The Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, also known as Fiji, has set up a booth in the Student Center this week to recruit new members.

They will be here for the next six weeks looking for the "founding fathers" of the UCA chapter they plan to start.

“We’re doing a colonization, meaning we’re coming to campus for the first time,” said Wes Martin, the director of expansion for the fraternity.

“We’ll be going and speaking to student organizations on campus working with those organizations,” Martin said. “We’ll find founding fathers based off of recommendations or referrals.We’re looking for men who fit the Fiji values … men who are academically focused, were leaders in high school or are leaders on campus already, men who want to work together as a team and gentlemen who are well-behaved or well-rounded.”

Fiji will give a $1,000 scholarship to one of the men who joins. Everyone who joins will get a $250 scholarship if they make at least a 3.0 GPA this semester, Martin said.

UCA is where Fiji wants to grow next, he said.

“We want to be a contributing member to the community,” Martin said. "UCA is a great place and a growing university. It’s a place to have a strong group with good men to recruit. I’m excited about the opportunity to meet a lot of men and start off with a strong group.”

The Office of Student Services is sponsoring the annual "Go Greek Night" tonight in the Student Center Ballroom. It begins at 5 p.m. and it is free.

Each of the Greek organizations will be present with information about their organizations. Although the event is provided primarily for freshmen, everyone is welcome to attend.

We have four separate Greek councils on our campus. The Interfraternity Council (IFC) governs the traditionally Caucasian fraternities and the Panhellenic Council governs Caucasian sororities. The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) governs the African-American fraternities and sororities. The Independent Greek Council (IGC) governs any of the sororities or fraternities that are not covered by the other councils.

The NPHC requires students to attend this event before they can join an NPHC organization.

"I believe that Go Greek Night is a great opportunity for freshman to come out and ask questions to know more about Greek life on the campus of UCA," said Lindsey Osborne, the Panhellenic advisor. "We tell them about the Greek community and the policies and requirements for recruitment."

For more information, click here.

The girls will compete in three categories. The first category is the swimsuit/toga round when each girl shows off the letters of the fraternity or sorority she is representing. Next, they will display their personalities by each performing a skit. In the final round, they will model formal clothing.

There will be a strut competition between each round performed by other new sorority members who have joined since the beginning of the fall semester. The sororities competing are Alpha Sigma Alpha, Delta Zeta, Sigma Sigma Sigma and Sigma Kappa.

There will also be door prizes and a raffle between rounds of competition.

Here are the contestants and the group they represent:

• Kayla Miller - Phi Sigma Kappa
• Lacey West - Alpha Sigma Tau
• Jenna Henson - Pi Kappa Alpha
• April Smith - Sigma Kappa
• Rachel Berry - Delta Zeta
• Kim Phipps - Sigma Nu
• Hayley Smith - Sigma Tau Gamma
• Leslyn Graves - Phi Lambda Chi
• Makenzie Moore - Kappa Sigma
• Paige Anderson - Omega Psi Phi
• Bethany Miller - Alpha Sigma Alpha

The audience can vote for their favorites by putting money in the "People's Choice" jar of each contestant. The contestant who collects the most money will be named the "People's Choice" winner at the end of the pageant.

“I think it’ll be a great show and all 13 contestants have put so much time and effort into this,” said Jordan Strong, Kappa Sigma's chairman of fundraising. Kappa Sigma is sponsoring the pageant.

Admission is $5.

It's called Beta Phi Alpha and the first chapter - the Alpha Chapter - will be here. Organizers also are working to start chapters at Mississippi Valley State University, Mississippi Delta Community College and Texas A&M University. 

The goal of the fraternity is to promote interaction and understanding among all cultures. 

“We do not want people to be tolerant of other cultures, but accepting and to embrace them,” said Ozell Pace, Jr., the Beta Phi Alpha president. 

Traditionally, fraternities and sororities belong to either the National Pan Hellenic Council, which represents African-American sororities and fraternities, or the Interfraternal Council or the Panhellenic Council, which are historically predominately Caucasian. 

Beta Phi Alpha plans to join the National Multicultural Greek Council, which promotes multicultural diversity on campuses by erasing the racial lines between fraternities and sororities. 

Since the chapter was formed Jan. 22, it has recruited 14 pledges. Seven are black, five are white and three are Hispanic. They have chosen a colt as a mascot and are represented by the colors black and yellow. They already are planning to sponsor a Cultural Awareness Day. 

National Multicultural Greek Council

The fraternity still has a few hurdles to clear before it becomes accredited by the national council. Members have to get the fraternity approved as a Recognized Student Organization (RSO) and recognized by the administration here. 

“We are not sure what the entire process is," Pace said. "We are currently in the beginning stage." 

Beta Phi Alpha is accepting pledge applications for the Fall 2011 semester. For more information, you can attend an informational meeting. Learn more about that here.

It's time for the 31st annual Fite Nite presented by the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. The amatuer boxing tournament is one of the biggest social events of the year, attracting hundreds of students.

The two-night event is held in the U.S. National Guard Armory at 300 Exchange St. The action begins at 7:30 p.m. today and continues at the same time tomorrow night. Tickets are $8 and available at the door. T-shirts will be available for $12.

Fighters are matched in weight categories in single-elimination bouts. Winners tonight will fight again tomorrow night for the championship of their categories. Overall winners in each category receive a trophy and $100.

The event includes the popular "grudge match" fights between any two people who challenge each other. And, of course, the often controversial ring girls will be there.

You might want to get there early. Doors open at 7 p.m. and long lines have formed in the past. By the time the fights begin, all available seating usually is taken. The music can be deafening at times.

Some of the fighters confirmed for the event  include Chris Knight, Drew Jordan, Cody Johnson, Tommy Chanphadoune, Kenneth Reddic and Corey Springer.

Here's a video of some the action in 2007. It's a bit grainy but you can get an idea of what happens at the event.

The Spring Queen pageant will be held at 7 p.m. today in Ida Waldron Auditiorium. Admission is $6 at the door. T-shirts and raffle tickets also will be sold. All proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The pageant allows 12 selected sorority pledges to compete in four categories: Modeling their sorority letters, wearing togas, modeling formal wear and displaying their personalities. One of them will be named "Spring Queen."

The pageant is hosted by the Kappa Sigma fraternity and Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority.

It's part of their week-long celebration of the members who joined the fraternity in the Spring 2008 semester. The celebration, called "Welcome to Omegaland," started at 7 p.m. yesterday with a "Stop the Violence" program in the Student Center.

Omega Psi Phi

Other activities scheduled this week include:

• Wednesday - All Greek Basketball - HPER - 7 p.m.
• Thursday - Powderpuff Game - TBA
• Weekend - Several parties and a Sunday picnic with free food at Fifth Avenue Park - TBA

The Omega Psi Phi brothers are known for throwing festive events. Everyone is invited to join them during the celebrations.

It seems that the hosts of the annual show, the Iota Pi chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, couldn't find enough UCA police officers to provide security at the event. The UCAPD officers are busy preparing for a campus drill on March 11.

This year's show includes Greek organization from throughout Central Arkansas.

Phi Beta Sigma men stepping

Phi Beta Sigma offers $2,500 in prize money to the top three finishers. The prizes are:

• First place - $1,500
• Second place - $750
• Third place - $250

Tickets for the April 23 show are $10 in advance and $15 the day of the show. The show still will be performed in Ida Waldron.

It's UCA's first co-ed honor fraternity for film students, according to its founder and president, Lesley Allen. If things go as planned, it will become a national organization.  

"By starting our own fraternity, we are hoping to achieve bigger and better things," Allen said. "We have big ideas and big plans for the future."  

Allen, a graduate film student in the Department of Mass Communication and Theatre, spent last semester creating the organization and recruiting members. Membership is closed now but they will be looking for new members next semester.  

Lesley Allen

The fraternity focuses on providing a support network for film students and sponsoring events that bring them together, Allen said. She already is making plans to co-sponsor the annual UCA Film Festival.  

"Film students are often forgotten about on campus," Allen said. "This gives us a chance to let everyone know we're here."