As Greek organizations begin recruitment this week, they are implementing new policies to make the system more approachable for perspective members.
- Paul Wong
- FRANK PAYNE/Daily
Kappa Kappa Gamma, a sorority located on Hill Street, will participate in Fall 2002 Rush activities under new policies beginning this week.
For the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association, rush is a three-week process beginning this week with open houses and mixers, culminating with Bid Days in early October.
IFC is taking a different approach to rush this year with the creation of the recruitment task force to attract potential rushees, IFC Vice President of Major Events Matt Van Wasshnova said.
The task force, composed of 20 Greek members not affiliated with the recruitment process, serves as an informational resource for perspective members, Van Wasshnova said.
Prohibited from answering house-specific questions, task force members answer general questions about IFC and the Greek community designed to match potential members with a house they will be comfortable with, Van Wasshnova said.
The new IFC system more closely resembles the Panhel system’s Rho Omegas, responsible for chalking sidewalks and advertising Greek events, Van Wasshnova said.
“The recruitment task force is one tangent of what the ladies already have,” he added.
Panhel began revising recruitment rules last winter, Panhel president Monica Rose said. Although large-scale changes are still in the works, a change in the interaction between current and perspective members will be noticed.
“Contact between active members and potential members is not as limited,” Rose said. “We really wanted expanded contact. We had so many rules we feel it might have put some women off.”
Now sorority women are allowed to speak openly about the Greek community with perspective members, Rose said.
Women are also allowed to wear their house letters more frequently, she added.
“This year we lessened those restrictions and encouraged sorority members to talk with potential members,” Rose said.
After tomorrow’s sorority forum, a period of strict silence is enforced to keep the process fair, Rose said.
“In the future, we’re evolving recruitment into something a little less formal,” Rose said.
She added that there is a movement to decrease the costs of rush and the number of themed parties sororities hold.
IFC and Panhel executive boards make a conscious effort to plan recruitment events around football Saturdays and certain holidays, Rose said.
This year, IFC and Panhel recruitment was delayed until the third week of classes, which helped increase the number of potential rushees, Rose added.
Rose said this delay is already proving effective.
“We had more women pre-register this year,” she said. “There were a great number of girls at the mass meeting.
“It will make the connection between the person who wants to rush and a house,” Van Wasshnova.
The task force is a step to make IFC recruitment more unified, something that is essential to the vitality of the fraternity life Van Wasshnova said.
“You feel an aura in the air of unity,” Van Wasshnova added. “Houses are trying to deal with this air. We’re one big body. The unification at the University has been passed onto us.”