Nearly 50 awards and over $10,000 in prize money donated by ORL were presented to Greek organizations and individual members for excellence in the CFS guiding principles of accountability, inclusivity, leadership, scholarship, service and brotherhood and sisterhood.
President James Wright and his wife Susan presented a $1,000 prize and the prestigious O'Conner award, named for the late Proctor John O'Conner and granted to the organization that best embodies the six CFS guiding principles to Delta Delta Delta Sorority. Wright praised the Greek houses for becoming a part of the local community and the world through their achievements.
"You have made Greek life at Dartmouth and Greek organizations at Dartmouth far stronger because of all that you have done," Wright said.
Phi Delta Alpha member Russell Lane '06 and Tri-Delt member Christina Jimenez '06 were named Greek Man and Woman of the year, receiving standing ovations from their respective houses, and the newly introduced President of the Year Award went to Kappa Delta Epsilon member Edythe Wilson '06 and Sigma Phi Epsilon member Jeff Wagner '06.
ORL Director Martin Redman presented the scholarship awards and mentioned his own past academic shortcomings in his speech.
"I turned down admission to Dartmouth many, many years ago. It wasn't coed enough for me at the time. I had other interests," Redman said, drawing laughter from the audience. "I speak to you as someone who flunked Spanish. I can state with certainty that you've all gained my respect."
Redman awarded Alpha Xi Delta the Highest Organization GPA award for their average house GPA of 3.54.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon's student-faculty barbecue and implementation of a house internship chair helped them win the Most Outstanding Organization in Scholarship award.
Director of the Office of Undergraduate Judicial Affairs April Thompson presented awards for house brotherhood and sisterhood.
"My work in Judicial Affairs doesn't often offer me the opportunity to see the amazing, wonderful things that you do," Thompson said, and joked that she saw a number of familiar faces in the room. "I do get to ask you why you make a lot of the decisions that you make."
Thompson said one of her favorite "why" questions was "Why be in a Greek organization?" The values encompassed in the brotherhood and sisterhood awards, she said, answered that question.
She awarded the Outstanding Organization award in the category to Tri-Delt for the house's efforts to recognize the diversity of their numbers and foster a sense of unity as a group.
She also awarded the McEwen Award, selected by the students of CFS organizations to honor peer houses with a commitment to CFS collaboration and support, to Phi Delt and Kappa Delta Epsilon.
The Katrina Benefit Concert, a record number of new members, and increased communication with alumni won Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity the Outstanding Overall Improvement in Accountability award. Bones Gate Fraternity and Theta Delta Chi fraternity trailed in the rankings as first and second runners-up, respectively.
Tri-Delt's new membership education program, which emphasizes risk management and reorganization of their budget and financial policy, helped them win the most Outstanding Organization in Accountability.
Professor John Rassias received the Faculty Member of the Year award and sent a statement from Toulouse, France, where he is currently leading a French LSA. He said he enjoys getting to live vicariously through students as they graduate and enter exciting professions.
"I am, through my students, everything that I have wanted to be, and I thank you for the opportunity," he wrote.
Chi Gamma Epsilon adviser Jim Adler '60 won the Outstanding Chapter Advisor award.
"This is a great honor, and I thank you, but the greater honor is that the Chi Gam guys wanted to nominate me," Adler said.
Tri-Delt member Christina Jimenez '06, Tri-Kap member Peter Hughes '06, AZD member Joanna Hunter '06, Assistant ORL Director Deborah Carney, ORL liaison Margaret Hancock and UJAO interim assistant director Marilyn Sturman comprised the selection committee for group awards.
Phi Delt member Jeffrey Hotaling '06, KDE member Lorraine Buhannic '07, Chi Gam member Alex Gelman '06, Upperclass Dean Carolynne Krusi, Associate Dean of Residential Life Deborah Golder and assistant director of CFS administration Megan Johnson worked together as the selection committee for individual awards.v