The problem with rush is that so many girls enter the process with their minds already made up and then drop out once their preconceived expectations are not met. But these expectations are often based on ignorance. Many women hold judgments about houses into which they have never set foot. For this reason, the Editorial Board suggests that round one of the current system be left in place, since it makes visits to every house mandatory. But one crowded, noisy, 45-minute visit is not enough to make up for a year's worth of "lack of open parties." Perhaps the sororities should make more efforts during the year to hold open events (which do not necessarily have to involve alcohol, in compliance with national rules) which would allow freshman women (and the rest of campus) to get a feel for the true character of their houses. Blair Sullivan '10
I absolutely agree that sorority rush needs drastic reform, but more urgently, our brains need reform. Our brains are ostensibly those of Ivy League students, and should therefore be intelligent enough to weed Greek life of its petty cruelties through direct administrative action or some kind of boycott. But we fail to do so year after year, because at a more primal mental level, we like our petty cruelties and silly exclusive clubs. It is the cruelties that give the clubs their fire and romance and make us feel like we belong.
Sam Buntz '11
Whether you've analyzed this year's disappointing sorority statistics or just heard the personal accounts, I think everyone can agree that the women's rush process is a broken system. But let us not unanimously agree and then subsequently forget until next year. We as a student body need to hold the Panhellenic Council's feet to the fire now, this year, before another Dartmouth class of women must undergo this tortuous process.Kevin Niparko '12
At a school with such a large focus on Greek life, we cannot afford to have such scathing exclusivity. The lack of impartiality towards the female student body at Dartmouth compounds already serious problems surrounding the sororities on campus, and the Panhellenic Council must begin to make effective changes in the system if there is to be a continued interest in the sororities here.
Julian Sarkar '13
As long as a disproportionately high number of women will only be satisfied with a few select sororities, there will never be a rush process that can work. I agree that the current system is very flawed, but for now, it's the best idea we've got. A system like the fraternities have would only introduce even more politics into the women's rush process.Tom Mandel '11
There are more pleasant things than sorority rush, but let's face it: Sororities are exclusive organizations with varied perceptions of prestige. It's easy to blame the computer and the system, but the fact of the matter is that not everyone gets the house they want. Plenty of guys don't receive bids to the house they shake out at either. Furthermore, if the system is so flawed, why does every sorority buy into its procedures year after year?Isaiah Berg '11
The problems with sorority rush was probably the most talked about topic at men's rush. That is to say that there is a glaring disparity between the two systems that we unanimously acknowledge and yet choose to ignore. Perhaps making sorority rush more like fraternity rush is the panacea.Jasper Hicks '12
