Callie Burgan, News Editor, The Advocate
November 4, 2020
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Although COVID-19 has impeded on most in-person campus festivities, the 2020 Pitt-Johnstown Homecoming Court seniors are refusing to be stifled, remaining optimistic for an unusual and out of the ordinary Spirit Week.

“I love Pitt-Johnstown, and, even more so, I love that I am able to share this experience of being on court with my friends.” Weber said.

Senior Tyler Weakland, representing Alpha Kappa Psi, said he is honored to be chosen for Court during such a significant year.

“Being chosen by my brothers of Alpha Kappa Psi has really made me realize how important brotherhood actually is. This is going to be my third year as a brother, and I wouldn’t change anything. “Alpha Kappa Psi has really grounded me to campus as well as a worldwide organization for the rest of my life. With COVID-19 pandemic hindering most of the homecoming festivities, I’m still impressed that Pitt-Johnstown has been able to mask up and stay mountain cat strong by keeping everyone involved and engaged whether you’re remote or on campus.” Weakland said.

Madison Augustine, representing College Democrats, said being nominated for homecoming court is an honor. “I have been dedicated to my organization since I joined as a member and have been lucky enough to serve as president. To be nominated just reminds me that I put my all into being involved on campus and being a student leader. “The homecoming experience is definitely different this year, but I’m extremely thankful to be a part of it – regardless of it being virtual or in person.”

Senior Tessa Fry, who is representing UPJ Cheerleading, said she is Mountain Cat proud to stand on court with individuals she has had the opportunity to share so many laughs, experiences and memories with over the past four years. “Although this year is anything but typical, these individuals nominated make their Pitt-Johnstown home unique and memorable for all. Again, I am very appreciative of the opportunity to represent such a strong community of individuals as we forge through life together.  “Hailing from home this year, the spirit of Homecoming still resonates within our Mountain Cat Community as we come together once again as a family to engage and make the most of the time we have left together here at Pitt-Johnstown remaining Mountain Cat strong.” Fry said.

Senior Isa Lanthaler, who is also representing Alpha Kappa Psi, said she was surprised to be selected to be on the court this year. “I am representing Alpha Kappa Psi,the Professional Business Fraternity on campus. All of our members are extremely ambitious and driven towards success. I was honored to be selected.”

To add to the fun, November 5 is “Blue and Gold Day” on campus.  If a student is “caught” wearing Pitt-Johnstown apparel by a Program Board member, they are able to win free school merchandise.
The full list of Homecoming Court seniors are as follows:

• Madison Augustine representing College Democrats
• Tessa Fry representing UPJ Cheerleading
• Nick Mowad representing UPJ Cheerleading and Kappa Delta Rho Fraternity
• Jillian Badgley representing Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority
• Connor Krugh representing Program Board and Delta Chi Fraternity
• Lexi Weber representing Education Club
• Daniel Shirley representing Education Club
• Christopher Joseph representing the American Society of Civil Engineers
• Ashley Kushner representing the American Society of Civil Engineers
• Isa Lanthaler representing Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity
• Tyler Weakland representing Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity
• Jade Stubblefield representing Student Government Association
• Devin Seiger representing Student Government Association

Kayley McKay was named Homecoming Queen and Zachary Barnot was named Homecoming King for 2017 at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown during a Saturday, September 30, ceremony. Pitt-Johnstown President Jem Spectar crowned Ms. McKay and Mr. Barnot at the campus University Square Gazebo.

They were sponsored by Delta Chi fraternity.

Kayley is a nursing major from Harmony and is also the President of Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority.
Zachary is a Belle Vernon grad who will have his degree in Business Information Systems. These leaders were nominated by Delta Chi Fraternity.

Nominations were announced earlier in the week and student voting concluded Friday.
The coronation is part of Pitt-Johnstown Homecoming weekend.

Candidates for queen included McKay, Sarah Brasili, Amber Gibbs, Sydney Hamilton, Haley Knepp, Santana Lardo, Heather Moon, and Julianne Nerone

Candidates for king included Barnot, Qaseem Chaudhry, Andrew Downey, David Francola, Abdullahi Mada, Thomas Messer, Patrick Petrell, and Brady Willis.
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Last year's queen and king - Ashlee McMullen and Bernard Dunegan - were on hand for the ceremony.

• More photos may be found on the Pitt-Johnstown Homecoming 2017 Flickr album.​

Sunday, October 1
Morning Yoga & Exercise
9-10 a.m.
Upper Campus Mall
Reflect on your memories from the weekend by joining us for yoga on the scenic Upper Campus Mall.
Nondenominational Service
10-11 a.m.
Whaley Chapel
Receive spiritual renewal before you journey home.
Farewell Toast
11:30 a.m.
Blackington Hall Lobby
Toast to a wonderful Homecoming weekend and to our future success.
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RSVP Today

Rachel Logan, Copy Editor
April 12, 2017

After a recent temporary suspension of Kappa Zeta, Pitt-Johnstown is home to only one social sorority out to four social fraternities.

Finance and Administration Vice President Amy Buxbaum, also a Campus Title IX coordinator, said that there is no violation of equal opportunity for men and women.

“(Pitt-Johnstown) does not organize these groups or recruit for them. We simply provide equal opportunities for both sororities and fraternities to organize on campus.

“This is different than varsity athletics programs, which we actively organize and direct, which are subject to Title IX.”

A memorandum from the federal Department of Education, dated May 3, 1989, noted the difference between social Greek life and professional, service or honorary Greek life. Title IX, the memo says, applies to service and honorary organization in that they may not exclude members based on gender.

“Under Title IX and the implementing regulation, the membership practices of social fraternities and sororities are specifically excluded from coverage if the active membership consists primarily of students in attendance at institutes of higher education, and the fraternity or sorority is exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code.”

Pitt-Johnstown administrators thus do not guarantee the presence of equal Greek life opportunities on campus. Student Affairs Vice President Shawn Brooks said such matters stay on the student level, unless things go awry.

According to Brooks, there have been as many as four social sororities on campus in recent years, but two have been suspended for possible hazing, and one has been removed by its national sponsor.

Brooks said that those looking to organize a social fraternity or sorority on campus could connect with the national organization they wish as a sponsor, then petition the Pan-Helenic council.
“It’s a separate process for recognition. It doesn’t rise to the administrative level. Our role is very limited unless things go absolutely haywire.”

Currently, the sorority Alpha Gamma Delta is eligible to return to campus if they wish to recolonize, a process that takes about half a year, Brooks said.

Greek Affairs Director Shaun Hemphill did not respond to attempts to contact him.

The president of the remaining sorority on campus, Phi Sigma Sigma, declined comment.

READ MORE: Only 1 sorority is left

Tyler McNulty, News Editor
April 5, 2017

Student government members approved a 2017-2018 academic year budget for clubs and organizations at a March 28 meeting.

Funds were allocated to 47 clubs. Eight organizations were denied funding, including Kappa Zeta sorority, History Club and Kickstart Kids’ Hearts.

The three organizations that received the most money were Programing Board, $99,250; Ice Hockey, $52,324 and American Society of Civil Engineers, $27,588.

Pitt-Johnstown College Democrats requested $129,219: $75,000 for a Bill Nye appearance and $50,000 for commentator Van Jones.

Treasurer Joe Evanko said that was not feasible.

“(Allocations committee members) denied (Nye and Jones) because that just isn’t feasible with the amount of money we have to allocate to all clubs,” Evanko said.

College Democrats members received $4,021 for next year.

Catholic Campus Ministry requested $18,000 for next year. The organization received $1,896.
Ministry members did not provide proof in time for a funds request.

When Evanko brought amendments to the budgets, one he brought up was the amendment to the ministry’s budget.

For a budget amendment to be approved, two-thirds of student government members must vote in favor of the amendment.

Student government senators passed the members’ amendment, and the club was allocated $1,896.
Geology Club members requested $11,150. They received $1,075.

“Geology Club’s budget was late, and they didn’t give accurate proof,” Evanko said.
The student activity fee — a $90 charge to each student every semester, creates the money to allocate to organizations.

According to Evanko, if a student drops out before a certain point in the semester, all or half of the $90 is refunded.

“We predicted low just to be safe,” Evanko said.

At a March 14 student government meeting, co-chairwoman Madison Nick said allocations committee members predicted there to be 2,700 students for next fall semester and 2,400 students for next spring semester.

According to Nick, the student government constitution states that a certain percentage of the predicted student activity fee must go to the Programming Board.

She said giving the certain percentage straight to Programming Board members allows them to plan programs based on what is happening, planning events a year in advance.

“With giving (Programing Board members) a certain percentage of the student activity fee, (board) do not have to plan a whole year of events in advance,” Nick said.

Nick also said the Programming Board is the only club the student government constitution requires a certain part of the budget to go to.

“Programing Board serves the whole campus,” she said.

Some items the allocations committee didn’t fund included clothing, retreats and coaches’ pay.
Evanko said cutting coaches’ pay was a tough decision.

Although club coaches are there for a reason, Evanko said it wasn’t fair to be paying coaches with the students’ money.

The emergency allocation fund allows club members to request funds for something they did not originally included in funding requests.

To keep funds in the emergency allocation pool, 5 percent of the student activity fee needs to be in emergency-allocation funds.

When allocations committee members originally reviewed all of the budgets, the emergency-allocation funds were not big enough.

“We were pretty nice first time around,” Evanko said.

However, committee members then went back through each budget and cut an additional 10 percent to the last line item in each club’s budget, according to Evanko.

New clubs whose members proposed a budget less than $1,000 and returning club members who proposed a budget less than $500 did not receive the 10 percent cut from their last funds request.
Evanko said this year’s budgeting season went well.

“Overall, budgeting went a lot better. We had no mistakes, besides the issue with the constitution.”
Nick agreed.
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“Budgeting has changed a lot since my freshmen year. It’s gotten a lot better, and club (members) are starting to get a hang of (the budgeting process),” Nick said.

READ MORE: Almost half goes to only 3 groups

JOHNSTOWN, PA - The newly forming UPJ Greek Alumni Council, the GAC, is excited to announce some special events for Fraternity and Sorority Alumni during Pitt-Johnstown's Homecoming celebration on Saturday, September 26, 2015.  In addition to  Alumni events hosted by the University there will be several "Greek Only" festivities where Greek Alumni can renew old friendships and make new memories.  

There are THREE EVENTS scheduled for SATURDAY HOMECOMING 2015!

As a final note...
In celebration with the creation of the GAC it is only fitting that we pay tribute to those Greek Organizations who spearheaded the entire Greek movement at UPJ. Without them, no other organization would exist.

Celebrating Reunions in 2015 are:

• Lambda Sigma Rho 55th Reunion (April 1961)
• Chi Epsilon Nu 50th Reunion (November 1965)

October 28 2014: NEWS: Pitt Johnstown Homecoming 2014 [video] Tags: Acacia, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Delta Chi, Delta Sigma Chi, Kappa Delta Rho, Kapp Zeta, Phi Sigma Sigma, Sigma Tau Gamma

October 8 2013: NEWS: Pitt-Johnstown Homecoming 2013[video] Tags: Acacia, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Delta Chi, Delta Sigma Chi, Kappa Delta Rho, Kapp Zeta, Phi Sigma Sigma, Sigma Tau Gamma

Amstrid Gomez, News Editor
October 2, 2013 
Filed under News

With tears in her eyes senior Anna Macugoski was crowned homecoming queen Saturday afternoon by 2008 queen Jenna Ricci.

This was the first time since 2009 that an engineering student did not win the crown.

In a tie for third runner-up were Nikki Huber who represented Kappa Zeta sorority and Lindsay Romah who represent the Student Government Association.

- See more at: http://www.upj-advocate.com/news/2013/10/02/queen-real-world-win/#sthash.DkgDXtBC.dpuf

October 2, 2013; NEWS: Queen: Real World win Tags: Alpha Sigma Alpha, Kappa Zeta, Homecoming, Delta Chi