Ball State University - Orient Yearbook (Muncie, IN)

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THE TIME to get aquainted for women interested in joining a sorority was during rush. The week of rush began with suite parties and the women went to each suite learning a little about each in the process. Kappa Alpha Theta sorority open their suite to more than 500 women who went through rush. Photo by Tom Amiot oie cece iY THANK YOU FOR COMING. Members of the Delta Chi frater- nity and their little sisters greet some of the 453 men who took part in the rush tour of the 13 fraternity houses. Photo by Renee Gearhart CHECKING the completed list against the attendance list was no easy job. With over 500 women rushing, the members of the Rush Council had to carefully : match bids and check atten- PLEDGE NIGHT was the end of over a dance. Photo by Tom Amiot week of parties and cuts used to narrow down to a select few. Pi Beta Phi sorority welcomes a new sister. Photo by Renee Gearhart Rush Round Robin 15

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Fraternities rush- ed 453 men, 200 more than last year. Of the men who rushed, 363 pledged a frater- nity. Sororities rushed 554 women, nine more than last year. Of the women, 294 pledged a sorori- ty. 14 Rush Round Robin t was a whirlwind of hand- shakes and hellos, intro- ductions and information. There was excitement in making new friends, tension in heping to be accepted. It was Rush and Round Robin time. Each fall, several hundred men and women participated in the programs designed to in- troduce them to the University’s Greek system. For active mem- bers, the time was used for the careful selection of new pledges, while underclassmen hoped to be among the chosen few. But for some students, Rush and Round Robin wasn’t enough time. One student, Mike Downey, Lafayette freshman, pledged a fraternity in the fall rush and then depledged two weeks later; he found that the pledgeship con- sumed more time than he could afford. ‘“‘Rush should’ be longer,”’ he said. ‘‘The way it is set up now, you have to choose which fraternity you like best quickly, and then go to their events only.”’ Another student, Tim Karmel, Indianapolis freshman, noted that pledges were not the only ones who may have been pressured. ‘‘Some fraternities may have lost out simply because the system demanded such a quick decision,” he said. Both rushees and actives had also discussed the possibility of deferring Rush until Winter Quarter. Fraternity adviser Rich Harris said, ‘‘Freshmen need time to adjust to college life and a new environment. They need to get a quarter under their belts before they worry about joining a fraterni- Dyan However, Scott Sirk, Angola senior and president of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, said that move may have been even more damaging; ‘‘Incoming students will be exposed to a lot of negative attitudes from in- dependents,”’ he said. “It may deter some students from even coming to take a look.”’ Women going through the sorority rush faced many of the same problems as their male counterparts. Susan Spilly, Carmel senior, pledged a soro- rity as a sophomore, after she transferred from Indiana Uni- versity. She recalled that rush had been ‘‘a very long day. My facial muscles were sore from having to smile so much.”’ Spilly eventually deactivated from her sorority due to the cost and time commitments; she said that the Rush program had many flaws, but also that it was still effective. “It’s as genuine as it can be,”’ she said. ‘‘They make a sincere effort to inform you, and they’re very good about letting you take notes.” And Kim Gross, Indianapolis freshman, also found the system fast-paced. Although she also pledged a sorority, she said that she felt the Rush could be im- proved. “IT think it was too quick -- you don’t really get enough time to make a decision.’”’ she said. Gross added that she knew nothing about sororities when she arrived, and said the suites should provide more informa- tional handouts, or possibly have Rush delayed until Winter Quarter. ; But Terry Belush, Columbus junior and a member of the Panhellenic Council, said that the long Christmas break in Winter Quarter would draw rush out too much. Although Belush also favored extending the pro- gram, she said that any change in rush was unlikely. ‘Most of the Panhellic Coun- cil is opposed to it,’”’ she said. “They’re pretty set in the way they’ve been running it, and I doubt if there will be much change.”’ Deanna Donnell, Indianapolis junior and social chairman of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, agreed that rush was a tense time for everyone, but said that there were positive sides to it. “T still get nervous, but I real- ly enjoy Rush,”’ she said. “‘It’s a great way to find out about the campus and to meet people. The important thing is to have an open mind.”’ The alternative formats used at other universities had also been looked at. Fraternity Rush at Purdue University, for exam- ple, was about the same length as Ball State’s; however, the Purdue program when on within the first weeks of schools, and there were 47 houses to choose from. Spilly, who went through rush at I.U., said she preferred the Ball State program. She noted that rush at Indiana University was drawn out considerably longer, and that rush is ‘“‘much more stressful and com- petitive’ in Bloomington. Another possibility is the for- mat used by the University of Miami of Ohio. The rush there is conducted for two weeks prior to the start of school. Both Belush and Donnell opposed this system however, feeling that it would simply be too much too soon. It was also possible that, despite some complaints and concerns, the rush system here was quite suitable. Membership in both the fraternities and sororities remained about the same this year; and Belush pointed out that her sorority had not had anyone depledged since she became active. “As stressful as it is, it’s fun to be with your sisters, and you do get to meet a lot of new people,”’ she said. ‘‘I know I had a lot of fun going through.”’ And Greek adviser Shelly Southerland noted that going through Rush was also an in- dividual process, one that would appeal to some, and discourage others. “It’s just like any other deci- sion a person makes,”’ she said. “Whether it’s joining the band, or a sports team, or a fraternity, it will be right for some, and wrong for others. The point is to try things.’’ =by Scott Uptgraft and Jeff Rodriguez

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“ALL YOU CAN EAT” was the offer made for Watermelon Bust '83. Kelly Hoffman, Fort Wayne senior, takes advantage of the of- fer and digs into the juicy fruit. Photo by Tom Amiot Ler Natermelon Bust LAFOLLETTE FIELD was filled with 4,200 participants who arrived in everything from diapers to dress slacks. The record at- tendance crowd enjoys bands, games, a queen crowning and watermelon battles during the afternoon and evening. Photo by Tom Amiot INDIANA STATE POLICE offered a ser- vice few would wish to partake in, a breathalyzer test. The booth was sponsored in conjuction with the Mothers Against Drunk Driving. It also helped to promote alcohol awareness on campus. Mike Smith, Indianapolis sophomore, and Barry Blackburn, Greensburg junior, test their alcohol content. Photo by Tom Amiot a] ONE ROAD TRIP to Kendallville began the Watermelon Bust for Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Eric Stoiber, Muncie senior, loads a watermelon onto the stack of more than 700 watermelons. Photo by Damon Brown