Heightened safety measures proved effective at the Sigma Lambda Beta social
fraternity-sponsored dance party at the Student Activity Center Saturday
night.

Two CMU Police officers and one sergeant were on duty for the fraternity’s annual dance, where there were no reported problems.

CMU Police Sgt. Leo Mioduszewski said traditionally the department has not provided a sergeant for dance parties.

He said Sgt. John Vinson, who helped break up fights during an Oct. 11 SAC party, was responding to a call.

New Lothrop junior Carlos Rubio, Sigma Lambda Beta president, said the
fraternity has had parties at the SAC for the last four years and they usually
are under control.

Rubio said he recently talked with CMU’s chapter of the National Panhellenic
Council and decided no-alcohol policies needed to be more strict, following
a fight allegedly involving CMU football player Anthony Tyus.

“I think that fight really shook everyone up,” he said. “We’re trying
to show people we can have a party here and that’s not going to happen.”

Everyone who entered the party Saturday passed through a metal detector,
which is not a new concept for SAC parties, said CMU Police Officer Alan
McArthur.

Non-CMU students were asked to sign a guest list at the door.

“This is the most organized I’ve ever seen a dance group,” said Kyle Theisen, SAC student manager and Bay City senior.

More than 50 people danced the night away from 11 p.m. until 2:30 a.m. to a variety of beats, from Latin Salsa to Hip Hop.

“We really just want people to have a good time,” Rubio said. “We usually
have one big fund-raiser every year, and our dance is our big fund-raiser
for our chapter.”

The CMU chapter of Sigma Lambda Beta welcomed members from nine other
chapters throughout Michigan and Ohio. Its sister sorority, Sigma Lambda
Gamma, welcomed chapters from three other schools.

Dennis Medel, Eastern Michigan University graduate student, said he has
spent 12 years in the fraternity as a founding father at EMU.

“I came here just to support my brothers from a different chapter,” he
said. “We’re pretty tight nationally, but even more tight region-wise. I
still come and check on my people here.”

Rubio said many minority fraternities and sororities have parties at the SAC because they don’t have chapter houses.

“Our nationals as a whole don’t let any chapters have a house, for liability and insurance reasons,” he said.

Ann Kwak, Minority Student Services assistant director, and Juan Olivarez,
military science professor, were asked by students to serve as advisers for
the event.

“We’re just here to make sure everyone has a good time,” Kwak said. “It’s perfect – there are no problems.”

Several in attendance said they had a good time.

“I’ve never had so much fun dancing in my life,” said Ortonville senior Crystal Smith, Alpha Sigma Tau social sorority member.

Police said the event ran smoothly.

“With the amount of people we’ve had, we haven’t had any problems at all
and I think the group has done a real good job putting this together,” Mioduszewski
said.

Rubio said the group regularly hosts Salsa and Latin dance programs for
many residence halls on campus and works to promote different cultural groups.

The group will host a Latin dance lesson in Herrig Hall later this month, he said.

To learn more about CMU’s chapter of Sigma Lambda Beta, visit its Web site at www.SigmaLambdaBeta.com/rho.

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