Interesting rush article from the Ole Miss Newspaper

[Jill1228]

Posted in the Daily Mississsippian on 8/18/03:
Thoughts?

A way of life, for some: What you didn't know you needed to know for Rush

by Melissa Sindelar
DM Campus News Editor
August 18, 2003


Rush - the one word that summons joy, love, happiness, giddiness, repulsion, hatred and fear in the hearts of many an Ole Miss student.

No matter how you personally feel about it, greek life is a prominent part of the Ole Miss experience. This is true despite the fact that only about 30 percent of students are actively greek.

Even if you are only a by-stander, your friend, a neighbor or lab partner will be involved in the greek system.

Before you or someone else joins a fraternity or sorority, though, Rush is key to having a life of charities and swaps.

"One of the good things about the Ole Miss greek system is we have delayed rush," Jason Dean, former assistant dean of greek life, said.

"Students have six weeks to get an idea about the Rush process, what the requirements are and what the demands are."

This year's registration deadline for Rush hits Sept. 12, followed by a Sept. 28 convocation. Rush itself lasts from Oct. 2-6.

The four days of Rush consist of visiting different houses to get a feel for the sororities and fraternities. It is a time for each individual to decide which group is the best fit for him or her personally.

During the first two days of Rush, female rushees visit the nine sorority houses to attend various philanthropy parties.

For these souirees, they wear jeans and philanthropy T-shirts, which list what charity each sorority focuses on.


Girls are allowed to visit up to six houses on the next day. Sororities perform skits on the third day. The best outfits for this round would consist clothing appropriate for Sunday services at church.

Pref night turns up Rush's intensity a few notches. Girls can return to a maximum of three houses, usually attired in cocktail dresses. By this time, they should have a good idea of which sororities they want to pledge.

Bids are placed, and the wait begins.

On Monday, Oct. 6, girls have to suffer through an entire day of classes before picking up their bids and racing to their respective sorority houses, where their soon-to-be sisters will welcome them with open arms.

The process for males interested in Rush is a little different.

With 14 fraternity houses on campus, guys can pick and choose more freely, but they are still restricted to six houses. They usually wear button-up shirts or polos with khaki pants on which day.

Guys can only go back to three houses on the fourth day, but any invitation to visit a house on that day equals a bid to that fraternity.

"Girls going through recruitment need to get letters of recommendation in as soon as possible or at least by the deadline," Dean said. "I encourage guys to do so as well."

Unlike the guys, girls need a recommendation for each sorority, which can be from an alumna of any chapter of that sorority, not necessarily one from Ole Miss. The sororities' alumni associations can be contacted in order for girls to get blind recommendations from someone.


Anyone who submits a recommendation will need to have a resume, senior picture and transcript of the person they are writing about.

Information about contacting alumni associations, as well as registration forms, can be found at greeks.olemiss.edu. There is a $50 registration fee for Rush.

This Rush is for fraternities in the Interfraternity Council and sororities in the Panhellenic Council. The eight traditionally and historically black fraternities and sororities, which are a part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, conduct Intake in the spring.

"Joining a greek organization is a great complement to the academic environment," Dean said.

"It teaches them so many things they can't learn in a classroom, but it is for some people and not for others.

"We have a large greek system here, not because people are brainwashed into joining them, but because they are good communities that train people how to be leaders."

[exlurker]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jill1228
Okay, Jill, since you asked, a few random thoughts:

First, a round of applause, a shout of hallejulah, and maybe even "snaps" to the writer for making it clear that "girls" need recs at Ole Miss. None of that bull about "it's the responsibility of the sorority to get them."

Second, in my view, the article doesn't really convey what "mutual selection" entails. Saying that rush is "a time for each individual to decide which group is the best fit for him or her personally" is quite misleading. It suggests that the decision is entirely up to the individual student, when -- surprise! news flash! -- you really have the opportunity for that kind of choice among the groups that invite you back (if any do). More details about cuts would have made the story more realistic.

Third, and here I may be thinking a little too much about what one of my cousins said (according to her dad) about getting unfavorable "vibes" about being biracial from a couple of NPC chapters when she rushed at a Midwestern university (she did join an NPC group, and loves it). The article mentions NPHC intake only near the end, and carefully indicates that it is the process for the "traditionally and historically black fraternities and sororities." That's true, but I wonder whether language like that might not lead some African-American students at Ole Miss to feel that they might not be welcome in the NPc and NIC rush process?

Fourth -- training people to be leaders: yes, Greek life offers opportunities for learning and practicing leadership. But so do other college activites. The terms "leader" and "leadership," however, are vague and greatly overused, thanks in part to management consultants and organizational development gurus. Being a "leader," and I may get flak for this, is not necessarily the be-all and end-all for everyone. Some people are terrific followers and team players who make things happen.

So, Jill -- like many newspaper articles, some good things, some perhaps not so good.

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