Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Sept. 28, 1983, edition 1 / Page 2
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The PenclJiliim Thursday', Se^mber'29,1963' What’s the Rush? Greeks offer chance to socialize, learn system By Patricia Aycock Staff Writer What is Rush? What’s it real ly all about? These questions are asked by many students who are in terested in Greek life, but for one reason or an other, remain uninformed. “It’s a chance to know and meet people and to find out what the Greek system is all ab out,” says Patti Brammer, a senior from Maryland and a representative of Phi Mu Sorority. “What rush is primarily for,” she continues, “is for a person to find out if he or she wants to be a Greek, if he or she wants to pledge a sorority or fraternity and which one they want to pledge for.” “But the reason I encourage people to go through rush is to make friends and to meet people.” Open House “With Open House, what we do is have a register out front and we take that list and take the upper classmen and invite them back,” says Mike Scott, 21, from Virginia and a member of Sigma Pi fraternity. The Interfraternal Council (IFC) consisting of members from each fraternity has, in addition to Open House, allot ted each fraternity two parties. These dates are picked at ran dom in order that no two par ties be held on the same night. Scott says, “This gives the rushee the chance to go to all the parties. It’s a two-week period really. After this week, rushing will be over, and then we’ll decide on who we’ll give our bids to.” Sororities, on the other hand, have both an informal rush that occurs in the fall and a formal rush that takes place during the spring semester. Rush this fall began when school started and ended this year on Sept. 27. “We give open bids in the fall during informal rush to those who are eligible,” says Julie Blevins, a graduate from Burl ington and alumnae of Zeta Tau Alpha. Eligible, according to the rush regulations, are only those who are upperclassmen. First semester freshmen and transfer students are not eligi ble until spring formal rush. Another regulation is a student must have and maintain a grade point average of 2.0. Each sorority has a quota on the number of rushees that they can extend a bid to. Fraternities, however, do not have a set quota. Sorority Limits “There’s a total limit that each sorority can have,” says Blevins. “I think on Elon’s cam pus it’s now 55. Depending on the number of girls that come back to school and because you’ve got some girls graduat ing, there’s a certain number of openings to fill.” Formal rush begins approx imately the third week in February and usually lasts ab out one week. The Panellenic Council, con sisting of members from each sororiety, has constructed for mal rush as a means of giving each girl the opportunity to be come acquainted with every sorority. It is during the first three nights that the regular parties are held. The fourth night, called Preference Night, is when the sororities vote on and invite back their potential prospects. The rushees then choose to attend only those parties that interest them. “I don’t like formal rush,” says Laura Reich, a senior from New Jersey and Rush director for Alpha Sigma Alpha. “I would rather have only an in formal rush. At formal rush, I can see these girls going, ‘Oh My God’. “Everything is so confusing. They don’t know what’s going on. During informal rush you get to know people a lot better because it’s more casual. You’re not sitting there all dressed up at a party for the third day in a row.” The sororities then vote again on the rushees and de cide whom to extend a bid to. A bid is an invitation from a sorority or fraternity that gives the rushee the opportunity of participating in their pledge program. If the rushee decides to accept the bid, then he or she will begin pledging, a period that approximately lasts 8-10 weeks. During this time the pledge becomes better ac quainted with the fraternity or sorority members. The pledge then goes through a final stage called Inspiration Week and later becomes initiated into Voters pick officers, senators the fraternity or sorority. Party Themes Themes for sority and fraternity rush parties this year are many and varied. Says Reich of Alpha Sigma Alpha parties, “Our parties in clude a cocktail party, a sub marine sandwich party and a cruising party — which is real ly a tacky tourist party.” “We’ve had our hat and shades party,” says Chris Board, a junior from Virginia and a representative of Kappa Sigma. “We’ve had our playboy bunny theme with Zeta. We’ve had a ‘Let’s Get Physical’ party, a toga party and we plan to have a smoker.” “The theme,” says Board, “al ways helps to get people moti vated.” Several Greeks voiced dis satisfaction with the regula tions of the Greek system; one factor is the ineligibility of first semester freshmen and trans fer stuudents to participate in rush. “Personally, I don’t like it,” says Reich. “I think if I had to wait until the spring, I prob ably wouldn’t pledge. The reason I ended up going to rush parties was that I was a trans fer student and didn’t know anybody. I thought it was a good opportunity to meet upper classmen.” One major change that has occurred with the rush regula tions is the revision of Elon College’s alcoholic beverage rule which became effective on Sept. 1. Specifically it states that “no parties involving the use of alcoholic beverages will be held in college-owned fraterni ty and sorority houses or on the premises.” Campus Alcohol Ban How this ruling has affected the Greeks is debatable, though some Greeks feel it may do more harm than good. “By having no alcoholic be verages on campus, students are having to plan activities in volving the use of alcohol off campus, therefore forcing the students to drive,” says Steve Williamson, a senior and mem ber of Sigma Phi Epsilon. “That results in more DWI’s and acci dents.” “I kind of think it’s going to be for the better,” says Bram mer. “By not having alcohol, people will really take a look at the other aspects — like put ting on a good party and show ing a good rush. “Still, one thing as far as par ties are concerned, fraternities and sororities are going to drink, and with the new regula tions they’re going to go off campus to do it,” she said. Brammer continued, “I'd like to see them (the college) provide an on campus place to drink so that nobody is re quired to drive.” All in all, most Greeks are content with the overall quali ty of rush and encourage stu dents to participate. Not only is it just to find out about the Greek system, but it is an opportunity to meet and make lifetime friends. Says Scott of Sigma Pi, “When I was going through it, I didn’t know many people, so it gave me the chance to meet new people. And when you come to college, you want to meet new people.” By Patti Brammer As Elon opened doors for the fall semester, freshmen poured in to explore what cam pus life has to offer. An option open to all is student govern ment. Elections were held last week to fill freshmen offices and senate seats as well as some upperclass offices which weren’t filled in last spring’s elections. The participation was, by far, more widespread than Elon has seen in the past. The freshman interest was contagious and encouraging to the rest of the student body. Five freshmen ran for fresh man class president and four individuals ran the vice- president position. After they turned in their candidacy staitements, posters began to appear on brick columns, dorm lounge walls, doors and bulle tin boards. The candidates campaigned verbally as well. The cam paigning publicized elections and drew a voter response of almost 270 students, a drastic increase in the fewer than 100 voters last spring. The polls closed Friday at 1 p.m., and the final count left Kim Akers as president of the freshman class. Michele O’Donnell is the new vice- president and Jane Jones is the secretary/treasurer. John Newall is the senator of the 1st Precinct and Lee DuFief, a junior, will take a senate seat in the 3rd Precinct. No upper class offices were filed for, but several people campaigned for write in votes. Ann Conaty was written in as sophomore class secretary/ treasurer, and Jenny Wade will occupy that seat for the junior class. Senior class vice- president will be Ellen Geesey. Also voted on were three re solutions brought up from the senate. The first resolution passed by the voters was an amendment allowing senators to hold appointed SGA offices. The students also voted to dis associate the campus from PIRG, a public interest group and transfer the PIRG funds to the Student Government. This will allow the Student Govern ment to reallocate the money to organizations who need more financial support. “We are hoping that those who did not win the elections will participate in committees as ex-officio SGA members,” continued on page 8 Welcome Students and Alumni We specialize in Steaks, Chicken, Prime Rib a^oxdc^Ce. toudi sfaii Beer, Wine, Brown Bagging Friday; 11;30 a.m. -10;30 p.m. Saturday: 4;30 p.m. -11 p.m. 1-85 Elon College exit 584-1323
Elon University Student Newspaper
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Sept. 28, 1983, edition 1
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