"This year we're trying to do what we say. It is a gradual process to make the IFC look more legitimate," said Rush Chairman Steve Bowman on the Inter-Fraternity Council's new rush policies for spring 2002.
This year, the IFC has worked to organize and clean up the rush process.
The most noticeable change from last year is that all of the University's 33 fraternities now are running on a strict door policy. No rushee is allowed to enter without registration and proof of payment of IFC fees, said IFC President Josh Johnson.
In past years, rushees were permitted to go through open house rush rounds without a record of who they were or whether they had paid the mandatory $20 rush fee, Johnson said. Because of the disorganization, there were problems with non-University students rushing.
Over the weekend, 102 people who had not paid or registered for rush through the IFC were turned away by IFC representatives.
"This year we have a database for compiling all of the information on the rushees. That way, everyone is on the same sheet of music," Bowman said.
Bowman said the database will be used to plot rushee demographics, including their dorms and hometowns. That knowledge will be applied to rush, in the future. In four years, the new data will provide the e-mail address of everyone in the Greek system.
Overall, 621 men registered to rush which is a sharp increase of 125 from last year.
The IFC also is clamping down on the rush activities, stationing a representative at each fraternity. These representatives make sure each house is following the dry rush policy and ensure that each rushee has paid the rush fee.
"Having an IFC presence in the house, we have ensured that rush is a positive atmosphere for everyone," Vice President for Judiciary Mike Huneke said. IFC representatives also will escort brothers when they go to rushee's residences to extend bids.
Rush has been going smoothly this year except for one incident on Rugby Road. Men from various fraternities threw snowballs at sorority rushees. Some female rushees sustained injuries.
Because the results are pending in judicial hearings, Aaron Laushway, assistant dean of students and director, Fraternity and Sorority Life, declined to comment on the incident. The cases could take place as early as this Wednesday.
While all of the Greek system's 33 fraternities are rushing this year, Kappa Alpha will not hold final hours because they did not turn in their Fraternal Organization Agreement form.
Final hours is the time after the third round of invites where rushees visit their three top choices. "It is merely a formality; it is not anything needed in rush," Bowman said.
Phi Gamma Delta is recolonizing after a two-year absence from the University. Fiji representatives said that they were looking for only the best young men to model leadership, academic excellence and good citizenship.
While Fiji anticipated only 50 rushees to come inside, 200 people came to open house.
Overall, many people are pleased with the changes IFC has made to rush this year. Sigma Chi President Kenneth George said, "They have done a superb job implementing the registration. Everyone's been really cooperative, and I think it's been really positive"
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