Spring was in the air and out came all the nubile young Greeks recruiting on campus. The new and improved “Spring Recruitment 2002” began with a bang last Monday.
For all the male students at the University of Miami who took their time to ease into college life before deciding that Greek life is for them, spring recruitment came at just the right time.
“In the fall semester a lot of students just don’t know enough about Greek life or they want to take some time to adapt to the college atmosphere first,” said Mike Johnston, vice president for recruitment. “They don’t want to jump into a fraternity.”
The program is revamped this semester, Johnston said. Shuttles now take recruitees back and forth from the housing tours from the Panhellenic Building to Fraternity Row.
“Now they don’t have to trek all the way to and from [where they go]. It’s a big difference,” Johnston said.
Recruitment officially began last Monday, but students are still able to join in the program, which lasts until Feb. 1st, Bid Day.
The only caveat is, Johnston said, is that students must have a 2.3 G.P.A. or higher to participate. Recruitment is a time-intensive program and the Office of the Dean of Students, which runs the program, wants to ensure that academics do not suffer.
Although under university regulations fraternity recruitment is year-round all 10 fraternities, Alpha Epsilon Pi, Alpha Sigma Pi, Kappa Sigma, Lambda Chi Alpha, Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Chi, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Zeta Beta Tau, are participating in recruitment this semester.
“Spring Recruitment is usually smaller because there is not the influx of freshmen…there is more opportunity for bonding,” Johnston explained.
Interested students can sign up in the Breezeway today and Monday, where organizers will also have the schedules of all the different chapters and any other information needed.
Next Tuesday is the Greek Forum, which will be held in the University Center Flamingo Ballrooms.