Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 3/7/01
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple   123

SOUTHEASTERN TO DEDICATE "THE VILLAGE"
     HAMMOND   With the snip of a ceremonial ribbon on March 15, Southeastern
Louisiana University will officially dedicate "The Village," the university's unique housing
community for Greek organizations and other university students.
     President Sally Clausen will officiate at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which is scheduled
for 4:30 p.m. at the Village, located off University Ave., next to Southeastern Oaks apartments.
     Sally Cobb, director of Campus Involvement and Greek Life at the University of South
Alabama, will give the keynote address after a welcome by Clausen and Vice President for
Student Affairs Brad O'Hara. Nick Bruno, assistant vice president for special initiatives, will join
representatives of Capstone Development, the complex's contractor, in presenting framed
charters to the Village's occupants. Capstone representatives who will be honored at the
ceremony include Michael Mouron, Bill Higginbotham, Don McRae and Ramona Lucas.
     The Greek organizations that moved into the Village in January are Alpha Omicron Pi,
Alpha Sigma Tau, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Mu, Sigma Sigma Sigma, and Theta Phi Alpha
sororities and Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Tau Gamma, Tau Kappa Epsilon and Theta Chi
fraternities.
     "This is a cutting edge project that has not been done anywhere else in this format. It's a
dream come true," said Mari Ann Callais, director of Student Organizations/Greek Life. Callais
said that while institutions such as South Alabama, Mercer University and Birmingham-Southern
College also have campus-owned complexes for Greek organizations, none have the
"community" concept that Southeastern developed.
     Village units each include a large meeting room, kitchen facilities and a varying number
of two-bed room suites with full bath. The units share a backyard "quad" with a sand volleyball 
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THE VILLAGE   Add One
and basketball courts. At the front and back corners or the complex are a coffee shop, computer
lab, convenience store and laundry. In addition to the sorority and fraternity units, the complex
also includes a three-story 91-bed unit open to Greek and non-Greek students.
     "In the short time that the Village has been open," said O'Hara, "there has been a
tremendous bonding taking place and a real community has developed" among the Greek
organizations. "The students are enjoying the new living-learning environment," he said. "The
experiences that students have outside the classroom are just as important for personal
development. The Village is a tremendous opportunity for Southeastern to reinforce that."
     "We're really excited," said Virginia Brasher, a junior from Amite and member of Theta Phi
Alpha sorority. "This is a beautiful facility and a wonderful tool for Southeastern. I'm excited not
just about living in my own chapter's house, but about being able to go across and visit" with
other fraternity and sorority members.
     "The guys have been waiting for this day for a long time," said David Harper of
Ponchatoula, president of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. "We're looking forward to having the
fraternities and sororities together. It's really going to help the Greek system with recruiting."
     For additional information about the ribbon-cutting ceremony, contact Callais or graduate
assistant Kay Harrison at 985-549-2120.
                             -SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsp01.htm