Sororities are expecting an increased number of sophomore to come through their doors and fraternities will make a big push for new members when the Greek system's dizzying rush begins this weekend.
Fraternity and sorority rush will be run in a similar manner as previous years with a few changes aimed at allowing rushees to become better acquainted with the Greek system.
Sorority Rush
The rush process kicks off Sunday with the first round of Panhellenic rush, which runs through Oct. 8. The Panhellenic Council is the governing body of the College's six largest sororities.
"Sorority rush will be interesting this fall because numbers [of rushees] are up this term," Panhell President Jess Russo '97 said. "We hope to get more equal numbers in each of the six houses."
Panhell will guarantee bids to rushees who list all six houses on their preference cards this year, even though more than 250 women, more women than last year, are expected to participate in rush, Russo said.
Panhell "thinks it is important to guarantee each woman a place in the sorority system if she wants it," Russo said.
The process is similar to last year except for the addition of a fourth round, she said.
"We added the extra round to help the rushees gain greater exposure to rush and meet more sisters," she said.
Unlike last year's process, each rushee will automatically be invited back after the first round of rush, which will consist of a casual 30- minute parties at each of the six houses.
"This gives them the opportunity to go to the houses and get invited back without any pressure," Russo said.
The following rounds are similar to those held last year.
Round two will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Again, this round is casual with rushees attending half-hour parties at each of the six sorority houses.
Rushees are guaranteed a minimum of three invitations to the third round, although it is possible to be invited back to four houses.
The third round continues on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 with the rushees attending either three or four parties that are 45 minutes long.
The three rounds are followed by preference night on Oct. 6, which consists of two or three one-hour parties followed by the signing of a preference card after the last party where rushees can list up to six houses in order of choice.
Although the process seems dizzying and complex, rushees are guided through it by rush counselors and attend the first two rounds in small groups of up to 10 women.
According to Panhell's 1996 rush booklet, rush is a process of mutual selection where sisters and rushees are given the opportunity to meet and are guided by a set of 16 rush rules that include prohibiting alcoholic beverages at rush events and a 'strict silence' from the last party until bid acceptance night.
The new seventh sorority will not be involved in the rush process this year because it has yet to become College recognized, Russo said. "The house is still forming, and we do not want to put them into the system right now."
"Since only 14 of the women involved in the new sorority are on this term, rush would not work to their advantage," Russo said. "They need time to get more organized so they can recruit new members once they have a stronger basis."
Fraternity Rush
Fraternity rush will be held the following week on Oct. 9, 10 and 11, according to Inter fraternity Council Rush Chair Peter Hasenkamp '98.
"Rush is being held a week later than usual due to complaints a from the fraternities about not having enough time to prepare," he said.
Due to declining rush numbers over the past few years the IFC and fraternity houses want to promote rush as much as possible, Hasenkamp said. Through the publication of a rush booklet and information booths set up at Collis and Food Court, the IFC hopes to greater publicize and foster more interest in fraternity rush.
As in the past, rush will be held on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dress will be formal for the first two nights and no alcohol will be served.
Although the process may vary slightly from house to house, generally any interested man visits the houses he is interested in, Hasenkamp said. No invitations are necessary.
"Rush provides the opportunity for '99s to find out more about the houses other than they would through parties and brothers they already know," he said. "It gives a chance for them to become more familiar with the house and the brothers in it."
All of the College's 15 fraternity houses will participate in rush, with the exception of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, which was not allowed under sanctions imposed when it was found guilty of six conduct violations following a judicial hearing on July 18, 1996.
Coed Fraternities
The Tabard, Alpha Theta and Phi Tau coed fraternities could not be reached for comment.
