In past years, the responsibility of Homecoming floats, parade participation and other traditions have fallen into the hands of prospective members. But recent Greek Life changes means Homecoming for sororities and fraternities is looking different.
The move to spring rushing and joining happened last year to include freshmen in the process.
While the transition year included both fall and spring joining, this year will be the first year having just the spring season.
Robin McPherson, senior coordinator of fraternities and sororities, said she hopes this new change will influence other members to step up.
“I’m expecting to have a lot of involvement and it not just be the new members from spring, but I do feel like the members from spring 2022 are gonna have a huge part in the float building,” McPherson said.
Before the recent change, prospective members would be responsible for the Homecoming float and attending practices to chant in the parade.
However, with the change in responsibilities and requirements accompanying the new rushing and joining season, some clubs have run into challenges in their Homecoming preparation.
Jett Patterson, Gamma Sigma Phi vice president, said his fraternity has seen decline in current member involvement but the changes are still a good idea.
“We’ve had a lot of members step up and make a good impression and a lot of members kind of sulk back because they don’t want to do the ‘work,’” Patterson, senior mathematics major from Amherst, said.
“It is definitely a learning curve, trying to install new traditions or just kind of looking back at the old and the new and trying to see what’s different and keeping a positive attitude about it.
I will admit that I’m a little sad about the things that our potential new guys will miss but I also know that long-term I think that this is a decent move.”
Stephanie Tran, senior biochemistry major from Keller and Tri Kappa Gamma president, said the main issue within her club is scheduling issues.
“There’s a lot of people who have conflicts with scheduling and so we’re trying to work with them just by giving them a lot of grace and just giving them opportunities to make things up,” Tran said.
“Like if they can’t march they will help with set-building instead.”
For some sororities and fraternities, Homecoming preparation and traditions were sent back to the drawing board with the most recent Greek Life changes but for others like Frater Sodalis, Homecoming traditions haven’t changed much.
Kauy Ostlien, president of Frater Sodalis, said that the only thing that has been affected is the annual Homecoming breakfast.
“Every year our alumni interact with brats at breakfast and tell them stories of pledging and maybe pull their leg a little bit about being a brat,” Ostlien, junior journalism major from Abilene, said.
“It’s a fun time, and I’m sad to see it go.”
For a complete schedule of Homecoming events for each sorority and fraternity alumniassociation.acu.edu.
