Mudslinging.

Student Association presidential hopefuls John Fallon and Rob McCormack are embroiled in a rumor war during the last day of executive office elections.

McCormack told The Northern Star that rumors about cutting funding to the Panhellenic and Interfraternity councils were circulated by telephone to Greek organizations.

But Fallon denied the rumors orginated in his camp, claiming it is a ploy to cloud the issues.

Sigma Alpha Mu member Larry Silverman said he received a call by an unidentified person saying McCormack’s election would not be good for Greeks because McCormack “wants to cut funding” to Greek organizations.

However, Silverman openly said he helped McCormack in his campaign and the rumor could not be confirmed with any other fraternities or sororities.

Fallon denied that he or any of his campaign workers spread rumors about McCormack. “I know no one from my camp did it.

“I think this is an attempt by my opponent and his supporters to take, once again, the focus away from the issues and alienate me from the student body as a whole,” Fallon said.

But McCormack said questions about funding cuts to IFC and Panhel were the first asked during campaigning in Greek Row. “Every fraternity and sorority pretty much asked the same question. I have no intention of zero-funding IFC and Panhel.

“I’ve had other people come up to me and tell me” about the rumor, McCormack said. “It’s hard to fight a rumor. I’d rather lose this election honestly than know that I won it dishonestly.”

But the rumor about cutting Greek funding has cropped up in other elections, too. “When I was campaigning, the same rumor surfaced,” said SA President Huda Scheidelman.

McCormack said campaign workers are sometimes too zealous. “People take this campaign like a life or death situation.”

Although three Fallon campaign workers did call Greek organizations, the workers “were concentrating on NIU issues, not Greek issues,” Fallon said. “Not one of them made any of those comments.

“Until this rumor is given any credibility, I choose not to believe it,” Fallon said, adding it was an “attempt to take the focus away from issues.”

“I am not running as a Greek candidate. I am a candidate who is Greek and am proud of being Greek,” Fallon said, explaining the distinction.