For the first time since 2000, fraternity rush is being held during Fall term. The three-day rush period begins tomorrow evening and continues until Monday night.
Held during Winter and Spring terms for the last three years, rush was moved back to the fall as a result of a compromise between Dartmouth administrators and Greek Leadership Council officers in May of 2004. GLC officers agreed to hold rush during the third week of the term in exchange for beginning rush in the fall.
A fall rush period necessitated some changes in logistics, said Interfraternity Council President David Grey '05. Rush will be three days this year, instead of two, and will take place over the course of a weekend, as opposed to strictly on weeknights, Grey said.
Additionally, the events will begin a half-hour earlier than usual, Grey said, so that houses can open their doors to the campus after deliberations.
The rush process itself will remain the same. A coat-and-tie affair, rush consists of sophomores visiting the houses that interest them and spending two hours each night getting to know the members of the house.
At the end of the evening sophomores shake out at the house they intend to pledge. The brothers of the house line up outside and the sophomores shake their hands as they leave, indicating their preference for the house.
The brothers then deliberate about the rushees, and bids are delivered later that night.
Grey emphasized that shaking out is not a binding agreement, but rather a means for rushees to show their interest in the house.
"If you shake out and you get a bid, you don't have to accept it," Grey said. "But it's hard to spend time deliberating over someone who hasn't really expressed interest in the house."
Grey recommended that sophomores visit several houses over the three-day rush period, not just the house that they like best.
"It's a good way to get to know other brothers in the house, and a good way to get a final impression of the membership," he said.
Logistical changes notwithstanding, Greek leaders said they are approaching fall rush in a manner similar to past years and are looking forward to meeting their potential members.
"I don't expect any significant changes with respect to the number of people or how we will handle the process," said Sigma Alpha Epsilon president Christian Littlejohn '05.
"I'm very optimistic about rush this year, added Littlejohn. "I've had the opportunity to meet a lot of really good guys that have been by the house and I expect we could have a larger-than-average rush class."