Tufts' fraternities two weeks ago gave out a total of 212 bids during this year's spring rush period.
Recruitment lasted from Jan. 22 to Feb. 1 and was the first spring fraternity rush held with the assistance of Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Su McGlone, who assumed her position in July. All 10 of Tufts' fraternities participated.
"I thought that the fraternities took rush week very seriously, and I was glad to see their enthusiasm around it and their effort," McGlone said. "It is an exciting time for fraternities to be able to grow."
The number of students who received bids was comparable to years past, according to Interfraternity Council (IFC) President Tommy Castle.
"The number is pretty constant with years past, but hopefully all fraternities are continuing to recruit for quality and not quantity," Castle, a junior, told the Daily in an email. "Recruitment was a great success overall, and I'm very excited to see what types of projects will be planned this semester for Tufts fraternities and non−Greekstudents."
For Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi), Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp) and Delta Tau Delta (DTD), changes in housing arrangements presented different circumstances for recruitment of new memebers.
Despite moving into a smaller house at 45 Sawyer Ave., AEPi gave out 27 bids, the second highest number in the fraternity's history at Tufts.
AEPi President Alex Farmer said he worried their current, smaller house could deter potential new members from pledging at the fraternity.
"On the list of the top five things kids are looking at in a fraternity is the house," Farmer, a senior, said. "We didn't know how it would affect us."
Farmer said that during rush, there were an unusually high number of potential new members, perhaps due to more proactive recruitment by the fraternity.
"This has been a great semester for us despite the move," Farmer said. "We really felt that didn't hinder us at all. [The move] actually helped us in a way because we were a little bit more proactive."
For the first time this year, the IFC hosted a kickoff event for fraternity rush on Jan. 22, providing an opportunity for those interested in rushing to talk to members from each of the fraternities.
The event, held in Hotung Cafe, provided a space for the brothers and potential new members to meet and interact as they ate and watched the day's football game together, McGlone said.
"[It] was a great way for prospective members to meet all of the fraternities," McGlone said. "After that, each organization had time slots throughout the week to host individual events."
Although fraternities are allowed to choose which events they host and, for the most part, where they host them, the IFC schedules the time slots when each fraternity can host potential recruits, McGlone said.
"I had the opportunity to stop by some of their events, and they were all extremely well−run and well−attended," McGlone said.
To register for rush this year, potential new members signed up using an online program. Online registration made it easier to check a student's eligibility — a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or 2.3, for Arts and Sciences or Engineering, respectively — to join a fraternity.
The online registration also made it simpler to track the number of students who participated in rush, McGlone said.
Farmer said AEPi used the same rush events this year that they have routinely used to attract new members — such as going to a sushi bar, eating pizza and watching college basketball — as well as a more formal interview to get to know each prospective recruit.
Sticking to these traditions despite moving to a new house is part of what it means to be a fraternity brother, Farmer said.
"[Rush] is not that contingent on a house," Farmer said. "We have a pretty set schedule that we just end up repeating every year. It's worked for us in the past and continues to work for us now."
Castle said that the fraternities are continuing to work on leaving a positive impact on campus.
"Because much of the fraternity news and accomplishments don't seem to get out all the time, many chapters are working harder to execute joint projects, fundraisers, and philanthropy with other student groups and Tufts organizations," he said.
