violations that reached the Dean of Students Office. The dean had evidence to validate the cease operations order in the form of a recruitment video that showed the hazing, according to Local 10 ABC News and school newspaper The Miami Hurricane.

At the University of Pittsburgh, the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) chapter was suspended after university and local police investigated hazing reports. AKA is a National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) member organization. An investigation was started after a mother noticed bruises on her daughter; however, when the University dismissed students for spring break the investigation was left without necessary testimonial evidence. The investigation will continue after school resumes. The University of Pittsburgh has also faced scrutiny following a January event where an underage member of Sigma Chi was hospitalized after a night of excessive drinking. This story was covered by Newsweek, CBS News, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

Regional and state coverage continues to circulate regarding Louisiana State University (LSU) freshman Maxwell Gruver’s death after suspected hazing at the university. Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and the larger LSU Greek-life community is under intense scrutiny after his blood alcohol concentration was reported at six times the legal limit. In response, the university president has accepted the 28 recommendations from the Task Force on Greek Life to improve safety of fraternities and sororities on campus. The story has been covered by local news publications Daily Comet, Roswell Patch, and The Advocate.

2018-2020 Board Service Opportunities 

Interest indicators are now being accepted for highly qualified and enthusiastic women to serve on one of Kappa Alpha Theta's three boards during the 2018-2020 biennium: Grand Council, Foundation Board of Trustees, and Fraternity Housing Corporation (FHC) Board of Directors. Interest Indicators will be accepted through Monday, March 26, 2018, at 6 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. CDT/4:00 p.m. MDT/3:00 p.m. PDT. For more information, visit the Board Service web page or email BoardService@kappaalphatheta.org.

2018 Theta Foundation Scholarship Application Deadline is Tomorrow

Please remind potential applicants that the deadline for Theta Foundation’s 2018 scholarship application is tomorrow, Wednesday, March 7 at 6 p.m. EST/5 p.m. CST/4 p.m. MST/3 p.m. PST. All application resources, including the 2018 Scholarship Application Guide and Frequently Asked Questions, are on Theta Foundation’s website. Applicants with questions can contact Theta Foundation Programs Manager Mary Kate Kronzer.

Social Media Snapshot

National Ritual Celebration Week: Sunday began National Ritual Celebration Week and yesterday was International Badge Day! Thank you to the many members who posted badge selfies to social media.

The ritual love will continue this week with lots of content from Theta about the enduring relevance of our ritual! Additionally, we have two college chapters contributing to the conversation:

• On Wednesday, look for a Snapchat takeover from Gamma Chi/Fresno State about the chapter’s passion for ritual. (Our Snapchat username is kappaalphatheta.)
• On Friday, look for an Instagram story from Eta Phi/Belmont about how the chapter keeps ritual feeling relevant and fresh while also staying true to our founders’ vision and intent.

If you would like to join the discussion about the enduring impact of Theta’s ritual, use the hashtag #NRCW18 and tag Theta. We’d love to hear stories of how ritual has impacted you personally, how ritual influenced sisterhood in your chapter, and why you feel Theta’s ritual continues to be important nearly 150 years after its creation.

International Women’s Day: Thursday, March 8, is International Women’s Day, a worldwide event dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements and contributions to mankind. Because this day conveniently falls on Throwback Thursday, Theta’s social media content will take a historical focus. We will recognize 14 leading women throughout history, one outstanding member from each decade of Theta’s existence, who made significant contributions to the world. Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat!

National CASA/GAL Conference: This weekend, four collegians will represent Theta at the National CASA/GAL Conference in Boston. Follow along as they share their experience on Snapchat (kappaalphatheta) on Sunday, March 11. Our representatives are:

• Franchesca Alexander, Beta Zeta/Oklahoma State
• Veena McCoole, Epsilon Tau/Yale
• Emily Ratcliffe, Beta Chi/Alberta
• Moira Shea, Alpha Nu/Montana

Recent Theta Blog

Ritual Celebration Week: Celebrating Sisterhood

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