Fraternity Rush at Kansas
 

My cousin is a senior in high school and he will be attending Kansas next fall. He's interested in joining a fraternity and has already checked out the websites of the chapters there. Everyone in my family tends to go to the same handful of schools, but no one has ever gone to Kansas so he's not sure what to expect as far as recruitment goes...so I thought I'd ask GCers! If anyone has any insight or helpful information, I would appreciate it! Feel free to pm me. Thanks!

The Sigma Nu effort there is a recolonization. They have an amazing alumni base. The chapter house, I hear is pretty remarkable.

Chapter houses at KU are all pretty amazing.

Lawrence is a pretty hippy town, though a lot of fun. There's a fair amount of anti-greek sentiment on campus according to a few of the people I know who were in chapters. It's not intolerable but definitely there.

Rush is pretty much done through the summer. and IIRC most freshmen guys will live in the chapter from day one. Pretty laid back. He needs to register with the office of greek life so that his name gets on the lists and such.

Most of the partying is done in the chapter houses. Most of my friends did not join chapters and I definitely heard about it when they guys couldn't follow their girlfriends into parties.

Lawrence is pretty lax on fake id's - some bars more than others for sure, but if he plans on partying, he'd be wise to get a believable fake ID (I've had some experiences when the fakes weren't even believable and I or people I know got in).

First off, Tell your cousin congratulations for picking KU. Funny enough, I'm a member of the Sigma Nu House which was mentioned above. Everything he said is true, and if your cousin is interested in Sigma Nu specifically then pm me or something and I can definitely give you more info for him.
Here is a website with many helpful items on it.
http://www.kugreek.org/ifc_join.html
It has:
Summer Formal Recruitment Registration Sheet (in case he hasn't signed up yet, the link is on the right of the page)
The IFC recruitment guide (Which includes Bio's of all the houses and an overview of what Formal recruitment schedule is. This link is also on the right)
If there are any more questions let me know!

K U has a very good greek system with a huge Basket Ball folowing and now even Foot ball is stronger.

The houses are fairly spread out and the campus on big hills! LOL!

Knowing only the LXA house, I have looked at many others there including Male and Female GLOs through their web sites.

His best bet is to look at as many as he can. Ask people on campus what they think of each one considering hazing (yes, it will go on in some) unfortunatly.

Having the largest house or members does not mean it would be the best fit. The members as individuals are the main thing and since most are of National scope that would be a minor item I would feel.

At least Kansas City is near for weekend trips even though Lawerence has a pretty big social area except for the age requirments for any alchohol consumption!:D

Recent June 20 '08 article about fraternity rush at U of Kansas (this is about a "formal" rush with events primarily for potential new members living far from Lawrence, apparently). There's also some info about Sigma Nu's progress in recolonization and pledging:

http://www.kansan.com/stories/2008/jun/20/rush/

I don't want to turn this into a Sigma Nu thread, but hazing is a big issue when considering a fraternity. SN was founded in 1869 as a protest movement to hazing at Virginia Military Institute. Because of our herritage and history, if there is a hint of hazing at a SN chapter, Headquarters will shut them down. That's what happened a few years ago at Kansas.

That being said, Sigma Nu is a fresh organization with new people committed to our founding principles. I think it is fair to say there will be no hazing there. So a new member would have the benefits of a mature chapter alumni backing (going back to 1884 I think) and living in the old governors mansion, yet it is a new organization with a fresh attitude. That will be a good experience for the right young men.

Tom, there ya go, I made that easy for you. And learn how to spell.

And to the rest of you, how about sending to the biggest rush mistake thread http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=92507, instead of using GC to recruit your members.

Not everyone would look upon this as a good thing, especially the fact that your chapter there is a colony (i.e. they are going to suck for 5-10 years.)

I'd usually agree with you on re-colonization timelines. However, I dont' think it will apply to that chapter. They have some built in advantages.

Should be interesting to watch.

This is one of the most foolish posts ever...

Entreprenureal men seek fresh opportunities. Therefore, Sigma Nu will pull some dynamic leaders right out of the gate. Sigma Nu dominated at Kansas for decades as one of the top fraternities. They have a huge pipeline of legacies that will want to join. They have a great chapter house. They have unlimited alumni resources. Sigma Nu is one of the strongest and most highly regarded national organizations. Sigma Nu has a four-year ethical leadership development program (LEAD) which will be very attractive to mature, ambitious men.

Suggesting "they are going to suck for 5-10 years" is foolishness. I can cite plenty of examples where that thinking is just plain wrong. Check our www.fsupikes.com, for example...

I can cite a lot of fallacies with that. People who would otherwise be joining a top-tier house do not join a colony. If I was a legacy to a house that was a colony and got a bid to an established top-tier house, that's where I would be. Sigma Nu (no offense intended) is not one of the organizations that is great everywhere, their Ole Miss chapter may be one of the best chapters of any fraternity in the nation, but top to bottom there are a number which are better (and the recruiting on a greek forum would tend to back that up). Most people looking for a traditional Greek experience aren't looking for a leadership development program instituted by Nationals. And FSU Pike isn't top-tier.

I agree that they will have a very nice house and a rich alumni base, but ANY colony is going to suck for a pretty good period of time. Those who join in the first few years back on campus will have all graduated before it's a good house again.

just bc you have a huge house full of 200+ brothers who dont know each other that doesnt mean that you're top tier

Easy fella. He's not an FSU Pike.

obviously **looks at his sig**

just pointing out that his example......wasnt a good one

I agree, I thought you were responding personally to him.

You've lost all credibility. FSU Pikes is one of the highest-achieving fraternities in the nation. Check out this page for proof... http://www.fsupikes.com/chapterachievements.htm
They've won 6 consecutive Smyth awards from their National Fraternity and you say they are not "top-tier" at FSU? They've won the all sports trophy all but one year since their 2001 recolonization and you say they are not "top-tier". Are you nuts?

My chapter at Northern Illinois www.SigmaNuNIU.com is a top 5 out of 15 fraternities in just 4 semesters after our recolonization. Two of the last three student government presidents have been a Sigma Nu. We've been #1 or #2 in GPA each of the last 4 semesters. We are the 5th largest fraternity in just 4 semesters. To say that a colony "is going to suck for a pretty good period of time" is just silly to say. It's simply not true.

I'm going to chalk up your perceptions to the likelihood that you are young and have limited perspective and experience with Greek affairs. I've been Greek for over 20 years, worked for my national organization, traveled and been a chapter advisor for over a decade and was the primary alumnus spearheading our recolonization effort.

We've got new chapters all over the country that are reaching critical mass and becoming top chapters on their respective campuses.

Recent (June 25, 2008) article about Delta Tau Delta re-colonizing at Kansas. They will be housed, and reportedly met their goal for chapter GPA last semester:

http://www.kansan.com/stories/2008/jun/25/delta/

FSU Pike was underground as the "firemen" for the entire length of their suspension, that is why they are the exception. Has your chapter at Kansas been underground? I doubt that your nationals would tolerate it... from what I've heard they are some of the most controlling out of all of the IFC fraternities.

You're a Yankee... you wouldn't understand why FSU Pike isn't considered top tier.

Name-calling is an easy way to identify who has won and who has lost the arguement. Perhaps you can explain such things to a "yankee" like me. Looks like the Pikes at FSU pretty much dominate in all measurable areas. Where am I wrong?

You WOULD post a link up from the website of "one of the highest acheiving" fraternities in the nation. Dont you think if they were THAT damn good they would've updated the website more often than umm.......FOUR YEARS ago? I think that Phi Gam and myself would have a better opinion than any of the people that have posted on this thread bc we are a part of greeklife here at FSU and its not like we are hating on PIKE (I have plenty of friends that are pikes). Yes they are a "good" fraternity but if you have 23 fraternities on a campus there are going to be plenty of those. I would consider "top tier" as top 5......and they dont make the cut. The only reason they are recognized now is bc they have one of the biggest houses on campus and too big a number......thats it.

OK, I am old, and a northerner (not a Yankee since the Pirates just BEAT them last night LET'S GO BUCS!!) and I'm going to play devil's advocate.

Winning awards from your national fraternity, your school's administration or accolades that often come easiest to the group with the most manpower (i.e. intramurals - of course you can get a good intramural team w/ more guys to choose from) doesn't necessarily make you the best or most popular fraternity where it counts, in the eyes of the students and rushees.

They have won their National Fraternity top award (Smyth Award) six years in a row. I find it hard to believe they have accomplished this and are not a top 5 house at FSU.

How many times has FIJI won your national fraternities top award at FSU?

Not sure, I'm actually not too fond of my fraternity's nationals (Fun Police). I know we've won shit but its not something that we brag about. Pike is good at IMs because they give bids to kids just because of their athletic ability, even if they're huge tools. They have three high school all americans that play for them in football alone. I'm not going to talk bad about them for my entire post though. Pike here is (too) big and has a cool house but they aren't respected among the traditional fraternities. I'm not going to try to explain how things are different down here so you'll just have to take my word for it. Being big, winning IMs and national awards, and slaying a bunch of TCC girls is probably fun and all but there's intangibles to being top tier that they don't have.

They might have been the best or in the top 5 but NOT ANY MORE. They won all those awards 4+ years ago. Yea they do good in IM's but so do alot of other fraternities, what else do they do?

And no FIJI here hasnt received our nationals top award, but we have numerous other awards from our nationals and the university. but we're not talkin about FIJI @ fsu.

like you said top tier is based on the students opinion and the other members of greeklife....... Its not as "blessed from god" as you may think

National Awards (particularly THE top-house) generally mean the exact opposite, that you almost certainly aren't a top-tier house. If you are doing all the stuff that keeps your nationals happy I can 100% guarantee that you aren't having nearly enough fun.

I know as a Yankee and someone that loves their nationals apparently you are going to disagree with me, but the absolute best houses are generally those that are a big pain in the side of their nationals. They refuse to institute any of the new national "suggestions" which completely change what it means to pledge or be in a fraternity, they are generally in and out of trouble with the school for things like unregistered parties, and the nationals would love to pull their charter, but they can't because it's a 85+ year old chapter that has some of the best alumni support of any active group in the fraternity and is generally seen as one of the flagship houses for that organization.

This post is 91% in line with mine.

Winning some national trophies is not indicative of top tier.

Generally it means you're somewhere up north, you cave to nationals, and you're probably upper-middle tier there.

The best chapters generally get no recognition from their nationals and wouldn't have it any other way.

The only excellent Sigma Nu chapter in the SEC/ACC is Ole Miss', that I can think of. The Arkansas one isn't terrible anymore.

edit: And I'm in over 91% agreement with CB/Phi Gam/etc.

well it seems like we have come to the conclusion that just bc you've got trophies, it doesnt mean that you're one of the best. So Theta Dancer....you can tell your brother that when the fraternities start filling his ear full of "we've won this" crap to just let it run out the other ear and actually rush for the right reasons.(ie. if he feels comfortable at the house, gets along with the brotherhood, if they have things that appeal to HIM, etc)

winning awards from your inter/nationals doesn't mean anything, positive or negative

Wow, this thread sure got derailed.

I actually thought FSUFiji tied it together quite nicely.

FSUfiji, crackerbarrel, elephant walk & Phigam -

You are all clearly in the same line of thinking. I am in a different camp. We'll just have to disagree on this one.

I am disappointed in your thinking because it's too easy and common. Most Greeks join for a lot of the wrong reasons - they just wanna party. They miss the point that all of our national organizations were founded 100+ years ago for virtuous and nobel reasons. Somewhere along the way, the culture changed, values changed and so did fraternities.

National organizations offer their top awards to high-achieving chapters that live out their founding principles. This takes a lot of hard work, dedication, delayed gratification, discipline, accountability & more. The fact that you don't value such awards or the organizations who earn them is an indictment on your character.

Throwing big parties and breaking the rules isn't unique or difficult. Rather, it is common and easy. Thus, you are members of common, lethargic organizations. You are like dinosaurs marching toward extinction and you don't even realize it. You laugh at hard work and embrace folly.

I guess we simply have different values.

I'll wager Lee Iacoca would find value in winning National awards...

No, we aren't. Even if you threw out the parties on our side and awards on yours, I would challenge that our chapters are still better than the others. The ideals which my fraternity was founded on weren't to include everyone or to make sure everyone felt welcome. It was to provide those with a common purpose a chance to have a brotherhood. You may argue that the "traditional" chapters are elitist and have lost sight of their purpose, but I think that's entirely untrue. Yes, we probably are somewhat elitist and very selective. So were our founders. No fraternity that I know of was founded and then went out to try to recruit as many men as possible. The purpose was to unite those who had a common purpose, and that role is best filled by the elite (or elitist, however you see it) chapters. When more value is placed upon how many members you can get, or how many philanthropies you won (again, no where does my fraternity's history mention community service hours) or how you do at intramurals or any of these other qualities that nationals gives awards for, I'm pretty sure it's your houses who have lost sight of the fraternity's purpose. The fraternities have decided to turn from what they used to be - a very effective (if somewhat elitist) training ground for future leaders - in an effort to be more politically correct. You gain a lot more in terms of character from a hard pledgeship, nationals looks down on it. You watch out for your house and keep brothers out of trouble by having a pledge driving program, nationals says it's hazing. You have a tighter brotherhood by having very strict standards before a bid is given, nationals thinks you're being discriminatory. National Fraternities have tried too much to keep up with the "changing times" and it's them that lost track of what a fraternity is.

Damn I go to the office, come back, and I'm already too late.

Because everyone aspiring to be a true Southern Fratty Gentleman longs for this:

http://www.fsupikes.com/images/2004_...20headshot.jpghttp://www.fsupikes.com/Images/Visserwithgirls.jpg

HAHAHAHA

*standing ovation*