Meaning of Rush Week finally revealed

Amber Armstrong

Amber Armstrong

Rush Week is not only an exciting time for members of a men’s or women’s fraternity, but also for students looking to become part of the Greek traditions. Rush Week events, also called Recruitment Week, starts the second or third week of every semester. The fall recruitment has more formal guidelines each chapter must follow than in the spring. During the fall, events last about two hours each night for approximately a week. Such events may include informational nights, bowling, poker tournaments or dinners at one of the Greek houses. By holding informational meetings and get-togethers, interested students have a chance to meet members of each fraternity house. Farmhouse Fraternity even holds classes to teach interested men more about the traditions and history.”Don’t be afraid to talk to us. We’re fun, outgoing guys,” said Luke Gorecki, vice president of recruitment for Farmhouse. He encourages those interested in joining to come and meet the members. In the spring, the recruitment process is less formal. About three parties or events are held for potential new members, either at the chapter’s house or on-campus. But, keep in mind, every Greek fraternity and sorority is different, and each has its own set of rules and traditions to follow for recruitment week. Cherlene Richards, a member of the Xi Theta Chapter of the Chi Omega Women’s Fraternity, looks forward to recruitment week every semester. “Recruitment week is exciting because you get to know the girls and fellow women’s fraternities,” says Richards. “I encourage anyone who’s interested to check it out.”But, each men’s and women’s fraternity are only allotted a certain amount of students to join, depending on how many current members belong. They normally get the most interest from students during the fall recruitment. There are some requirements one must fulfill before becoming a member of a Greek organization. Grades are important to every Greek group on campus. Shonda Reed, Program Advisor for Greek Life and Student Organizations, says grade point average (GPA) is taken into major consideration when choosing new members. Every fraternity and sorority has different minimum GPA requirements. Also, incoming freshman have their high school GPA considered.As of spring 2004, there were 101 women and 202 men belonging to Greek organizations, averaging about 32 people in each men’s or women’s fraternity. As a whole, 4 percent of the SDSU population was part of a Greek organization.