IFC wins three regional awards for excellence

When Law School Professor Frank Goodman taught a class on First Amendment issues at the Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity house last year, students said it helped eliminate stereotypes and served to integrate members and non-members. And fraternity brothers at other universities may follow suit now that SAM's class has become a well-known achievement. This weekend, the InterFraternity Council was recognized for the class and other achievements at a conference attended by hundreds of Greeks from umbrella groups along the East Coast. The IFC took three of the eight awards at the annual North Eastern InterFraternity/Panhellenic Conference at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Philadelphia. IFC and Panhel groups from over 100 campuses attended the event, according to Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Tricia Phaup. The awards were given for academic excellence and membership recruitment, in addition to a special achievement prize for the class inside the SAM house. Former IFC President and College senior Hayden Horowitz, who submitted the application for the awards, also received an honorable mention for "IFC Man of the Year." "We were thrilled because academics and also membership recruitment were two things which we set out to prove -- and we know that we've put a lot of hard work into the programs," he said last night. IFC President David Treat, a College junior, said at least 25 schools applied for the awards. This year's conference was the most successful for the umbrella group, according to officers. But Penn State University won three awards and was named "IFC of the Year." In addition to the awards banquet, Greek officers from the IFC and Panhel attended seminars with guest lecturers on leadership skills, hazing and alcohol. Although the IFC adopted a new "Bring Your Own Beer" policy last month, it was not a "hot" issue among other umbrella groups, Treat said. Instead, Treat said much discussion focused on the rush process and how it works nationally. "Our school's having a deferred rush, [and] it seems to be the trend to go to spring rush," he said. Phaup added that Treat and other officers are currently working to implement a class inside a fraternity house again next semester.

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