Next weekend, many male members of the Class of 2014 will enter the basements of their favorite fraternities to participate in the infamous ritual of rush. We shall commiserate with friends and brothers who we have gotten to know over the previous year, secure at least in the knowledge that we have had ample time to consider to which houses we wish to belong. This weekend, our female counterparts will be made to endure a more ludicrous kind of procedure. Shepherded by their Rho Chis from sorority to sorority, these women will shape their future social affiliations through a series of 50 minute trials by fire.
It is not hyperbole to state that many '14 women are currently in a state of sheer terror. I have not enjoyed hearing some of my friends tell me that they have spent hours and hours agonizing over which outfits to wear to rush these conversations only further emphasize the fact that with only 50 minutes to make an initial impression, much of that impression will inevitably be based on appearances. The notion that a house would be able to gauge compatibility with a sophomore based on such brief and elaborately crafted interactions is plainly ridiculous. It is tantamount to saying that fleeting first introductions enable us to gaze into the heart of an individual's true personality. Such a system further magnifies the insecurities felt by those '14 women who have not gotten to know upperclasswomen through the benefit of a tightly knit sports team or campus organization.
I am certainly not the first to decry the absurdities of sorority rush at Dartmouth. Two years ago, The Dartmouth Editorial Board called for an immediate and comprehensive overhaul of the rush process ("Ding the System," Oct. 16, 2009). However, year after year has gone by, and the Panhellenic Council has not moved to substantively address any of the flaws in the established procedures. Instead, we have come to accept that a substantial minority of women will ultimately drop out of rush. Back in 2009, in addressing this phenomenon, the Panhell vice president of public relations even went as far as to state that: "Despite our willingness to consider improvements, the Panhellenic Council will not assume responsibility for the close-mindedness of some of the women who participated in recruitment this year" ("Rushing to conclusions, Oct. 19, 2009). Frankly, it is easy to see that the widespread disillusionment of women with the rush process stems from far more than "closed-mindedness."
The current rush procedures are inextricably linked to other problems that have plagued the sorority system. In previous years, Dartmouth students have long acknowledged that the relative lack of open social spaces within the sorority system has played a significant role in allowing social life on campus to remain primarily male-dominated. Part of this inequity lies in the fact that local Dartmouth sororities have struggled to obtain physical plants, but part of it also lies in the fact that our national sororities have long been hamstrung by national rules against the provision of alcohol and open parties. As it turns out, our inane rush process is also a product of the rules that national sorority organizations impose upon their individual chapters. Since national sororities are required to conduct rush in this manner, all houses (with this year's exception of Epsilon Kappa Theta sorority) are forced to participate in a flawed system.
The time has come to open a serious dialogue on whether an equitable and reasonable rush process can exist when a large number of sororities on campus must adhere to archaic national rules. Obviously, a call for all national Dartmouth sororities to disassociate will be controversial. Many sorority houses rely upon national organizations for funding and other forms of support. However, it appears clear that the injustices that characterize both rush and the state of campus social spaces cannot be fully addressed without some sort of move to free many Dartmouth sororities from these inane shackles. A sane rush process and balanced social scene should be the paramount considerations in determining sorority policy.
Unfortunately, it is much too late to reform the rush process for the benefit of the Class of 2014. Surely we can all agree that the '15s deserve better. I fervently hope that this year, affiliated upperclasswomen as well as the '14s who are about to join their ranks will finally endeavor to change the system on the behalf of the younger women who will follow in their stead.