1317 - Wessex DEC Issue 20/11/01 10:03 am Page 1 WESSEX SCENE WESSEX Swessexscene.co.ukC 31st OctoberEN 2001 - ISSUE 749 - PRICELESS E 750th ISSUE SPECTACULAR INITIATION: An 18 month driving ban with a has banned initiations and drinking INDEFENSIBLE£150 fine, is this the price you want on away games. The Athletics’ to pay after your initiation Union is very worried about what ceremony? Unfortunately for one effect this will have on the individual this WAS the penalty. A reputation of not only the Sport promising Rugby playing Fresher sector of the University but on the with a glittering career ahead of him University as a whole. did not get off to the best start when The Wessex Scene feels that the he was arrested the other week. player is not the only one to blame Following his initiation, the player here. It should probably fall on the drove off in his Mini and crashed it culture of certain sports clubs. For when driving down Stoneham Lane. some reason heavy drinking and Staying with the car he then called undignified behaviour has become the police and, refusing offers of an integral part of sporting activities. lifts home, waited until they arrived. Initiations are not a necessary part of He was duly breathalysed and was sport and nor should they be. The found to be 2.5 times over the limit Wessex Scene is pushing for these with 77mg of alcohol in 100mg practices to be completely removed of breath. from University Sports Clubs. As a result of the occurrence, Tiger, More... “Fraternities” Page 2. Vice President (Athletics’ Union) “Drinking Culture” Page 30 Guess THE ENORMOUS Whats On 750 PAGE ISSUE PARTY THIS FRIDAY 3 @POUNDSTRETCHER 1317 - Wessex DEC Issue 20/11/01 10:03 am Page 2 WESSEX PAGE 2 Wessexscene.co.uk SCENE INITIATION:INDEFENSIBLE INSIDE YOUR WESSEX THIS SCENE ISSUE JUST as in the case of our military Marie Blake THE WORD O F THEand political dealings, it’s good to FRATfraternity brother said: PACK “It’s the only their new members to walk around THE TIGER know that the ‘special The societies themselves try to keep place in civilised society where you wearing only their underwear! relationship’, which exists the positive image standing, while can in effect wield the power of a Perhaps if those people VARIOUS FROLICS between America and the UK, is the true nature of what goes on is God. That and the free alcohol and orchestrating initiation also present in the education shrouded in mystery. Codes of p**sy”. To many this may sound ceremonies simply kept them to Exclusive system. Yet, as the show of handshakes, passwords and certain great, but being in a fraternity is not what is voluntary and fun there photos military strength is greater in the actions are only a few of the barriers just about women and beer. Some wouldn’t be a problem. All too States, so too are the initiation that prevent non-members from members have seen how “people can often however it goes from ceremonies. Unlike in the UK, infiltrating the societies. Even the be seriously injured or killed”. extreme to extreme as everyone where these ceremonies only really names of the societies are written Although over the decades it has attempts to ‘out-do’ each other. exist in the sporting clubs, US using Greek letters. Initiation though, calmed down somewhat, the This can be negative, as the universities have incorporated them is especially kept secret. Not even the initiation ceremonies for fraternities sporting clubs of universities all much more fully into every closest friends of those who have are said to be a lot worse than for over the UK have found when student’s life in the form of joined fraternities or sororities are sororities. For the boys it can often be some of the best players are put off fraternities and sororities. These are allowed to know what happens. For sexual or violent, just depending on by the nature of the initiation all male or female clubs some, such as in many of the what the fraternity wants to ceremonies. I have heard from a respectively. New students go to sororities, it is simply a matter of encourage in its members. lot of students how these parties where the societies choose putting on a dance or cabaret. Others ceremonies are just light-hearted those who they feel should join. The lock the new members into rooms Yet the idea of fraternities and and foster a sense of unity as the chosen student receives a ‘bid’ from and force them to eat ice cream until sororities is very much a positive whole team has to go through UNION NEWS pg 7 the society and is thus invited into they vomit or to lick peanut butter one. Some members have said how it it.Indeed, no one is denying that. It the fraternity or sorority. Many take from each other’s faces. Many others is “the best time of their lives”. They is just a shame when the emphasis up the invitation as it provides an require that you be on ‘Beeper Duty’, are great for meeting new, like- changes and people are ostracised MESSER immediate social club as well as the which means that any time between minded people and they can help because they fail to do some ‘Coz I got High fact that fraternities and sororities 6pm and 4am, you are required to with career finding after graduation. horrible act. At some universities, SEE PAGE 10 could help you find employment ‘sober drive’ and provide a lift home Even some of the initiation students have people vomit over once leaving university. for your fraternity brothers. All the ceremonies are a lot of fun, as in one their heads or they have to drink a Nevertheless, it is not all positive. If societies are extremely different and where members have to spray glass of another person’s urine. a student wanted to join, he or she are interested in attracting diverse whipped cream over each other and Which I can imagine to be such a would have to perform various tasks people. Where one is interested in then have a huge water fight. And, pleasant feeling. I bet we all just that vary from the absurd to the life cultivating ‘young ladies’ another is No doubt all the men on campus wake up in the morning and fancy WIN! threatening. bound to want the opposite. As one loved it when one sorority asked a good pint. In Competitions BEER WATCH MUCH PLAY ON WARONFATCATS WITH JOEL STOBART CHARTER DAY! Good Night, Sleep Tight UNIVERSITY CONVENIENTLY located just J Powell UNDERINVESTMENT weeks before next summer’s exam day’s takings to charity? Perhaps DON’T LET THE period, a rare opportunity to both transform the Hartley Library into a TOP DEPARTMENT reminisce in our university’s place with spirit – a multi-level BEDBUGS LOSING STUDENTS Durham splendid history yet settle those music arena? Maybe invite the 1st DUE to Southampton pre-exam nerves with a drink or XV props to down ten pints then University’s deplorable lack of ten. Remember this date with show their grace and subtlety on the high speed internet access in Wales pride and alcohol-induced ballroom dance floor? Or finally, London BITE halls, one of the Departments flashbacks: 29 April 2002 marks why not erect an enormous marquee, CONFIRMED reports indicate an feels it has lost students to the fiftieth anniversary since the on the grass outside the union, to outbreak of Bedbugs (Climax universities offering this Soton signing of the University’s Royal provide all the unfortunate Bevois lectulariu) in South Hill Halls of service. Charter, and so a chance to party Valley residents with decent shelter Residence. Students were relentlessly until the early hour. for the day? The Electronics and Computer AROUND THE WORLD apparently relocated into Tw Amsterdam£1.00 Los Angles £1.70 If our wise administrative advisers do However those responsible choose to Science department (ECS) are alternative accomodation Ha Athens £1.20 Madrtid £1.50 surveying their second year decide to finalise 29 April as a non- captivate the essence of our student ho Barbados £1.10 Majorca £1.60 students as to their experiences academic starter, then staff and community, please let 29 April 2002 Bo Barcelona £1.30 Manus £1.00 of internet access in halls, in an students alike can commemorate our be remembered as a landmark for an Budapest £0.80 Miami £1.40 attempt to improve the situation. Calcutta £0.80 Moscow £0.90 unique heritage and give impetus to and a tribute to our glorious past! Let be Dhaka £0.90 New York £2.00 an uncertain future. As an integral the anticipation commence and be All the halls have got most of Frisco £2.50 Oslo £4.00 part of the University’s Golden assured that we can celebrate with the wiring laid for having high Geneva £2.70 Paris £2.00 Jubilee Celebrations that begin in uninhibited vigour! speed internet access. The Hong Kong£4.00 Prague £0.60 January, the fiftieth anniversary will Jo’berg £1.45 Rio £1.45 problem is that neither Business Kabul £2.00* Sarajevo £1.00 be a significant yardstick for what we, Services (the owners of the Lagos £0.55 Sydney £1.40 as a modern force, represent. SCENE Halls) or Computing Services Four fire engines were called and Lisbon £1.50 Tenerife £1.10 And what better way to enhance our are willing to pay the costs of the union evacuated when the London £1.95 *Where available reputation as one of the nation’s the actual internet access.