University messing up rush

[RebelPike]

Sparky is still here.

[OleMissGlitter]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.