Correction: Men of Vision did not announce Oct. 4 that student life and wellness had granted the organization formal recognition as a member of Omega Delta Phi fraternity, Inc. as reported in the update. A Mesquite reporter confirmed Sept. 19 that Men of Vision was listed as an interest group and was not yet a recognized student organization on this campus. On Sept. 21, Men of Vision was approved by student life and wellness as an official student organization, but it was not clarified before publication. Men of Vision will not be entitled to office space as reported.
Updated 8:20 p.m. Oct. 4: Men of Vision announced to members Oct. 4 that student life and wellness granted the organization formal recognition as a member of Omega Delta Phi fraternity, Inc.
By Tawseef Ali
Omega Delta Phi fraternity, Inc. held an informational meeting for students 6:30 p.m. Oct 4 in Room 204 of Main Campus Building. The fraternity is not a recognized student organization on this campus, but Armando Prado, student representative and criminology junior, said he has taken the first step by creating an interest group, Men of Vision.
In september, Prado said the office of student life and wellness recognized Men of Vision as an interest group, the first step in achieving formal recognition as a student organization.
“[Men of Vision] is still in the preliminary stages of establishing itself at TAMUSA,” Prado said.
Upon recruiting 10 students, Prado said Men of Vision established itself as an interest group on campus. It will be entitled to office space and formal recognition once the chapter is recognized by the office of student life and wellness. The group currently has recruited 13 students at this time, Prado said.
Prado said Brothers of ODPHI attended tonight’s meeting to discuss the question: “What we have to do in order to become brothers of the fraternity?”
According to the fraternity website, ODPHI was established in fall 1987 at Texas Tech University. ODPHI is a service/social fraternity dedicated to the needs and concerns of the community. The group promotes multicultural brotherhood and a diverse fraternal experience for men in higher education.
Tarik Esquerra, assistant director of employee services and the current adviser for the group said he met with Prado about three weeks ago for the first time.
He said he was interested in serving as the adviser for the group because he believes it is a good idea to bring this organization on campus and that Prado and his group are “the right people to do the job.”
Men of Vision is currently seeking a full time adviser and intends on having two advisers for additional support.
Campus Activities Board, a student division of the office of student life and wellness, is responsible for activities such as registering organizations and helping student groups with operational assistance.
A recognized student organization is defined by the University’s student handbook as “any number of students who have complied with the formal requirements for university recognition and are therefore eligible to use the university facilities and apply for student service fee organization funding.”
A non-recognized student organization, or interest group, is a student group that has not completed the formal requirements for recognition.
Other interest groups seeking recognition at A&M-San Antonio include a Chi Upsilon Sigma interest group and Sigma Delta Lambda Sorority, Inc.
