State operated a maritime facility at Cat Cove on the Salem harbor. The facility was used to provide interactive, hands-on educational experience for students majoring in marine biology. In the past, Cat Cove had been used to study local shellfish.. Student life There are more than seventy student organizations on campus, which are divided into categories: academic affiliated groups, interest groups, performance groups, programming oriented groups, religiously affiliated groups, social and cultural groups, student governing groups, and student media groups. Student organizations are financially supported through a mandatory student fee of $50.00 per semester overseen by the Student Government Association. Undergraduate students are elected to the Student Government Association for one-year terms through an election process during the spring semester. The majority of student organizations are housed in the George H. Ellison Campus Center on North campus. Groups and activities Greek life Salem State has four Greek life organizations. Fraternities: Alpha Sigma Phi (ΑΣΦ) The Zeta Pi (ΖΠ) chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi was the first Greek life organization established at Salem State and it has been active since 2014. The chapter started after university students contacted the fraternity headquarters about opening a chapter at the school. Administration welcomed the idea of Greek life on campus and four members went through the first pledge ceremony on July 22, 2011. The colony initially struggled due to lack of press by the university. Zeta Pi was officially charted on February 22, 2014, in a ceremony in Veterans Hall in the Ellison Campus Center. Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ) The Tau Gamma (ΤΓ) chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon has been active at Salem State since 2017. Sororities: Phi Sigma Sigma (ΦΣΣ) The Iota Pi (ΙΠ) chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma has been active at Salem State since 2011. Theta Phi Alpha (ΘΦΑ) The Delta Eta (ΔΗ) chapter of Theta Phi Alpha has been active at Salem State since 2016. Speaker series The Salem State University Speaker Series was established in 1982 with former President of the United States Gerald Ford as the series' first guest. Since the conception of the Speaker Series, the university has hosted political leaders, activists, and celebrities to share their stories with Salem residents and the surrounding North Shore community. Past speakers have included former Presidents of the United States Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush; Congressman John F. Tierney; television host and comedian, Jay Leno; head coach of