New Greek group unites races

A new Greek organization with the goal of helping "diversify the community" filed for Student Activities Council recognition yesterday. FASTER -- Fraternities and Sororities Together to End Racism -- will introduce itself to the University community at a "Jungle Fever" party Thursday night. The party, to be held at the Delta Kappa Epsilon house, will begin as a mixer between DKE, Kappa Alpha Psi, Alpha Kappa Alpha and the Tabard Society. "Most black fraternities entertain their own community, as do white fraternities. We didn't want to have that bias," said FASTER founder Khalil Muhammad, a College junior and KAPsi member. Two six-foot hands similar to those in ads for the Spike Lee movie "Jungle Fever" will greet guests when the party becomes open to University students. "The whole point is to bring everyone together through the Greek example," said Muhammad. Muhammad and DKE brother Michael Rosenband thought of the party idea and expanded it into an organization. Unlike Campus Organized Lectures On Racial Sensitivity, a week long lecture series, they wanted a group that would deal with racial issues on a continual basis. "There was definitely a need for something that was year-long and involved everyone," said Rosenband. "We also didn't want it to be strictly lectures," said Muhammad. "We wanted to get people involved and working together in a fun environment." FASTER can operate as any other recognized group, but will not receive funding. The group will be in a "probationary period" for three academic months, when it will then go before the SAC steering committee, which will recommend if it should be recognized. "They have admirable goals," said Albert Moore, Assistant Director of Student Life Activities and Facilities. "They should have no shortage of people who will want to work on this group." Moore said many factors go into the decision to recognize groups, including the lack of a similar group on campus. "There may be others, but I don't know of any organization that uses the membership to achieve the ends that this one does," he said. In addition to Muhammad and Rosenband, College senior Nichelle Davidson and Wharton junior Garfield Johnson are original FASTER members. They hope to write a constitution next week, and starting in January, will invite members of the University community to facilitate forums for the group. Rosenband said they have been informally letting others know about FASTER, and hopes "eventually we will have sucked in the whole Greek system." He said if the group is successful, he hopes to take the idea to a national level.

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