With the aftermath of last November’s unfortunate event still looming over Famuans’ heads, there is concern about how this year’s homecoming events will be affected.
The cancellation of the Greek step show has created a buzz, and many wonder if the new intake rules have something to do with it. According to the new membership intake rules that began in September, student organizations were not allowed to hold meetings until Sept. 17 and must meet certain academic requirements. These new rules have put a hold on new member intakes.
There are a large amount of student organizations that perform in the homecoming events. An event that is affected largely by student organization participation is the Homecoming Fashion Show. Lateisha Harris, a junior criminal justice student from Miami and fan of the annual show, expressed her concern.
“The Homecoming Fashion Show has always been my favorite event,” Harris said. “With everything going on, I hope it’s just as good this year, especially because I know they can’t use new models.”
New intake rules bar freshmen from joining any student organization until they have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours with a 2.5 GPA and 30 hours of community service. Elouinia Exantus, a Homecoming Fashion Show chair and member of Images expresssed her frustrations with the new rules.
“Our opening scene consists of students that are a part of organizations and students that are not. About 25 of those students are freshmen,” Exantus said. “Because of the new rules, these models lack the proper training and confidence needed to perform for such a large crowd.”
In order to maintain membership in an organization, students must maintain a 2.0 GPA, be in good academic and judicial standing and have 30 documented hours of community service. Each organization is required to submit detailed monthly community service reports to the Office of Student Affairs.
Avagay Lindsay, a senior public relations student and Images model from Ft. Lauderdale will be participating in this year’s Fashion Show. Despite the rules’ interference with practices and intake, Lindsay provided a positive outlook on the situation.
“This year it feels different,” Lindsay said. “I’m used to coaching the new Images members as well as meeting some the new members of the other troupes. This year it feels like a family reunion. Aside from the few freshmen that we have, everyone is pretty familiar with one another.”
In celebration of FAMU’s 125th anniversary, models will be showcasing the fashion of the past 125 years as well as giving FAMU students the opportunity to sport their own clothing lines.
“Despite the changes and rules that have been implemented this year, we have an amazing show planned,”Exantus said. “Myself as well as others have been working with these students twice a week for some time and they are going to blow the audience away.”
The homecoming fashion show will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012 at 7pm in Gaither Gym.