The Board of Visitors unanimously passed a resolution Saturday declining to participate in setting fraternity and sorority formal rush dates.
Fraternities have challenged the Office of the Dean of Students' decision to hold formal rush in the spring because of financial hardships.
With spring rush, fraternity houses collect dues from pledges for one semester instead of an entire year. Fraternity leaders also have said that fewer brothers live in fraternity houses because many sign housing agreements before joining fraternities.
The Board resolved to affirm the administration's authority to determine rush dates.
Additionally, the Board directed the administration to work with fraternity and sorority leadership to strengthen the Greek system.
The Board told University administrators to report what steps they have taken to achieve these goals at the Board's June 16 meeting.
Fraternity leaders said they should have the power to determine their own rush dates.
Some Board members said they were skeptical about fraternities' financial hardships, but Board member Terence P. Ross said the University should trust fraternity leaders' statements.
The "honor system should be adequate for that," Ross said.
Board member Henry L. Valentine II expressed similar sentiments.
"If the fraternities are giving you some figures, I think you have to assume they are valid figures," Valentine said.
But William W. Harmon, vice president for student affairs, said the resolution was necessary because administrators - not the Board - should make decisions for the fraternity system.
If the resolution had not been passed, "there would always be a challenge to the administration's authority to determine the date of rush," Harmon said. "Something had to be done to provide support" for the administration's authority.
Asst. Dean of Students Aaron Laushway said the Office of the Dean of Students "deals with all Contracted Independent Organizations" including fraternities and sororities. The resolution is "just affirming the policies and procedures that have been in place," Laushway said.
Saturday morning some fraternity members assembled at the Rotunda - where the Board meeting was held - to support their side of the rush issue.
Theta Delta Chi President Jeff Heckman said the gathering was initiated so that fraternities "can have [their] voice heard in some capacity." The rush issue is "something everyone agreed on and cares about," he said.
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