Nationally known speaker Mike Green brought a message about the dangers of alcohol abuse to Lisner Hall Sunday, addressing a crowd of mostly Greek-letter organization members.
Green, a former alcoholic who has been sober for 21 years, has spoken at Sigma Chi chapters across the country during the last 10 years.
Sigma Chi organized and presented the event. The chapter lost University recognition last summer after hosting a party during Colonial Inauguration. The fraternity is attempting to regain University recognition after receiving a yearlong suspension.
3You don1t have to be an alcoholic to have an alcohol problem,? Green said to the audience comprised mostly of Greek-letter organization members.
Green said attitude problems complicate alcohol abuse and drinkers often do not know the difference between simply drinking and getting drunk.
Green said students, especially Greek-letter groups, have to take care of each other.
3You watch his back, you take care of him and you don1t encourage him to do something wild and crazy because he1s drunk,? he said.
Green said the worst problems occur when people allow drunk friends to drive. Another problem confronting drinkers is the failure to connect alcohol abuse with sexually transmitted diseases, Green said, addressing the dangers of having a 3one nighter.?
3A one nighter is a short-term problem of one night that can have a lifetime of consequence,? he said.
Green told the audience to be careful of the 3excitement of the party.?
3You don1t prove your manhood by hurting someone else,? he said.
Green spoke of his own problems dealing with alcoholism.
3I know what it1s like in (Alcoholics Anonymous), you don1t want any part of it,? Green said.
Sigma Chi cannot formally sponsor GW events because it is not recognized as a student organization, said Tracie Anzaldi, coordinator of Greek Affairs and Spirit Events. The Office of Greek Affairs, the Community Living and Learning Center and Alpha Epsilon Phi were the official University sponsors of the event, although it was presented by Sigma Chi.
3It1s a proactive move on behalf of the Greek community,? Anzaldi said.
Melissa Gordon, president of Alpha Epsilon Phi, said the sorority co-sponsored the event in an effort to offer programming for the entire University community. Gordon said it was a required event for the entire Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority.
Sigma Chi President Jason Patnosh said although the chapter cannot formally sponsor the event, it is solely responsible for bringing Green to campus.
3We organized the event. We set up the event,? Patnosh said.
Patnosh said the chapter did not organize the event solely to regain its University recognition. He said Sigma Chi had planned to bring Green to campus after Patnosh saw him speak at a national conference.
3We were going to be bringing him in,? he said. 3(Green) has a lot of good points about drinking on campus. He really gets the message across in a way that students can understand.?
Patnosh said although Sigma Chi instituted a 3recovery plan? as part of its effort to regain University recognition, he said the chapter1s philanthropic events have not changed.
3We1re running the show as we did in the past,? Patnosh said. 3We1ve been one of the top philanthropic fraternities.?
