The Inter-Fraternity Council and Inter-Sorority Council plan to hold formal recruitment fully in-person for the first time since 2020 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ISC will host formal recruitment Saturday through Jan. 23, while the IFC will host recruitment beginning Jan. 18 and ending Feb. 4.
Over 1,000 students go through the recruitment process every year to join one of the 30 chapters affiliated with the IFC or 15 chapters associated with the ISC.
Amid social distancing and masking requirements during the pandemic, both the IFC and ISC made dramatic changes to the 2021 recruitment process — the IFC permitted chapters to host some rounds of formal recruitment in person, while the ISC held all rounds online with bid day in person. Several Greek chapters broke public health guidelines throughout the process, however, and the University later brought cases against five fraternities despite denying that recruitment played a role in a wave of COVID-19 infections at the time.
More recently in 2022, the IFC and ISC initially planned to begin virtually and transition into in-person events. The IFC later elected to conduct recruitment virtually, while the ISC chose to hold both preferences and bid day in-person. Multiple fraternities later faced adjudication from the University Judiciary Committee for violating University policy prohibiting serving food and beverages at events to potential new members.
This year, ISC recruitment will begin earlier than IFC recruitment.
Per a recruitment schedule obtained by The Cavalier Daily, ISC recruitment will begin Saturday with round robbins, when potential new members will meet with members of every chapter. The ISC’s philanthropy round will take place Tuesday, while house tours and preferences will take place Jan. 19 through Jan. 21. Bid day will be hosted Jan. 22.
The ISC declined to provide comment.
IFC recruitment will begin Jan. 19 with rush orientation. During the next two days, potential new members will visit each fraternity house. Over the first, second, and third rounds of rush, fraternity chapters will host events for potential new members. On Feb. 3, potential new members will visit their top three houses. Bid day — when potential new members select if they will join the organization that extended a bid to them —- is scheduled for Feb. 4.
Joseph Kratz, third-year College student and president of the IFC, said that while virtual recruitment was both “important” and “responsible” at the time, it exacerbated many existing challenges within the recruitment process. Moving forward, Kratz said the IFC is committed to making recruitment increasingly accessible.
“In-person rush offers the best opportunity to find a community here on Grounds, and community and friendship are, ultimately, the lifeblood of U.Va.,” Kratz said in an email statement to The Cavalier Daily.
Kratz said all events over the course of the formal recruitment process are unique to each fraternity chapter.
“It is a really important way for our chapters to illustrate who they are and what is important to their membership,” Kratz said.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article misstated that chapters will partake in “approved” events. The article has been updated to reflect that the IFC does not approve recruitment events. Additionally, the article has been updated to reflect the recruitment schedule and clarify Kratz’ comment.
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