University messing up rush

RebelPike · #1 09-12-2006, 03:18 AM

Rush at Ole Miss is one of those things that you just have to witness first hand. Over 33% of the student body is involved in Greek life. Recently however, the university has begin dabbling around with rush dates, pushing them farther and farther back. They originally pushed the dates of formal rush beyond the university's money refundable withdrawl date (cheap!!!). This year they have pushed rush back two weeks later.

This puts bid day after our homecoming game. Call it what you will, but every year it is tradition for the pledges to build, protect, and ride on the homecoming float. Not this year. Personally I enjoyed building the float. It is one of the first weeks that you get to spend with your pledge brothers. It is really a great ice breaker for the times to come.

There is talk in the frat, as well as other frats, to boycott the Homecoming Parade this year. It is like they are trying to kill the frat. They may be doing what seems to them as small, but they are taking away valuable time to spend with your brothers.

Firehouse · #2 09-12-2006, 11:04 AM

Why does the university control the rush dates to begin with? Doesn't the IFC set those? Does the university try to set dates for other organizations on campus? For instance, can someone join the band right away as a freshman?
Sounds like the "greek life" type are trying to move you slowly against your will toward deferred rush. Take a stand. IFC needs to just say No and run their own rush. Put the greek life weasels on the defensive.
Is Sparky Reardon still there? He can put a stop to this.

RebelPike · #3 09-12-2006, 12:04 PM

Sparky is still here.

OleMissGlitter · #4 09-12-2006, 01:39 PM

The Vice Chancellor Dr. Wallace sets the dates and last spring sorority and fraternity advisers met to try and get those dates changed but we had no luck. The sororities even got our national NPC Delegates to try and work something out with the University but they had no luck either. I honestly think that eventually, perhaps in 5 years or so Recruitment will be in January which would hurt a handful of fraternities and the sororities would be okay without the extra new member income coming into the chapters. (You can also blame the dates of recruitment on our football games this year, which always has something to do with it too.)

Anyway, as far as homecoming goes it is horrible that it is before recruitment because honestly, sororities now have to manage building a float and rush practices the week before recruitment begins! And as RebelPike stated, building the floats with the new members/pledges has always been a way to meet everyone and to bond. I also think it was always a great way to get our new members/pledges involved in our organizations right away.

Hopefully, if more members of Greek orgs. on campus, like RebelPike, take a stand the administration will listen to the Greeks more. When I went through rush it was before school started and it was so much easier on the Potential New Members and the Actives. Now, everyone is stressed, anxious, and worried because recruitment is right near Mid-Terms this year!

Firehouse · #5 09-12-2006, 09:12 PM

It sounds like "Dr Wallace" is trying to back-door deferred rush onto the Ole Miss campus. If you have made an official complaint through the proper channels and have been rebuffed, you should realize that an agenda is at work. And it is an arrogant agenda, conducted in the belief that you are powerless to stop it, and too weak and disorganized and subdued to try.
You (IFC, PanHellenic) should hire a representative to approach the university president in his official capacity. Your civil rights as well as your contributions to campus life should be discussed. Financial damages should be on the agenda, as well as absence of due process.

If Sparky Reardon cannot stop this disgraceful process, then it must be an agenda that has been agreed-to behind closed doors, and the underlings have been told to not interfere.

If it was me, I'd get the IFC to announce that the University can hold rush whenever it wants, but the IFC fraternities will be holding open houses and pledging men beginning on such-and-such a date.
You DO HAVE the power to stop this. University administrators learn to be arrogant bullies because no one ever challenges the power they have taken on themselves. Once challenged by adults with legitimate power in the real world, the administrators tend to fold up quickly.

Good luck to you. I hope you fight.

FratAmerica · #6 09-15-2006, 01:39 PM

The North-American Interfraternity Conference's "standards" oppose any recruitment restrictions.

As opposed to one or a few fraternal organizations trying to mount a boycott/protest, I recommend that you contact the NIC.

Those standards allow member organizations - and their chapters - to file complaints against universities for violations of those standards.

File the complaint to show your serious. Bring in the NIC to see what they can do. If that doesn't work... there is always the "Boulder Solution" (my personal favorite). You may also wish to contact the former greek advisor, Jason Dean. He is a Pike, working for Gov. Barbour who was recently named a White House Fellow. Obviously, a sharp guy. He was there when the "delayed" - as they called it - rush dates were developed. But, that was done after a careful evaluation of a variety of factors - and it in fact boosted recruitment numbers.

That is too strong of a system to having someone monkeying around with it without dialogue, analysis, consensue - or perhaps even consideration (from the school that is!

UNDPike86 · #7 10-11-2006, 10:01 AM

Same thing happened at UND this year, and according to the active members of my chapter the overall amount of people going around to houses was more than cut in half. Pushing rush back was a terrible idea that hurt greek life this fall. I hope they listen to our complaints and issues for next fall.

KEPike · #8 10-11-2006, 02:27 PM

FYI, Sparky Reardon came and spoke at UT Arlington about two weeks for National Hazing Prevention Week. Man, that guy is a great advocate for Greeks.

RebelPike, it sounds like Gamma Iota may be alright recruitment-wise despite the later dates.

futurecolmom · #9 10-07-2007, 09:04 PM

I am an Ole Miss greek alum who has a daughter looking at colleges. She is looking at several southern universities. One is Ole Miss. She will probably choose another school if rush dates are the same as they are for 2007. I attended Homecoming at Ole Miss, and all of the greeks were exhausted after Saturday's game. Between rush, Homecoming, and midterms......they were stressed out!!!! It was much better when rush parties were scheduled BEFORE school began. Maybe Ole Miss thinks greek enrollment will decrease...but they need to worry about enrollment at Ole Miss. I will send her to another school if rush occurs after school starts. There is too much stress on the freshman without rush added to the mix.
Future College Mom with strong opinions on rush

Benzgirl · #10 10-07-2007, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by futurecolmom

I am an Ole Miss greek alum who has a daughter looking at colleges. She is looking at several southern universities. One is Ole Miss. She will probably choose another school if rush dates are the same as they are for 2007. I attended Homecoming at Ole Miss, and all of the greeks were exhausted after Saturday's game. Between rush, Homecoming, and midterms......they were stressed out!!!! It was much better when rush parties were scheduled BEFORE school began. Maybe Ole Miss thinks greek enrollment will decrease...but they need to worry about enrollment at Ole Miss. I will send her to another school if rush occurs after school starts. There is too much stress on the freshman without rush added to the mix.
Future College Mom with strong opinions on rush

You plan to base her education on WHEN rush occurs????? I think you have some confused priorities for your daughter.

I hope you let your daughter choose her own school and you don't become a Helicopter Mom.

futurecolmom · #11 10-07-2007, 10:39 PM

Ohio,

I think you are missing my point. The Greeks had to deal with midterms, rush and Homecoming. (that is too much for them at one time)

Benzgirl · #12 10-08-2007, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by futurecolmom

Ohio,

I think you are missing my point. The Greeks had to deal with midterms, rush and Homecoming. (that is too much for them at one time)

No, I am thoroughly getting your point, which I think is very "hovering".

modorney · #13 11-01-2007, 02:55 PM

It's a really tough challenge to create an environment for the pledges to bond with each other (and their big brothers) without stepping into hazing. Floats are a perfect opportunity, since they take a lot of manual labor, and a lot of time. Despiote their "temporary" nature, they have some benefits over a pledge class doing a "permenent" house project. I've seen many a pledge project get ripped out by the next pledge class (or two), until they "got it right". That scenario makes the first pledge class look bad, when they really had good intentions (and did most of the dirty work.)

I would think Ole Miss would want to keep a great tradition, that is really up-to-date with respect to risk management principles.

sageofages · #14 11-01-2007, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

No, I am thoroughly getting your point, which I think is very "hovering".

No I think you miss her point. As a mom, I totally :get it:.

You get ready to send your child off to college. You want them to have a full and rewarding college life, COMPLETE with good grades.

Every HS senior *should* have a short list of colleges that offer what they are looking for...it should not be *just one* college. After you get accepted to your two or three or four (I had four). You decided based on all you are looking for in your college experience.

The Ole' Miss mess does not offer this as it is presented to me. A late recruitment, coupled with Homecoming and being *NEW* to college would spell disaster for an average freshman....it could spell grades that are not so wonderful. Sophomores new to the other side of the door, it could be even WORSE, because the additional expectations of entertaining "guests" during that time, selection sessions that can go in to the wee hours, homecoming competitions, grades, midterms.....I would be unable to think!

KNOWING this scenerio could exist at Ole Miss but not a Univ of Podunk, and they both offer my daughter's desired program and greek life....Podunk would be my mother-offers-her-advice choice.