Because of Dartmouth's reputation as a veritable "Animal House," dominated by modern-day Blutos and Otters, the sorority system is often neglected in descriptions of Greek life on campus. The differences between the open fraternities and the more closed sororities, three of which are prevented by national charters from having open events, is exacerbated by the disparity between the recruitment processes for the two types of organizations. While men's rush is a condensed process occurring over three nights, women's rush is a marathon of make-up and making conversion that stretches over a week. Such a system contains within it many flaws that serve to weaken both the rush process itself and the houses that it helps shape.
The avowed purpose of rush for women is to allow all potential new members to meet members of each of the six sororities on campus and gain a sense of each house's character. This type of exposure is necessary because of the lack of contact between upperclass women and rushing underclassmen in day-to-day life. But while the rush process purports to provide this contact, five-minute conversations do little to create more than first impressions. Additionally, the need to see all houses lengthens the process. Thus, the sororities as a whole must do more to increase their interactions with potential new members outside of rush. Open non-alcoholic events would help introduce houses to campus. They would also benefit the sororities themselves by providing more effective way to get to know potential new members.
Another aspect of rush that creates problems is the guarantee of bids to almost all who participate. This ensures large classes of girls who may not have the chance to bond as a sisterhood. Eliminating this restriction would create smaller houses that were closer in size to the fraternities. It could also stimulate the growth of new sororities, since those who did not find a house that fit their needs would be more likely to take the initiative and form their own organization.
There are problems with reforming the system, however. Eliminating the guarantee would mean that girls who have not had contact with upperclass women either through day-to-day activity or special events might fall through the cracks and not receive bids. Smaller houses may also reinforce the complaint that Dartmouth is small and cliquey. The current system creates large and diverse houses that offer a space for women and are inviting to those who may not have participated in a sorority at a larger school. At a place like Dartmouth where the D-Plan makes social life fluid, large and inclusive sororities are a benefit. Thus, while there are flaws in the current system, the overall result fits Dartmouth, if not the houses themselves, best.
