by Ashley Duncan–As many might not know, Greek life is present on Morningside’s campus. The sorority Alpha Omicron Pi, or AOII, has a chapter that lives in Dimmitt.
The chapter, Theta Chi, was first acknowledged as a fraternity in 1966 on Morningside’s campus because there were no sororities at the time. It is now considered a sorority, but legally is a fraternity. On campus, they are known as AOII, but to differentiate from other AOII groups, the official chapter name is Theta Chi.
Each year the chapter has to be qualified as a group. If they don’t go through that process, they are only considered an organization. The importance of being a group on campus allows for the chapter to post posters around campus and petition for funding.
To become a group, members of AOII go in front of student government and lay out the reasons as to why they should be a group. This year Marissa Hernandez, Katie Kirby, and Mckenna Nielson went in front of student government.
Hernandez, Theta Chi’s president, said, “Every year a form goes out to update information. Senate wants to know what the organization is, object of fraternity, and what AOII does.” She also said the senate wanted to know what AOII could do for Morningside’s campus; what was the chapter’s purpose for being there?
AOII’s importance involves the whole campus and not just the women on campus. Its purpose is to support the arthritis foundation. Arthritis not only affects women, but as Hernandez said, “It affects everybody, and it doesn’t mean we can’t help the greater population.”
Paige Weesner, Theta Chi’s vice president of chapter development, said, “It is important to help [students] see that there are other groups on campus that do community service. And when they come to events, they are helping out.” Becoming a group on campus helps spread the word that AOII is present and ready to help.
In the end, student government voted on if AOII should be a group on campus. The vote passed 13-0, with one person abstaining.
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