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About 11 percent more students than last year accepted bids during fraternity spring rush this year, IFC President Bill Hulse said Friday.
Hulse said 100 male students accepted bids from fraternities – an 11 percent increase from last year’s spring rush total of 86 men. Hulse added about 91 percent of students who were offered bids to join a fraternity this spring accepted them.
Hulse said that spring rush is smaller and more low-key than fall rush. In the fall semester, 292 men joined fraternities.
“A lot of people went Greek in the fall,” Hulse said. “Since the freshman class is bigger than before, the previous IFC restructured fall rush.”
The fall semester rush events extend over three weeks, while this semester’s rush period is one week. Hulse said this reflects the different, more relaxed attitude of spring rush.
“In the fall, you really don’t know who you’re looking for,” Hulse said. “Second semester, it’s more of bringing in friends of guys from the fall class.”
Hulse, also recruitment chair for Pi Kappa Phi, said his fraternity has 15 new pledges.
Senior Nick Polk, president of Sigma Phi Epsilon, said he was happy with his fraternity’s turnout during spring rush.
“Spring rush was very successful for Sig Ep,” Polk said. “We have welcomed eight new members into our fraternity, which was right on par with what we were aiming for.”
Like Hulse, Polk said spring rush is typically smaller and more low-key than fall rush.
“It’s always hard to compare spring and fall rush because the objectives are so much different,” Polk said. “While fall rush is focused on the new freshman class, spring rush is more focused on recommendations from brothers. By all standards, though, this spring rush was a resounding success.”
Other reported rush numbers include the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, which offered eight bids and now has six pledges to add to the current group of 29 members, Hulse said. Sigma Nu and Kappa Alpha fraternities each have two new pledges.