Although it was only founded at the College Spring term, La Unidad Latina Lambda Upsilon Lambda, the College's newest Greek organization, has big plans for the upcoming year.
LUL is a chapter of a national fraternity that was founded at Cornell University in 1982. It received recognition from the College in April.
President Rolando Lopez '00 said the organization will use this academic year to create its reputation as more than "just a regular fraternity."
The organization will emphasize cultural awareness and enhance the role of the Latino community and other minorities at the College. Alcohol will not be a dominant focus of activities.
"The goal would be to advance the Latino and minority culture in Dartmouth, in the Dartmouth community, in the Hanover community and the New Hampshire community," Lopez said.
He said LUL hopes to avoid accepting members who decide to join without having full knowledge of its focuses.
"It's not really about numbers -- it's more about people who are dedicated," he said.
Before the organization was officially recognized by the College, it held a Latino Identity Panel last Spring that addressed the meaning of the word "Latino."
It held two movie nights and a barbecue during the Summer and is still planning activities for the Fall.
LUL's biggest event will occur this Spring when it holds "Noche Dorada" -- a "Golden Night" organized by many chapters of the fraternity at their colleges.
The activity's theme will most likely be "unity through dance." The fraternity plans to ask dance groups from different cultural backgrounds to perform, and it may also invite speakers and a band.
Unlike most other Greek organizations on campus, LUL does not hold a rush period for prospective members, and interested students must apply to be in the fraternity.
Any male interested in joining LUL must complete an application with basic information about himself. He must earn a grade point average of at least 2.0 and study for about five hours each day.
While the fraternity will focus on Latino culture, membership is not exclusive.
Lopez said the fraternity has received many inquiries from students about joining, and the future looks "promising."
There are about 500 members of the national organization of La Unidad Latina in 30 schools, including every Ivy League institution except Columbia University.
LUL's current members are Lopez, Vice President Tyonek Ogemageshig '97, Ernesto Cuevas '98 and Fernando Diaz '00.
