Panhellenic Association Elects New Officers

The University of Kansas Panhellenic Association elected eight new officers for the 2012 Executive Board. Elections were held Monday evening at the Burge Union. Up to five members from all thirteen Panhellenic chapters attended and collectively voted on their chapters’ behalf to select the new Executive Board. Each candidate was selected based on their resume, application questions, and a short speech.

The Panhellenic Association is the governing body of the thirteen NPC-affiliated chapters at the University of Kansas. It serves as a forum for the discussion of current issues facing college students and specifically members of the sorority community. Panhellenic also sets and enforces rules governing membership recruitment, social activities, publicity, and member responsibilities. The eight Executive Officers are responsible for the overall operation of the organization. In addition to the Executive Officers, each chapter has a delegate that serves as the voice for their members. The Council meets at least twice each month.

The 2012 officers are: President: Kathryn Hoven, Gamma Phi Beta; Vice President: Shanah Gaskill, Kappa Alpha Theta; Director for Public Relations: Lizzie Marx, Pi Beta Phi; Director for Risk Management: Christie Holland, Alpha Gamma Delta; Director for Recruitment: Whitlee Douthitt, Delta Delta Delta; Director for Interfraternal Relations: Allison Chael, Delta Gamma; Director for Educational Programs and Scholarship: Kelly Murphy, Alpha Delta Pi; Director for Community Service and Philanthropy: Christie Van Allen, Kappa Kappa Gamma.

For more information on the organization and its officers, please visit www.kupanhellenic.org

Supporting our Military Sisters

Last month the Chairman of the National Panhellenic Conference wrote a special message to honor and recognize women in the military. You can read her message here.

Sorority women come from all walks of life and can be found in all types of careers. They can be found serving their country in all branches of the military and in high ranking positions. Notable sorority women in the military include:

Margaret A. Brewer, Brigadier General, Marine Corps
Marianne Blackburn Drew, Rear Admiral, Navy
Terri Walter Gabreski, Brigadier General, Air Force
Claudia Kennedy, General, Army

The National Panhellenic Conference also shared the story of a sorority woman, who at the age of 58, decided to join the military. You can find the podcast interview with Kappa Kappa Gamma Carol Haertlein Sells here.

In this podcast you will learn that Carol decided to join the U.S. Army after taking a visit to an Army rehabilitation center in Texas four years ago. She is part of a new doctoral program at Brooke Army Medical Center. She took a leap of faith from teaching occupational therapy in Wisconsin to instructing occupational therapists for the military – and she had to go through basic training along the way.

This Fourth of July we wanted to recognize our military sisters and send them our support. We recognize that freedom isn't free and our hearts go out to all the enlisted men and women as well as veterans that have served our nation and protected our families.

For the Guarding of Good Health: National Women's Health Week

All sororities have a motto, creed, purpose or set of values they strive to live by. The Panhellenic Association as a whole has a creed as well. At the beginning of every council meeting we state this creed. Part of our creed states, "We, as Undergraduate members of woman's fraternities, stand for... (the) guarding of good health..." This week, the National Panhellenic Council and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health are celebrating National Women's Health Week.

 

National Women's Health Week runs from May 8-14 and this year's theme is "It's Your Time". As Panhellenic women it is our time to live up to our creed and make our health a top priority! WomensHealth.gov provides a list of suggestions and steps for women to improve their overall health and wellness. The following are some of their suggestions that I paired with information on campus resources that can help you achieve your health goals!

WomensHealth.gov suggests:

1. Getting at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of both, each week.

• Take advantage of the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center on campus. Remember it is free with your KUID! They have a wide variety of work-out equipment, racquetball and basketball courts and even a rock wall. Check out their website at http://www.recreation.ku.edu/ for more information on services they provide and their hours. 
• Celebrate the sunshine by grabbing some of your sisters and playing tennis, beach volleyball or taking a nice scenic jog around campus! Tennis and beach volleyball courts are open to students and located behind Robinson Gymnasium. Inside Robinson you can also get a great workout by going for a swim. Find open swim hours on their website at http://soe.ku.edu/robinson-center//.   

2. Eating a nutritious diet

• Have a question about healthy eating or want a few more tips and suggestions for healthy snacks? You can attend "Ask-A-Dietitian" at the Ambler Student Fitness Recreation Center every Monday, 3 - 5 pm for free. Registered dietitian Ann Chapman will be there answering any questions and she is also available by appointment to discuss any dietary concerns.
• Student Health Services also offer menu consultations for Greek houses. Talk to your housing director or chapter president and get more information at http://www.studenthealth.ku.edu/services/nutrition.shtml.
• To find more articles about healthy eating and topics like; how to eat healthy in the residence halls, avoiding the Freshman 15 and suggestions of healthy snacks visit the Health Hawk website at http://www.hawkhealth.ku.edu/?q=my-food.

3. Visiting a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings.

• Students can visit Watkins Memorial Health Center right on campus! You can either call to set up an appointment or even make your appointment online at http://www.studenthealth.ku.edu/. Check out their website for more information on hours and services offered. 

 4. Avoiding risky behaviors, such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt

• College can be stressful but sometimes students choose to release that stress and escape reality by engaging in some risky behaviors. Take the e-Chug assessment from Hawk Health at https://interwork.sdsu.edu/echug2/?id=KU&hfs=true for information like how many calories you consume while drinking alcohol, how much money you spend on alcohol and personalized feedback on your drinking habits.
• To read articles about health and safety in nightclub communities, smoking and prescription drug abuse check out the MyEscape section of Hawk Health at http://www.hawkhealth.ku.edu/?q=my-escape.

 5. Paying attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress

• Finals week is coming up, which means stress levels are at their highest and hours of sleep are at their lowest. Check out the Academic Access and Achievement Center website for tips on how to study and guidelines for relaxation and reducing stress and http://www.achievement.ku.edu/.
• KU also offers Counseling and Psychological Services for students who would like help managing family and interpersonal relationship problems as well as other stresses of college life. Visit their website for more information http://www.caps.ku.edu/~caps/counseling/.