This year the freshman "herds" found themselves with even fewer places to party during Orientation.
Due to a policy decision reached by the Council on Fraternities and Sororities (CFS) this year, freshmen were not permitted to attend social events at fraternity houses during orientation.
"It makes Orientation feel less like college and more like summer camp or something," freshman Hannah Newmark said.
"Some didn't get the message from their [Resident Assistants] and pals," Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Todd Sullivan said, noting that brothers turned away freshmen who had lined up outside their doors Thursday night.
"Instead of all the freshman bonding at a huge party, we all ended up in small groups in random places," freshman Adam Panken said.
According to three freshmen who wished to remain anonymous, however, they had attended fraternity parties during Orientation and not been asked which class they belonged to.
Sullivan said that the decision was reached in the spring at the request of the committee organizing the Orientation activities, which felt that an active Greek party scene detracted from attendance at university-sponsored social events during orientation.
"We thought it was a good idea," Sullivan said, noting that this year more late-night events took place for the incoming freshmen to provide alternatives to partying.
Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) President and Inter-Greek Council President Joe Bornstein thought the policy was valuable in that "the freshmen got to meet the Greek leadership before ever showing up to a party."
Many freshmen, however, still sought amusement along Professor's Row. "Personally, I think [the policy] was a mistake," Theta Chi President Jim Maxwell said. "It seemed to me that most of the freshmen were just standing around on the streets looking for something to do."
"Fraternities still play a major role in the Tufts social scene," Maxwell said. "The orientation parties were a great way to meet and get to know lots of other freshmen in a much less formal environment."
Fraternities were permitted to host parties for upperclassmen.
Of the University's 11 fraternities, three are "dry" this semester, meaning they are prohibited from hosting events with alcohol.
Last spring, the Delta Tau Delta (DTD) fraternity was caught providing alcohol to minors, having kegs in the house, and committing drinking game violations. DTD is prohibited from hosting functions with alcohol this entire school year.
Zeta Psi, which was on complete social probation last year, will re-open this year and will be permitted to host events without alcohol.
In a separate development, the national organization of Theta Chi elected to keep its chapters' housing alcohol-free, prohibiting all of its chapters from hosting any parties serving alcohol.
While Theta Chi president Jim Maxwell conveyed frustration with the policy, he believes that the Tufts chapter will essentially remain the same, and is optimistic for the coming year.
"We have many house improvement projects planned and are looking into hosting events at other venues as well as more alcohol-free events at our house, similar to the Battle of the Bands last year," Maxwell said.
This year, Sullivan hopes the Greek system will continue to ride on the momentum created by last spring's high rush numbers, which boosted previously dwindling Greek membership at the University.
Sullivan cited another of CFS' goals as increasing the "culturally-based Greek presence," or activities sponsored by Boston-based chapters of Black and Latino fraternities.
"We want to help students understand lots of different options [available] and increase diversity," Sullivan said.
"It's going to be a great year," Sullivan said. "Last year, they did a good job increasing positive activities and there were fewer policy violations. Students were more responsible and active."
"I have the impression that things are moving for the better," Bornstein said. "There are a lot of great changes going on in CFS to make the relationship between the Greeks and Tufts that much better."
"I see a lot of enthusiasm for Greek life and cohesiveness [between] houses working together, and that's helped the Greek system," DTD President Matt Senko said. "But it's always difficult when the University is trying to regulate us, there are always restrictions."
Next year marks the 150th anniversary of the Zeta Psi chapter, the University's first fraternity. Its foundation year, 1855, also marks the anniversary of the Greek system at Tufts.
