Fraternity rush for the Class of 2002 -- which is set to begin on Monday night -- is being greeted with a degree of optimism from the Inter Fraternity Council and most house presidents.
Although IFC President Hondo Sen '00 said the IFC cannot guarantee that everyone who rushes will receive a bid, he is confident that virtually everyone who wants to join a fraternity will be able to -- something the IFC sees as important in a year they are implementing a new system for tracking the percentage of rushees who receive bids.
In an attempt to show that the fraternity system is one based on inclusion, not exclusion, the IFC has added mandatory web registration for all rushees and included two new recommendations to this year's rush policy.
The web site, developed by the IFC for this term's rush process, will require prospective rushees to register, enabling the IFC to create a database for the rush process.
The site also provides a means for students to give feedback on the process, ask questions or simply read over the IFC rush policy.
According to Rush Chair Alex Waters '01, statistics have never been kept regarding the actual numbers of students who rush fraternities at Dartmouth. Waters said the idea for the web site came about as a way to show that the rush process is an open and fair one. He said he hopes that by correlating the numbers of rushees and the number of bids received, the fraternity system will prove to be an inclusive one.
The first new rush policy recommendation suggests that rushees consider at least four top choices for fraternities instead of the more traditional one or two. In an interview with The Dartmouth last night, Sen said that rushees might even consider visiting five or six houses on the first night of rush.
The second recommendation involves a voluntary policy asking fraternities to accept at least 30 percent of the size of their house if the number of rushees they receive is greater than or equal to 40 percent of their current house membership.
This measure is aimed to ensure that houses with a high number of interested '02s will take a full class, thus creating more overall bids.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity President Thad Glowacki '00 said that his house fully intends to comply with this year's new rush recommendations. He also said that his house is expecting a larger rush class than last year, as rush numbers for SAE in 1998 were "slightly down."
Most IFC representatives and fraternity house presidents do not believe the Trustees' Social and Residential Life Initiative will have a negative effect on the number of people who rush.
"I can't envision it having a negative effect," Waters said.
Sigma Phi Epsilon president Andy Louis '00 believes it is doubtful that this year's rush will be worse than in previous years. He cited the apparent success of the sorority rush so far, which he said is already doing better than last year's.
The IFC has been working since Winter term to recruit members of the Class of 2002. In the spring, a mailing was sent to all 517 '02 males informing them of each individual house and the rush process in general.
In addition, fraternities have been holding their own barbecues and mixers since Spring term.
Sen stressed that fraternities do not actively try to persuade or pursue people for rush. The IFC wants students to decide for themselves whether or not they want to join a fraternity, Sen said. He added that students should not be forced into joining a fraternity by peer pressure or any other influence.
Sen also noted that fraternities do not need to prove their popularity in the eyes of the administration or the Board of Trustees with a large turnout for rush this year.
"We feel very comfortable with our situation. There is no sense of urgency on our part."
Rush will last from Monday, October 4 to Wednesday, October 6. Bids will be given out by October 8.
All male '02s are invited to rush any fraternity house during October 4 and 5, but October 6 is reserved for individual rush invitations.
