ESTABLISHED 1894 1 Fraternity plans to 90 dry SOOIIBI‘ than later By Mat Herton .\'c:;'\ Iii/11W After a unanimous vote at a special meeting .\loiiday. the us chapter of Phi (lamina Delta social fraternity announced it will go alcohol free liy Pelt. I. “There’s been a lot of press, which just made us think about it a lot more." said Bill Straub. a marketing senior and president of the chapter. “( )ne ofour main goals is to provide a safe, study-com ducive environment to live in. \Ve're by no means saying that our 3 I —year—old inenihers can‘t drink; they iust can’t do it in the house or on chapter grounds." The fraternity is among the first to voluntarily adopt an alcohol-free policy since the push by national fraterni— ty officers and university administrations after two alco— holirelated fraternity deaths during the fall semester. Last week the L'K chapter sent four delegates w Strauh. chapter athletics director Jay Tipton. political sci— ence sophomore l'iric (lustafson and architecture fresh‘ man Beniamin Simmons — to a symposium on alcohol— free housing at Memorial Hall. By mid—semester. Phi (lamina Delta tnight not he the only fraternity that drops the drink. National officers from the fraternity. along with those froin Sigma \u and Phi Delta Theta. had already planned to go alcohol—free hy]uly I. 2000. Btit as Strauh said, “The sooner we do it, the more benefit we'll get." Bill Martin, executive director of Phi (iamma Delta International who spoke at the symposium, said he was encouraged by the fraternity's speedy decision. "\Vhenei er a chapter decides to make that transition earlier than otir final date.“ he said, “that indicates to us the chapter recognizes that they can achieve some benefit." The policy will work to the fraternity's advantage during its spring rush this week. Strauh said, because some students cannot take bids because their parents won't let them. “\\'e‘re hoping that over time this will help us erase that (. inimu/ Home) stereotype." he said. How much rtish numbers fluctuate will he difficult to tell, Martin said, but students are out there who want to be part of a (ireek organiyation without having to drink. The UK chapter “will have a iiitich better opportunity to appeal to the students," Martin said. "There is a significant segment of student population who choose not consider fraternity involvement because of alcohol consumption.“ Dean of Students David Stockhaiii applauded the deci— sion, saying he sees positive long—term effects. “More than anything else, it says there are at least a growing number of national fraternities that believe this is the right way to go." Stockham said. “This would he very positive magnet for recruiting for this group. [low everything will play out in the immediate transition, my crystal hall is no better than anybody else's." In other news, Phi Sigma Kappa social fraternity's executive committee announced on Sunday it will make all (i‘) of its national and international chapters alcohol free hyjuly l, 2000. The fraternity's executive committee had started a vol— untary education program for its chapters to work toward hecotning alcol‘iol-free. “\Ve believe an environment free from alcohol and unlawful drugs is imperative." said Peter]. Nichols, presi— dent ofthe committee. New '10an OIITITIIBS plan TOI‘ BOIIBQGS By Joe Dobner Staff H ’rim- Thirteen of the state's 1‘ community colleges are no longer under L'K's control as of last \Vednesday. The new Kentucky (Iotnmunity and 'l‘echnical (Zol— lege System will gradually assume more control over the colleges and technical schools over the next IX months, according to the (Iouncil on Postsecondary Education. House Bill I from the May special session of the Kentucky Legislature called for the creation of the sys— tem. This bill was in response to a report issued to the Task Force on Postsecondary Education in March of I997. The report suggested, “supporting regional col— laboration and integration of all postsecondary educa— tion programs, with a special emphasis on the L‘ninlltllni' KeNTIiCKY I "P CLOSE l’repm'ejoi' ez'eivthing you wanted to £7102." iihuut $1an Iuixketlw/l am! more. Se WINE Pun/y .vmmi' toiliiy. high new 41/. (.‘lmr and cold tonight. lot: of: 5‘. (,‘oo/ tonmrrozz‘, high Hear 4!). e 81in ( flute/1;), hilt‘l‘ page. UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY. LEXINGTON. KENTUCKY Well j’mmary 21, I 998 o (,iIIII/I/ti 2 [)1; u tin/ii 5 Z Ti/l/‘llhlli‘ 8 ‘pul'li 3 (f/outronl 8 liar/mm! 7 INDEPENDENT SINCE 1971 W-I-N-N-E-B-S L'K rheer/eili/eiiv 21V)” their fit/(VIII t't/llA‘t't'llf/I't' IlilfItIII/l] title last :J‘eek. ’1 his title. the twin/R eighth. ”Ii/hex them (his :riitltlngt'xt fl'i/Nl. Something to CHEER about Cheerleaders capture fourth straight By Jill Erwin Senior Stuff U 'riter For those of you who dotiht that cheerleading is a highly competitive sport. take note ofthe follow- ing: The L'niversiry of Alabama squad sent various e-mail messages to LiK’s cheerleaders over the (Ihristmas break. bragging of their new stunts and telling tales of how they were going to wipe the floors with the three-time defending champion “'ildcats. .After the Universal Cheerleaders Association competition at \\'alt Disney \Vorld. L'K had the brag ing rights. The \Vildcats became the first squad to win four straight titles (no other team has even won three in a row) and capturing their eighth overall. and L'K gymnasts Brooke Davis and Dotig Stitheni set a record in winning the Division IA championship in the partner stunt competition. “I feel that as long as my squad hits what we go down there with. we by far set the standard,“ said second-year L'K cheerleading coach Saleem Habash. “Yeah, it feels good when other people want to try to talk something, and then we put it in their face." L'K faced an opponent other than an opposing school: its own complacency. “Before you wanted to win it because it was new." llaliash said. “Now it's something you're supposed to do vs. something you want to do." After winning for the ast three years, the group became somewhat ackadaisical in their approach to the competition. It took some mis- takes for the team to see what was necessary. See SCHOOLS on 2 “\\'e had a few performances. and we didn't do O I I - ,A‘_ » . * M¢W.W .44 g -r.),~._- . : .z-.,...ac Cu. J,“ n l.».,5,". a a Nagpwco‘ .' n w .o it.-. , . - . .. v as hot as we normally do." Stithem said. "\Ve had a couple hohhles here, a drop there. and it really made people wake tip and realize that we needed to get our sttifftogether." “\Vc didn't have a lot of drive to begin with. but a week before we went down there. everything started coming together." Davis said. “\Ve didn't want to be the team that didn't win and bring back a tro~ phy." Davis and Stithcm put together what L'ls cheer— leading adviser T Lynn Yeah, itfi'els good when otherpeople want to try and \\'il|iamson called “a flaw — night and scored l.l 5| talk something, “V” out of a possible I,200 points, the highest score less routine" Thursday recorded in the event. and than we \\"11' ,1 } . . . b . I iamson sait tit Put ft m: 9” duo reached a whole new face. level of respect from the V competition with the per “m m formance. UKWg ] “Edgy were kind,- of and! no u upon as the king and queen. almost the gods of cheerleading when they finished." “’llliainson said. “Things most people couldn't even compre- hend, they made look easy." “It was a new thing. \Vhen you go out there, itist you and a partner, it adds a little hit of pres— sure," Stithem said. “That can he good sometimes. You save some- -Cfi”) *wMMM‘A-wdtna‘ .. i. Q‘. 5;” thing you normally wouldn't. “\Ve had no idea we'd have the response we did. It was probably the best run—through we've ever had. and we felt like we peaked at the right time." The Southeastern Conference captured the top three spots with Bama and Tennessee outscoring Nebraska and North (Iarolina State, .i squad who has finished in the top i every year since the coin— petition began. Alabama finished in second place for the second straight year. due in large part to a complete fall they suffered during one of their stunts. They would have finished in third place behind [T if not for a penalty for the Volunteers going sit seconds over their time limit on their cheer. The com X‘Iilittn will air eight times on ESPN. The first showing usually occurs sometime in early March. but no date has been announced. ”Whig; r1