NOW TWO years after the fact, it is time to evaluate the value of Greek recruitment being moved to the spring. Two years ago, the Inter-Fraternity Council compromised with the Office of the Dean of Students to move recruitment back to the spring, rather than offer alternative concessions. While many accuse this arm of the administration of harboring ulterior motives against the Greek system, the reasoning in the decision remains sound. Despite some claims that spring rush threatens fraternity finances and results in broken leases and friendships, the benefits for first-year students and the Greek system itself far outweigh these considerations.
Around this time of the second semester, many weeks after spring rush, many first-year pledges in fraternities are coerced into dropping their leases to help fill their fraternity houses. Lost revenue and fractured friendships that result from spring rush often raise the question of how worthwhile a late recruitment process actually is to both the Greek community and University as a whole. Sorority recruitment is also in the spring for first-year women, but the larger pledge classes usually reduce problems filling the house. In addition, the plush alcohol-free environment frequently is much more attractive than the raucous and beer-sludge-soaked environs of a fraternity house.
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However, revenue from packing a maximum number of brothers into a house comprises a significant portion of the fraternity's operating budget. A half-empty house in some cases means less social events and poorer recruiting potential. It also may significantly threaten the means to service debt from past house renovations or those fraternities with outstanding mortgages. Under the fall rush system, students had not yet committed to off-Grounds leases at the point that they pledged a house. Fraternity houses frequently contained a large proportion of second years to that of any other class. Spring rush changed that.
The first year at any university is a monumental adjustment period. Most students are living away from home for the first time, managing their own finances, beginning social lives anew and so on. They do not have the privilege of driving a car first semester because they should be encouraged to familiarize themselves with the immediate area. First years live in dorms together because they should make friends within their own class before they begin to network with upperclassmen. Pledging a house is an intense time commitment. Students should have the opportunity to adapt to the new academic and social environment here before they dedicate a substantial amount of time to a small group of brothers. Horizons are expanded and students find the opportunity to become involved in various forms of University activities before rushing a house.
As a result of rush moving to the spring, many upper-class members of houses rush first years during the first semester in what is commonly termed "dirty rush." Frequently, this involves including first-year men in fraternity-only social events and treating the dirty rushee to meals and bar tabs. Instead of three weeks of out-of-pocket expenses, fraternities spend many thousands of dollars over the course of a semester. In addition, many houses have a strong conception of what men they want in their pledge class before formal rush even begins in January.
These are valid concerns with the system, but can be adequately handled with help from the IFC. Without drifting to the Inter-Sorority Council's draconian no-contact policy, clear rules from IFC regarding appropriate and inappropriate contact between upper-class fraternity men and first-year students can help rectify their relationship. These rules must continue to be strongly enforced by other members of the various IFC houses and met with harsh penalties.
Spring rush is beneficial for helping first-year students become acclimated to the University in their first semester before dedicating much of the second to pledging. Dirty rush can be countered with increased sanctions from the IFC. Financial concerns can be alleviated by creating incentives for upperclass brothers to live in the house their third or even fourth year. Or, in severe cases, houses can establish funds to help younger members buy out their leases that carry over from the fall. The money spent to reimburse a security deposit will be recouped in the rent paid over the course of a year. While the system still is relatively new, the success of recent rushes demonstrates that it can work. It is up to the IFC and each individual house to see it works to the full of its potential.
(Preston Lloyd's column appears Thursdays in the Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at plloyd@cavalierdaily.com.)
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