Delaware Sorority Suspended

Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority Suspended

Phi Sigma Sigma sorority at the University of Delaware has been placed on immediate suspension through 2011 by campus officials after they were said to be guilty of violating the campus alcohol policy and to have hazed and endangered the safety of others.

Sorority sisters admitted before directors from the campus' judicial affairs office that they had participated in such activities.

The sorority was found at Delaware in 1982, and currently had 79 sisters and 43 new pledges.

Maryland's Phi Sigma Sigma Holds Vigil for Murdered Sister

Maryland Sorority Honors Murdered Sister

Two students from universities on opposite sides of the country were shot and killed in February in a parking lot at Arizona State. The shooter then killed himself.

Nicole Schiffman, a sophomore at the University of Maryland, had flown across the country to visit friend Carol Kestenbaum at Arizona State University to celebrate her birthday. While returning to her apartment early Sunday morning, the girls were shot by 22-year old Joshua Mendel, a resident of Tempe, Arizona.

Nicole's Phi Sigma Sigma sisters at Maryland held a vigil in her honor earlier this week. They read poetry Nicole had written.

"It still hasn't even hit people. I still feel like I'm going to see her, just not today. I can't really imagine never seeing her again," said Robyn Geller, Nicole's former roommate.

Mendel opened fire on the girls in the parking lot, and turned and shot himself. Police believe he plotted the murder in response to critical remarks she made about the relationship he had with his girlfriend, and that Schiffman was caught in the middle of the dispute without having any previous relationship with the murderer.

ΔΖ Sheds Light on Controversy and Greek Life at Clarkson

The Frat Boy News Daily College Column
By Mary Gacioch, The Clarkson Integrator

It seems necessary to clarify some nonfactual points and also to highlight more of the positive aspects of Clarkson's Greek system.

Pertaining to the organizations that own houses, some houses are owned by their National affiliates and the chapter's alumni control others. It is not necessarily current initiates' decision to move to campus. Furthermore, Delta Zeta, and I am sure many other Greek houses, has not seen any proposal for the Greeks to move out of their current houses and onto campus.

Indeed, there are many arguments to support the benefits of moving to campus, however it is shallow to assume that all organizations are not moving to campus as a result of tradition. In terms of tradition, no one can deny that there has been tension in the past between sororities. However Pan-Hel, which is the equivalent of IFC, has climbed mountains this year in sorority relations, showing first and foremost that there are some Greeks striving to work in conjunction with each other.

In the case of recognized affiliations, it is not true that the unrecognized fraternities do not have guidelines or risk management policies to uphold. One fraternity in particular is still recognized by their national council and has one of the strongest risk management policies the Greek system can encounter. And it is not solely the unrecognized chapters whose actions are reflecting poorly on the overall Greek system at Clarkson.

Ultimately, it is against Delta Zeta's beliefs, and I believe all of the Greek organizations', to deter someone from joining a Greek house that they see fit for themselves, whether they are recognized or unrecognized. Delta Zeta especially believes that every individual will fit with the affiliation they choose because they believe in it. None of those individuals should make their decision based on the status of the chapter. Instead, their decision should be based on the brotherhood or sisterhood and how that person feels within each chapter.

Moving on, in reference to social functions and activities, not all involve alcohol, nor should they. For instance, Delta Zeta and Phi Sigma Sigma have now met for dinner twice in the month of February as entire chapters. I invite anyone to ask a DZ or Phi Sig sister of our current relationship with each other.

On a different note, Greeks, because they are Greek, are subjected to much more scrutiny on this campus. There are plenty of other organizations such as athletics and clubs whose functioning has resulted in "hazing" and "untimely hospital visits." Unfortunately, negative news is the only news reported about Greeks while other organizations skate through unscathed as a result of the same actions that Greeks are persecuted relentlessly for.

It is ironic to me that so much negative publicity is undercutting the Greek system here at Clarkson, especially when the Greek population dominates some of our most prestigious organizations. Also, many chapters in the Greek community consistently beat the all-Clarkson, all-female and all-male GPA in terms of academics.

Ultimately, because of the constant dissection and judgement that Greeks encounter I believe it is necessary to continue to highlight the positive activities that each affiliation participates in regularly. If you are Greek, then be Greek and support each other in the positive things we do. Nobody appreciates the negative occurrences associated with the Greek system, but I believe that all should appreciate the amount of good and great accomplishment that remains unchallenged by any other organization affiliated with Clarkson.

Girls Who Were Killed at Arizona State Lived a Life of Laughter

The Frat Boy News Daily College Column
By Ben Slivnick, The University of Maryland's Diamondback Online

Her Facebook is already enshrined with comments from the various friends that Nicole Schiffman touched in her brief time at the university and at home. But just days before, Schiffman's childhood friend, Carol Kestenbaum, had promised they would have a great time the weekend of her visit.

"The two of them together were crazy," said sophomore Robyn Geller, "Everyone knew that when Nicole went to visit Carol this weekend that they were going to have the best weekend ever."

But the weekend took a tragic turn when Schiffman was fatally shot Sunday with Kestenbaum in Tempe, Ariz., the victim of a murder police say was committed by a man she never met. Kestenbaum had turned 20 on Sunday, and Schiffman, also 20, was there to celebrate her birthday.

Kestenbaum wrote on Schiffman's Facebook wall before she arrived in Tempe: "wow this time tomorrow is going to be... REDICULOUSSSSSSSSSSSSLLLLLYYYYY AMMMAZINGGGGLLYY OUT OF CONTROLLLLLLL."

Last year, when Geller and Schiffman were roommates, a blown-up picture of Schiffman and Kestenbaum and the rest of their high school crew adorned the wall, surrounded by a collection of smaller photos capturing the good times they had together. Geller said the black-and-white shots showed them in natural state: goofing off, making silly faces, laughing.

Known among friends as the comedian of their group, Schiffman, a sophomore journalism major and a member of sorority Phi Sigma Sigma, was hardly the serious bookworm her dean's list status might suggest. Rather, at Japanese restaurants, friends remembered her as the diner who would clown with chopsticks dangling from her ears - she was a lover of laughter, whether she was provoking or participating.

Schiffman's life ended in a flash of unimaginable and staggering violence. Police said the man who shot Schiffman and Kestenbaum was angry over a comment Kestenbaum made about her friend's relationship with him. Police identified him as Joshua Mendel, a 22-year-old Tempe resident. Police told reporters he shot Kestenbaum first, then Schiffman as she tried to run away. He then turned the gun on himself.

It was a brutal death for a woman with such a playful personality. Her spontaneity surprised even those who knew her well, Geller said. Just over a week ago, Schiffman was the only friend among her high school group to decide to travel across the country to celebrate Kestenbaum.

Along with Schiffman's goofball quirks came a certain degree of messiness. She was sometimes just too active to keep track of things, Geller said. But even when she'd lose her wallet or other important possessions, Schiffman wouldn't let things bother her, Geller said.

"She wouldn't let things bother her because she knew it wasn't worth it," Geller said. "And when you'd see her come to you so happy and cheerful, that just made you happy."

Her lively personality and knack for making others smile made her an ideal camp counselor at Sands Beach Club day camp, where she worked during her high school summers, said sophomore letters and sciences major Bryan Kerner.

"If you were in a room and someone said something that wasn't funny, Nicole would be the first person to laugh and make the other person feel good about themselves," Kerner said.

As an active member of the sorority Phi Sigma Sigma, Schiffman frequently participated in community service projects with other members. Distraught by the sudden death of their sorority sister, they gathered for the past two nights sharing memories about Schiffman. Requests for interviews about Schiffman's life were declined by Phi Sigma Sigma members, who said they were barred from speaking to the media.

In a statement released by the sorority's national organization, Jennifer Sims, a sophomore communications major identified as a close friend, remembered, "Nicole Schiffman valued her friendships and loved to have fun, yet knew how to balance it all as a successful student, loving sister and an amazing daughter. Nicole's joy and warmth will be missed but certainly never forgotten."
Ben Slivnick is a staff reporter for The Diamondback Online.

Two Girls Killed at Arizona State

Students Killed in Murder-Suicide at ASU

Two students from universities on opposite sides of the country were shot and killed around 4 a.m. Sunday in a parking lot of an apartment complex as Arizona State. The shooter then killed himself.

Nicole Schiffman, a sophomore at the University of Maryland, had flown across the country to visit friend Carol Kestenbaum at Arizona State University to celebrate her birthday. While returning to her apartment early Sunday morning, the girls were shot by 22-year old Joshua Mendel, a resident of Tempe, Arizona.

Mendel opened fire on the girls in the parking lot, and turned and shot himself. Police believe he plotted the murder in response to critical remarks she made about the relationship he had with his girlfriend, and that Schiffman was caught in the middle of the dispute without having any previous relationship with the murderer.

Miss Kestenbaum (pictured on the left above) was a sister of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority at ASU. The sisters have declined to comment on the horrific loss of a friend.