In previous years, many fraternity members collectively greeted rushees receiving bids, perhaps raucously chanting or throwing them up in the air. This year, however, fraternity members "won't be going en masse into the residence halls," said Inter-Fraternity Council President Justin Saunders.
Because of concern about disruptive behavior, Resident Staff members now will accompany all fraternity members giving out bids. The fraternity members will be escorted in groups of two or three into the residence halls, where they may bring the resident outside to the rest of the fraternity.
The fraternity men have the option to use a blue phone or cell phone to call the resident to come outside, or they may choose to have the staff member escort the resident outside to the waiting fraternity brothers.
According to Dean of Students Penny Rue, disruptive noise and vandalism occurred on bid day in previous years. Last year, the University Police recorded two reports of vandalism and one account of larceny occurring on bid day in first-year residence halls.
Many fraternity men are troubled by what these changes will mean for their bid day events.
Sigma Alpha Mu President Carter Vaughan disagrees with the changes in bid day. "I am concerned that part of the tradition of bid day is no more," Vaughan said. Still, he plans to abide by the Dean of Students' wishes.
Resident Staff and the IFC "wanted to meet and compromise to ensure that bid day is exciting, yet still respect the lives of others in the dorm," Saunders said.
The changes in bid day this year actually will be an enforcement of current policy and not the creation of new rules. University housing guidelines prohibit uninvited guests from entering residence halls.
The Resident Staff members "are simply aiding the fraternities in adhering to the existing policies," Resident Staff Co-Chairwoman Sarah Chewning said. "Resident Staff members will be doing more than they have in the past, yet this hopefully will be a proactive method of handling potential policy violations."
Chewning said she hopes informing everyone of the procedures in advance and enforcing them will help bid day run more smoothly.
The IFC, the Residence Life and Asst. Deans of Students Aaron Laushway and John Foubert began discussing bid day modifications last spring, Chewning said.
The communication between Resident Staff and the IFC is "always necessary," Saunders said. "Dialogue is important in preventing problems."
Chewning agreed with these sentiments.
"We are optimistic that this procedure will be beneficial for both organizations and most importantly for the residents who live in these areas," she said.
The benefits will extend to everyone involved - the rushees and those watching as their friends receive bids, she added.
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