Deferred Recruitment

nyrdrms · #1 07-14-2002, 10:45 PM

A couple years ago, my school imposed deferred recruitment upon the social Greeks. Now, in order for anyone to go through recruitment, they have to have at least 12 credits already under their belt. Formal recruitment has been switched to the spring semester because of this. We've learned to adapt to the changes, but I was curious if anyone else had to deal with deferred recruitment and how your Greek community has handled it.

LilPiPhiHoney · #2 07-14-2002, 10:59 PM

My school has had defferred recruitment for a long time. Freshmen men and women are not allowed to rush until second semester freshman year. I really think it is great because I gives the freshmen a chance to get to know the different houses and to decide where they want to join. Also it gives them a chance to settle into college life a little bit as well.

aephi alum · #3 07-14-2002, 11:02 PM

My university will be going through its first deferred recruitment this coming year. I'm concerned that people will decide not to rush after having gone through a semester of stressful classes and seeing how much time that eats up... but we'll see. Just curious ~ has deferred rush hurt your greek system?

nyrdrms · #4 07-14-2002, 11:07 PM

In the past two years, I would say that the over-all numbers have increased. You have that first semester to get your name out there and be seen on campus. It provides the opportunity to get to know the freshman and have the freshman get to know you. It's just a weird adjustment when you're used to things being a certain way.

AXOMarq · #5 07-14-2002, 11:25 PM

Marquette's campus does not allow first semester freshman to pledge, you can rush at informal (fall) recruitment. I actually like the idea. Like many of you said, it gives the greeks a chance to spread the word about their chapters. Also, the freshman get to see if they can handle school, a job (when needed), any other important activities, and a sorority/fraternity. I rushed during formal (spring) recruitment fall 2002 and I can't wait until recruitment comes, formal and informal.

shadokat · #6 07-15-2002, 11:43 AM

Since going back to deferred recruitment at my school, numbers have definitely fallen off, but I think that's because people get an impression from rumors that fly around and decide not to join. We do well during formal, but we COB like bandits to get those women who thought they weren't interested in sorority life. It's hard, but it's well worth it!

FuzzieAlum · #7 07-15-2002, 11:54 AM

Deferred rush definitely worked better at my school. Formal rush used to be held at the beginning of the second semester, and pledge class sizes were 12-14. Right after I graduated they changed it to fall, and classes dwindled to 8-10 (with fewer houses getting quota, too). They tried it that way for four years and are going back to deferred rush this fall.

But that could just be my school. Women don't come in with a lot of interest in Greek life, and it takes a semester or so to warm them up to it - once they see we're not all the anorexic dumb drunks they assume sororities are made up of.

SATX*APhi · #8 07-15-2002, 05:18 PM

We have deferred recruitment at my school and personally, I think it sucks. Our numbers keep going down each year. I go to such a small school where everybody knows everybody and by spring sememester all the incoming freshman have already formed their groups and possible even already set their mind on one sorority.

If we had recruitment in the fall, I think things would be totally different. Getting to a university where you know nobody allows you to have an open mind about going through recruitment and about the different sororities. One of my younger high school friends just completed her freshman year at the university I go to. She was all gun-ho about going Greek, specifically joining my sorority. She even got a job over Christmas break back home so that when she got back to campus in the spring she could pay her dues once she joined. (She was certain she was going to go Greek and was sure she would be an A-Phi) Well, come formal recruitment time, she did go through but ended up dropping half way through. She decided she was not going to go Greek. A friend of hers in another sorority influenced her to drop. Wonder why this happened?? Hmmm...

I just don't like deferred recruitment, period! I really, really don't like it. I wish they would hold formal recruitment in the fall!

pinkyphimu · #9 07-19-2002, 12:29 AM

My school used to have rush spring of freshman year, but in 1994, they changed it to fall of sophmore year. That year, greeks took a big hit. They did have a formal rush period, but only sophmores could rush! It has taken a while, but now things are a bit better. I would definately like to see them go back to spring of freshmen year, but I know I wouldn't have joined then! (I was in the first class to rush as sophmores.) It is nice to have a group of friends outside the house, too. I think it helped our overall inter sorority and fraternity relationships. Plus, I was sure that this was for me. I didn't do it because all of my friends did. I did it because I wanted to! It definately takes a shift in thinking for the houses to have a successful rush, but you know you are getting members who want to be there!!! Now, I am a happy Phi Mu Alum!