In a closed election last night, the Inter-Fraternity Council elected Josh Johnson, a member of Kappa Alpha Order fraternity, as its new president for 2001, effective immediately.
Johnson served as vice president of party patrol last year, and will replace a fellow Kappa Alpha brother, Justin Saunders, as president.
Representatives also elected Neil Nagraj (Chi Psi) the vice president for party patrol, Mike Huneke (Sigma Nu) vice president for judiciary, Austin Schell (Kappa Sigma) treasurer, Kevin Dixon (Sigma Alpha Epsilon), the vice president for membership, Philip Trout (Pi Kappa Alpha) the vice president for administration, Steve Bowman (Chi Phi), the chairman of membership intake, Ryan Fritz, (Beta Theta Pi) the chairman for education, and Nathan Drunsic (Pi Lambda Phi) the chairman for public relations.
Two weeks ago, the rush chairman position was replaced with the offices of vice president of membership and administration, and chairman of membership intake.
"We needed to look at the marketing of rush," Johnson said. "It's all about maximizing potential."
Johnson plans include creating a better working relationship with the Board of Visitors and with University alumni.
"We'd also like to create a dorm advisor program in order to provide a liaison for the first years," Johnson said.
A dorm advisor program would improve the relationship of residence staff and the IFC, as well as provide better communication with first years, he said.
IFC members said they were pleased with the rush turnout this year, but hope to see higher numbers in the future.
"Thirty-three percent of the University is Greek, but I'd like to see that percentage higher," Johnson said.
"Fraternities at the University are in a turning-point situation," Saunders said. "We've experienced a lot of change, and some of that change has been very beneficial."
Saunders had held offices within the IFC since 1998. In his time, he witnessed vast changes in the way the IFC conducts rush.
Because fraternities received complaints of noise and damaged property on last year's bid day, new rules forced brothers to break with tradition and enter dorms in groups of two or three to deliver bids.
Both the Saunders and Johnson agreed that changes in the bid day policy was successful.
"Changes in the past year have been all good changes," Johnson said.
The newest fraternity in the IFC did not vote in this election. On Tuesday evening, Phi Delta Theta, the University's only dry fraternity started recolonization by giving out 29 bids.
Phi Delta Theta will assume IFC voting status as soon as they have been incorporated, Johnson said.
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