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The Reflector
Mississippi State University
February 26, 2002
Nationals pull Mississippi State U. sorority chapter
By Annemarie Beede, The Reflector
The Theta Theta chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority will close its
doors for good at Mississippi State University in May if their appeal
to Alpha Gamma Delta International Headquarters is not accepted.
President Tamra Blocker said the group had no initial warning of the
grave news they received Feb. 18.
"I knew they (national officers) were coming," Blocker said. "But
when they showed up at 8 p.m. and read the note (telling the group
that it was being closed), it was really a total shock to everyone."
Blocker said the group's shock stemmed from the fact Alpha Gamma
Delta members currently were working with their national officers and
MSU's Panhellenic council to up their membership from 31 members to
50 members by the end of this semester.
"They have not given us any reason," Blocker said. "The most recent
communication we had with them prior to this was positive remarks on
our hard work. It makes us feel like we've been working so hard to
just throw it out all of a sudden."
"Mississippi State University hates to lose an organization like
Alpha Gamma Delta," Director of Student Life Edwin Keith said.
Keith said he and Assistant Director of Student Life Heidie Lindsey
were notified by the sorority's national officers that they were
coming to MSU's campus and needed to speak with them, but he said he
and Lindsey were not told any specifics.
"It's never easy to see this happen," Keith said. "It hurts everyone
associated with the organization, but this doesn't happen in one day."
Keith said when he first came to MSU 11 years ago, the sorority had
more than 100 members and was just shy of the overall greek average
of 120 to 130 members.
Keith said in his time at MSU he has seen two fraternities close for
low membership numbers, and he said neither group successfully was
able to appeal the decision to close them down.
Blocker said the Feb. 18 news left many members speechless, and
"several girls lost it and had to leave the room."
Blocker said she and her sorority sisters are upset about losing
their chapter but they are more upset about the way their national
officers handled the situation.
"We don't feel they really handled the whole thing in a professional
manner," Blocker said. "We really could and should have been at least
warned."
Although Blocker said sorority members did not agree with the way the
matter was handled, she said she and her sorority sisters could not
be more pleased with the support MSU has shown them.
"They've been wonderful," Blocker said. "Lindsey, Keith, Dr. [Jimmy]
Abraham and Panhellenic have really been so supportive and willing to
help in anyway. You would think that our national officers could have
treated us a little better."
Blocker said she has 100 percent support to appeal the decision to
close the house. She said as soon as she is able to learn the
specifications on the appeal process the sorority will appeal.
Blocker said there are many details, including what will happen to
the chapter's house, she has yet to learn.
Keith said if the group is not successful in appealing to its
international office, the house Alpha Gamma Delta has been using on
Sorority Row can be bought by any existing or new organization.
"We need at least one more sorority," Keith said. "We really hope
that the house will be bought by an organization."
Keith said Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Pi and Kappa Kappa Gamma are
three sororities that also have closed their doors at MSU.
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