Frat to publish directory with upperclass students' pictures

Meeting students at the University is easy. But matching their names to their faces is often next to impossible -- especially if the student is an upperclassman and not in the Freshman Record. But starting next semester, this could be less of a problem. In an effort to raise college scholarship money for high school students in the West Philadelphia area, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity is publishing a new facebook which will include sophomores, juniors and seniors. College senior Geoffrey Cousins, editor of the book, said he borrowed the idea for Faces in the Crowd from a friend at Dartmouth College who also published a facebook of the same name. The book is different from the freshman facebook because it lists only upperclassmen. "It's not like a competition," Cousins said. "No freshmen will be in our book." A student's home address, academic major, birthday and Greek affiliation will be listed under his or her photograph. Students will also be listed by their first names in a separate section of the black and white, paperback book. And although a campus mailer said a student's freshman picture would be used if students did not submit a new picture, Cousins said he hasn't confirmed this with the publishers of the Freshman Record. Albert Moore, the assistant director of student activities and editor of the Freshman Record, said Faces could not use the actual pictures used in the Record. "I would be the only person who would have the pictures," Moore said. "And we don't keep the pictures." As of yet, Cousins said he doesn't know what will be put in the picture space if no photograph is available. In the past, Brown University has printed a picture of a teddy bear in the spaces while Dartmouth has left the space blank. Cousins said they will obtain the necessary information from the Office of the Registrar and other University records through the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. "I'm almost positive we'll get [the information] from the Registrar," Cousins said, adding that the group might not list a student's birthdate if people complain. Janet Ansert, the assistant registrar for biographical database and academic records, said the only information given to Alpha Phi Alpha was the information on mailing labels -- a student's name and local address. Ansert added that Tricia Phaup, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, gave the group permission to use the mailing labels but did not release a student's Greek affiliation or birthdate. Cousins said the amount of money raised depends on the number of books bought and the amount of advertisements sold. He said that three-fourths of the students at Dartmouth bought the book. "It seems like it's going well," Cousins said. "Everyday I go to my mailbox and it's full of letters and orders." The last day to order the $10 book is April 26.

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