Each year, the University of Michigan National Pan-Hellenic Council invites members of the campus community to attend a week-long of events in the beginning of the school year. This Fall, NPHC Week was held in the last week of September and themed after the Spike Lee classic film "School Daze" and featured a host of events with an old-school flare. Every chapter participates in the planning and execution of the events - catering to the needs of campus and using campus partners as resources for publicity and planning. The events included: Game Night, Myth Busters, Midnight Madness, Ice Breaker, and the NPHC Open House.
Game Night provided students something easy and fun and with midterms quickly approaching, the NPHC wanted to induce a sense of nostalgia and relaxation. Candy Land, Monopoly, and other classic board games were provided for students to play and socialize with members of the council.
Myth Busters focused on negating the stereotypes and misunderstandings associated with Black Greek culture. The NPHC provided a panel of representatives from each chapter to give a holistic view of the community and to answer audience questions.
Midnight Madness is the annual yardshow held at midnight on the Central Campus Diag. The show features stepping, strolling, chanting, and other demonstrative aspects of Black Greek culture. Even though the event is very late, it commanded a crowd that filled the entire Diag - including members from the other three Greek councils who came to support.
The NPHC Ice Breaker was dance/party in the Michigan Union, Rogel Ballroom. With the assistance of the Center for Campus Involvement, the NPHC threw this event as a fund raiser. Tickets were sold at the Michigan Union Ticket Office.
The Open House is the conclusion of NPHC Week resulted in an Open House for non-Greek students to get information about each chapter and to mix and mingle with the chapters. Each chapter did a short presentation and made themselves available for questions about potentially becoming new members.
The purpose of NPHC week is to showcase the talents of each respective chapter, provide campus with entertainment and social outlets, and expose the campus community to the culture and histories of African American fraternities and sororities for the purposes of gaining new members. NPHC Week 2014 met the expectations set forth by the council, and was well-received by the campus community.