Summer Rush

[LaneSig]

You can have recruitment going on without having specific 'rush parties'.

My chapter would do it this way: Guys living in the Little Rock area would have one or two casual events and invite pnms that they knew from school, church, family friends, etc., who would be going to Arkansas State the next year. At the same time, members who lived in Blytheville area or other areas would do the same. We even had several members from southeast Missouri (like me) who would get together and do the same. After a couple of these events, we would plan a summer rush party at school. Invite those who we were interested in and who seemed interested in us. This way we could get them to meet more of the members.

Would something like that work for your chapter? Remember, it doesn't have to be a big party. Take them to play paintball, golfing, to a baseball game (minor or major league), etc.

[HalfWindsor]

Originally Posted by Sperry

The big Greek-run SEC schools (Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia) start summer rush in late May, about a week after high school graduation. Typically, summer rush will end around mid-August, usually the weekend before college starts. The big fraternities at these schools (125+ members) start giving out bids early to mid-June. For example, this is FIJI at Auburn's 2007 summer rush schedule....so yeah, summer rush at those 4 schools in particular is kind of a big deal.

I hope no one is misunderstanding me, because I think this is a fantastic idea.
None of our big chapters (We have four at 125+, two at 140+ and one at 170) do anything during the summers.
It looks like most of the events are very close to the Auburn campus. Is this pretty standard across the board, or are more events usually held in the Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile areas?

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by Sperry

The big Greek-run SEC schools (Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia) start summer rush in late May...

I believe they are all inviting high school seniors to visit throughout the senior year. Even the sororities. The sororities also send notes all year to their top rushees. Illegal? YES. But still done.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

I believe they are all inviting high school seniors to visit throughout the senior year. Even the sororities. The sororities also send notes all year to their top rushees. Illegal? YES. But still done.

While it may be "illegal" for NPC sororities to recruit (rush) throughout the (high school) senior year and send notes etc., the NIC allows their member fraternities to do so.

NIC Resolution
Resolution on Recruitment

WHEREAS, undergraduate membership in NIC member fraternities has declined since 1989; and

WHEREAS, the NIC and its member fraternities have long advocated a model of year-round unrestricted recruitment; and

WHEREAS, many campuses and fraternity chapters continue to recruit new members only during limited times throughout the year; and

WHEREAS, use of the term "rush" has become associated with a time-specific effort to attract new members to a fraternity chapter that is passive in nature; and

WHEREAS fraternity membership has declined despite the NIC and its member fraternities implementing a variety of educational initiatives including the Fraternity Forum model;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT The NIC and its member fraternities move from a rush model to a recruitment model based on an unrestricted, year-round commitment to actively seeking prospective members who share our commitment to fraternal values including scholarship, leadership and service; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT The NIC and its member fraternities develop resources and educational forums to teach undergraduate and alumni members how to actively engage in year-round recruitment; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT The NIC and its member fraternities call on campus fraternity advisors and IFC leaders to implement a recruitment model that provides unrestricted opportunities for students to join fraternities.

Approved by the NIC House of Delegates, December 7, 1996

[TNDelta549]

What is the best way to let people know about the summer events that you are having? I am having trouble getting anything from campus about incoming freshman. Do you receive an email list or use addresses at your universities?

[Tom Earp]

Yes, at my alma mater, we can reqeust and get info on new possible coming to the school.

It should be open information.

No booze partys allowed.

[FSUZeta]

check out the campus fraternity websites-often they either list the parties or suggest that anyone interested in rushing their fraternity contact their rush chair and they list the r.c.'s name and either email, phone # or both.

[HalfWindsor]

Originally Posted by Sperry

Tom, why do you say no booze parties? All the rush parties I went to as a rushee had beer....ALL OF THEM! Maybe it's because things are just plain different in the SEC, but alcohol is definitely present at rush parties in the south.

I think it might be the school. We have IFC members visiting houses during rush week to check in on everyone. Two groups here lost their pledge classes for serving alcohol.

TSteven, thanks for the link to Ole Miss. The restrictions are very detailed there. I guess that's what happens with competitive rush.

[banditone]

We had Summer Rush and it was the biggest push. The biggest gatherings were the WaterSport Weekend party (lake house party) and the Around the World Party at the house.

We'd have the bulk of our class already setup and ready to go by the time school was back in. Then they do the actual "Formal Rush" the week before school starts. Much more structured, suits, speaches, blah.... We'd pick up a few there to finish out the class.

One of the Admission Counselors used to be a lil' Sister of the chapter; so we'd get the full list of incoming freshmen and their phone numbers from her

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by Sperry

Tom, why do you say no booze parties? All the rush parties I went to as a rushee had beer....ALL OF THEM! Maybe it's because things are just plain different in the SEC, but alcohol is definitely present at rush parties in the south.

That is LXA IHQ rules and in may cases schools the same.

Remember, PNMs are under legal drinking age and can be considered Risk Management situations.

Also R M Insurance is the reason chapter dues are a lot higher than they should be.