Sorority rush, a time-consuming week-long process, begins Tuesday for 307 pledge hopefuls. This year marks the second time that Alpha Phi sorority, founded in winter 2006, will partake in fall rush.
Though the sorority is the smallest on campus, the number of '09s that pledged Alpha Phi was on par with the number who pledged at other campus sororities according to Kate Robb '08, president of the Panhellenic Council.
"Alpha Phi is building their numbers" Robb said. "They had a phenomenal class of '09s."
This year's rush process won't differ greatly from previous years. Potential new members will be assigned to groups of approximately 10 people for the first round of rush, which takes place Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Over the course of these two evenings, rushees travel with their groups to attend parties lasting 45 minutes at all seven sororities.
It is mandatory for women without an excused absence to attend parties at all sororities. Excuses include lab sessions, midterms and athletic events.
"Panhellenic rush is a very structured process," Robb said. "We are trying to create an equal footing for each house."
To leave without a valid excuse is considered a rush infraction. Skipping a house may lead to the rushee being released from the rush process.
Recruitment counselors will lead the groups through the first round of rush, although they will separate from the group for the house parties, Robb said. Through the next two rounds, the counselors are available to offer advice and guidance to rushees.
Counselors, who are recruited from each of the seven sororities on campus, must "disaffiliate" from their house and serve only as members of the Panhellenic Council during the rush process.
The second round of rush will occur on Friday and Saturday nights. During this round, women can receive invitations to attend parties at up to seven houses, although they may accept no more than four of these invitations.
Preference night, the final round of the rush process, will take place on Monday.
Women can receive up to four invitations back to sororities, but may only attend two parties. Afterwards, women will rank these two sororities as their first and second choice.
Women will be extended a bid from a house through their recruitment counselor on Tuesday. Those who are offered bids may take part in bid acceptance night at that house on Tuesday evening.
The rush process is aided by the Interactive Collegiate Solution, a computer program that selects rush groups, produces the schedules and assigns bids. The program takes into account both the rushee's and the sororities preferences when assigning bids, and produces classes of approximately equal size at each sorority, Robb said.
Anna Tobin '08, rush chair at Kappa Delta Epsilon sorority, said that though rush can be an awkward process, the events should be viewed as an opportunity to meet upperclassmen.
"It's important to take everything with a grain of salt," Tobin said. "Even though the parties can be long and the high heels can be painful."
The rush process should be approached with an open mind, she added.
"Even if you think a certain house is perfect for you, really, check out every house," Tobin said.
"They can really surprise you."
