Student Life is shifting the Greek Life activities schedule due to the last year’s change allowing first-year students to join sororities and fraternities. Rushing which used to start in early September will now begin in early November.
Robin McPherson, senior coordinator of fraternities and sororities, said she is happy with giving freshmen the opportunity to participate.
“I see a lot of excitement where freshmen are concerned because it gives them a way to feel like they can be included in part of a community,” McPherson said. “I feel like freshmen were disconnected for the first year because they just were not able to be as involved as they are now.”
However, this addition has created some controversy with students. Maci Johnson, keeper of the garter of Ko Jo Kai, is one of those students.
“There’s nothing against wanting to get them involved but when you divide a class up it makes it harder for them to bond,” Johnson, a junior psychology major from Fort Worth, said. “I think it can be very stressful if it’s not managed well and with this new schedule it’s just going to be very interesting because the freshman class has not experienced a full year of college yet so they don’t know how to balance it.”
Benjamin Ash, chaplain of Frater Sodalis and senior biochemistry major from Athens, said he is looking forward to what this new change holds.
“I’m excited about it. I think we are just figuring it out as it goes,” Ash said. “That’s just the learning process but I’m hopeful.”
To be eligible to participate in new member orientation and remain an active member, students must completed one full semester, be enrolled as a full-time student and be in good academic standing with the university. Each Greek Life organization is limited to take 60 new members per new member class.
Responsibilities of the new members include Homecoming, Sing Song, weekly meetings, fellowship and service hours.
This year greek life will be beginning in November, with the following tentative schedule:
- Nov. 1, 6 p.m.: First rush interest meeting
- Nov. 3, 11 a.m.: Second rush interest meeting
- Nov. 12-13: Coffees and Teas all club rush
- Nov. 28-Dec. 8: Two open rushes
- Dec. 8: First ranking due at midnight
- Dec. 9: Fall service hours due
- Jan. 21-24: First Invitational rush
- Jan. 24: Second ranking due at midnight
- Jan. 28-31: Second Invitational rush
- Jan. 31: Final ranking due at midnight
- Feb. 3: Bid distribution
- Feb. 4: Bid day
- Feb. 5-19: New Member Orientation
McPherson said she understands that Greek Life may not be for everyone and recommends getting plugged in anywhere on campus.
“I just encouraged them to, if it’s not going to be a fraternity or sorority, to get involved in some sort of a community,” she said. “There are many organizations out there that you can become involved in at ACU and I just think it’s important to put yourself out there and getting involved.”
