Considering going Greek? Fraternities at UM are currently participating in spring recruitment.
According to Matthew Nickerson, Interfraternity Council [IFC] vice-president of Greek Recruitment, joining a fraternity aids in many different aspects of college life, including academic excellence, student leadership and professional networking.
“The people you will meet in your own and other Greek organizations certainly help you after you graduate. You never know who will be your brother or sister,” Nickerson said.
The UM Greek Life website states that 85 percent of Fortune 500 executives are Greek.
The spring recruitment is not as extensive as fall recruitment and does not include as many events.
“Spring is usually a little bit lighter because most people have already decided whether they are going to go Greek” Nickerson said.
This brings both advantages and disadvantages to the spring process.
“Often you have known these people for three or four months and you know what kind of person they are,” Peter Maki, president of Sigma Chi, said. “The disadvantage is that the interest isn’t there as much. People have either found the things they want to do or they are waiting until next fall.”
Sororities do not partake in the events because they follow different rules and quota requirements.
“We can recruit people 365 days a year,” Nickerson said. “We never have a maximum.”
The three-week spring recruitment will last until Feb. 6, which is Bid Day and the final day of the dry rushing process. Each fraternity does recruitment its own way, with its own events.
Once the students become familiar with a certain fraternity, the fraternity decides if it will give them a bid. In the UC on Feb. 6, the bids will be revealed and the students will choose their new brotherhood.
Maki gave some advice for students who think they might want to give Greek life a try.
“Don’t make a decision based on who gets you the most drunk or who throws the best parties,” Maki said.
The 2004 Spring Fraternity Forum will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 28 from 7 – 9 p.m. in the UC ballrooms.
Megha Garg can be reached at UM_News2004@yahoo.com.