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Spring rush effects vary by fraternity

Although Dean of Students Penny Rue's unwillingness to negotiate rush dates still is upsetting, not all fraternity houses are suffering financial losses from the move of Inter-Fraternity Council rush from the fall to the spring, several house presidents said yesterday.

Rue gave a letter to IFC President Wes Kaupinen Tuesday stating that formal rush dates will remain in the spring semester, after Kaupinen sent Rue a written request to open rush date negotiations for the 2000-2001 academic year.

Many fraternity presidents and IFC executives have said houses incur significant financial losses because of deferred rush, as each brother pays a semester less in dues.

But Pi Lambda Phi President Jack Warburton said the financial effects of deferred rush on his house have been negligent.

"Our house doesn't have a financial problem," Warburton said.

Delta Sigma Phi President Derek Burgess said the financial hit has not been hard on his house either.

Delta Sig has had "no major problems, but [every house] is being hurt somewhat financially because of the semester loss," Burgess said.

But for other houses, the financial blow may be devastating, so the IFC should continue its efforts to return rush to the fall, Delta Tau Delta President Brian Bernier said.

"We're definitely not just going to leave the issue alone," Bernier said. "If we leave it alone, there will definitely be a few houses that will go under in a few years."

IFC executives said the Office of the Dean of Students has not been receptive to students' concerns about rush dates.

"It seems like everyone has a say [in the rush discussion] except students - like faculty and administrators - but not the constituents of the Dean of Students Office, the students themselves," said Mike Christopher, IFC vice president for judiciary.

According to the Fraternal Organization Agreement - a document which all IFC fraternities must sign - fraternities may not recruit members until a date set forth by the University.

The FOA defines and regulates the fraternities' relationship with the University.

With the support of the Faculty Senate, former Dean of Students Robert T. Canevari decided in April 1998 to move IFC formal rush from the fall to the spring.

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