I went through OU's formal rush, which hasn't changed much in 20 years. While NIC does not usually set quotas like NPC does, the university can set whatever rules they want regarding rush.
Summer rush at OU is done by quite a few fraternities, though they cannot officially offer a bid to anyone until fall formal rush. Incoming freshmen at OU must live in the dorms if they are under 21 or do not have a parent or guardian living in the local area. Fraternity houses don't count as student housing.
The 50-member restriction is only for formal rush, though this limit has varied from time to time depending on the capacity of OU's dorm housing. OU doesn't want the houses overcrowded or issuing phoney bids to make themselves look good after using up their quota in summer rush (believe me, this has happened). Exceptions to the 50-man rule are for fraternities that are colonizing. Unless a fraternity has deep pockets (and few at OU do) blatantly violating a rush rule like that would bankrupt a house.
Here are the OU rush rules: (source:
http://greek.ou.edu/ifc/rules.aspx. Original info has 2001 and 2002 dates, but they haven't changed much.)
All initiated members, pledges, associates, and alumni of the fraternities at the University of Oklahoma, as well as members of the international or national fraternity organization shall abide by the OU Rush Rules during any recruitment activity, or any activity which might be considered a recruitment activity.
ELIGIBILITY: All OU undergraduate men are eligible to join an OU Fraternity. Membership is restricted to OU students ONLY.
RECRUITMENT GUIDELINES
1. A recruitment event is defined as an event or activity in which potential members (rushees) and initiated members have contact.
2. All mailings, pamphlets, or literature of any kind must be approved by the IFC Rush Chairman and/or the IFC Advisor prior to their printing and distribution.
3. There shall be no money spent on any Rushee at any time by any Rush Chairman, pledge, associate, initiated member or alumnus of any University of Oklahoma chapter. This includes alcohol, social, and athletic events.
4. The proliferation of rumors, accusations, derogatory statements, or falsehoods directed against another chapter of the fraternity system by any Rush Chairman, pledge, associate, initiated member, or alumnus of OU is prohibited.
Rules/Regulations
1. The signing of the IFC bid card shall be considered binding to the extent that the man shall be considered ineligible for one semester to receive a bid from any other fraternity other than the one originally extending the bid. Signing a chapter bid card is non-binding.
2. Only OU undergraduate members, pledges/associate members/new members, alumni of the fraternity, parents of current OU undergraduate members, and house directors may participate in rush activities (this includes live or professional entertainment.)
3. The Rush Advisor and/or Chapter Advisor(s) may attend chapter rush activities. Pledges, associates, and initiated members from another campus MAY NOT actively participate in any OU recruitment week activities without approval from IFC Exec and the Fraternity Advisor.
4. Women, excluding the housemother and parents of current members, are prohibited from being in the Fraternity chapter house during all recruitment times.
5. Alcohol consumption and alcohol possession by fraternity members, pledges, associates, or rushees is prohibited during ANY recruitment event or activity.
6. Open Door Policy: No Rushee may be taken behind closed doors during any recruitment activity. Also, all doors must be open and unlocked during any recruitment activity.
7. A hard cap of 57 men has been set. The penalty for signing additional men will be $800 per man and that chapter’s fall 2001 Rush cap will be lowered by 2 men for every additional man signed over the cap. In addition, every member, pledge/associate member/new member must be an enrolled student and registered with IFC. The penalty for this will be $2000 per incident and will be brought before the Judicial Board.
8. Any chapter who reaches this cap at any point during the semester will be unable to participate in further open rush for Fall semester.
9. Each chapter will be responsible for providing a stamp with their letters, seal, etc., for stamping all rushee punch cards. Each rushee will be required to have at least seven stamps (5 south, 4 north).
10. Chapters will not be able to offer bids to rushees until the third day of rush.
11. No chapter will be allowed to escort rushees to other chapter houses.
SUMMER RUSH RULES
1. All contact with men participating in rush by rush chairmen, chapter members, or alumni of any OU fraternity is limited to times prescribed by the Interfraternity Council. Prescribed visitation or rush events are described as follows:
A. In home visits unlimited between June 1, 2000 and August 7, 2000.
B. Rush tours sponsored by the IFC.
C. Phone calls.
D. Mailings.
E. Chapter-sponsored barbecues.
2. No individual contacts shall be made until June 1, 2000, excluding phone calls and items in the mail.
3. There will be no gifts given to rushees, (i.e., cups, shirts, party favors).
4. ALCOHOL IS COMPLETELY PROHIBITED DURING ANY ENCOUNTER OR RUSH EVENT FOR RUSH. ALSO, PURCHASING FOOD IS PROHIBITED UNLESS IT IS FOR A SCHEDULED BARBEQUE.
5. During in-home visitations there must be one designated rush chairman present. Up to three other men may be present as well. Each rushee may be visited as many times during the summer as is mutually agreeable to the rushee and the visiting fraternity members.
6. The IFC Rush Chairman must be notified 1 WEEK prior to chapter barbecues.
PENALTIES AND PUNISHMENTS: Violation of any of the above rules will be punishable at the discretion of the IFC Judicial Review Board. The above sanctions apply whether one member or the entire chapter is responsible. Any violation during Rush week could impact that chapter’s Fall 2001 Rush.
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