For the first time, Ohio University’s fraternity recruitment will take a formalized approach.
The OU Interfraternity Council has changed the way men join one of its 14 fraternities on campus in the hope it will help prospective new members make more informed decisions.
The rule changes include events that prospective new members are required to attend and limits on the contact they can have with the fraternities outside of the approved events.
“We know now that when they do make a choice, the odds of them making a better, more informed decision is much higher,” said Todd Thomas, IFC adviser.
In the past, recruitment has been an open bidding process in which fraternities could invite prospective new members to events upon their arrival to campus, Thomas said.
The first two weeks of school are intended to let students acclimate to campus life before attending mandatory informational events in the third week. The fourth week is designated to allow prospective new members to visit the fraternities, according to the fall 2012 IFC recruitment plan.
“When you first come in, you’re literally bombarded with groups and different activities,” said Hunter Smith, senior vice president of development for IFC.
“With a set of events you have to attend, it puts a little bit of formality into (recruitment).”
Some current and prospective new members did not agree with his stance.
“I like the way this system’s set up, because I think it helps portray the positives of greek life,” said Zach Roman, the social chairman of Theta Chi Fraternity. “On the IFC end of it, I feel like they’re not fulfilling their organizational roles. It’s not as organized as it should be. … Until they get that together, it’s not going to be a completely positive thing.”
Prospective new members are also concerned. Some said the current recruitment process might make it harder to become familiar with the fraternities.
“A big part about greek life is the partying … when you can’t go to the house or meet the guys, you don’t really get to see what it’s like behind the scenes,” said Gabe Sirkin, a freshman studying sports management who is interested in greek life. “(This system doesn’t let you) meet everyone and really experience what the fraternity actually does.”
Underage drinking was not the cause for the recruitment-process change, Thomas said. He added that he is confident more structure will improve problems associated with alcohol at recruitment parties and provide better structure than past recruitment.
“I think it would have been a lot of fun to be the older way, but you’ve just got to roll with it and just see how this is going to go,” said Daniel Whitford, a freshman whose major is undecided who is also interested in greek life. “I’m sure all the fraternities are going to cope with it.”
dd195710@ohiou.edu
