Making strides in a rush: A mandatory spring rush policy must be enforced gradually

Though the process of reforming the Greek system is assuredly an imperfect one, requiring all fraternities and sororities to participate in spring rush is a step in the right direction.

The Board of Trustees mandated this change in November 2010, but the policy will take effect for the first time this semester, returning it to the forefront of discussion about the Greek system.

The primary concern raised about the policy — that it will be hard to enforce — is not unfounded. But if those charged with regulating the Greek system are circumspect enough in their approach, the next few years should be see a smooth transition from the old model to a more robust recruitment process.

The changes will do much to increase opportunities for recruitment to Greek organizations and very little to inhibit them.

First, however, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life must work out the kinks of enforcing its new policies.

Winston Crisp, vice chancellor for student affairs, made it clear in December that he expects all Greek organizations to make an earnest attempt to comply with the mandate: “If an organization predetermined that it was going to go through the motions of spring recruitment with no intention to genuinely consider new members, I would not consider that to be meeting either the letter or spirit of the standards and expectations.”

Crisp offered little in the way of explaining how, precisely, the University would determine what constitutes a sincere attempt at conducting spring rush. But Aaron Bachenheimer, director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Community Involvement, was quick to point out the new system will be evaluated over a period of years, not just the first semester.

As we understand it, the goal of the policy is not to somehow defang the rush process, nor is it to prevent Greek organizations from getting the pledge class they want.

Instead, the policy aims to simply increase the options available to those hoping to join a fraternity or sorority. Those freshmen who come to college eager to join a Greek organization will still be able to do so in the fall if they choose.

But now, under the new policy, those who are less sure will feel less pressure to make a decision immediately. It might be superfluous to force someone with three siblings in the same fraternity to wait until spring to rush. But it seems equally unreasonable to expect interested students to navigate rush on top of acclimating to all the other changes college brings.

In the aggregate, however, it isn’t only the potential new members who will benefit from this policy. By making the process more flexible, Greek organizations will likely attract potential members who might have written off the idea as first-semester freshmen.

Moving forward, the task for the University and the four Greek councils will be enforcing the new rules and making sure they have the intended effect.