East Tennessee State University - Buccaneer Yearbook (Johnson City, TN)

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THE RUSH ABOUT? By Mary Pat Buchanan staff Writer Gatoring, cold brew on tap at the bar and rook-n- roll music are all a part of fraternity life, especially dur- ing Fraternity Rush. All of the thirteen fraternities, which are supervised by the inter- Fraternity Council, held rush for prospective new mem- bers during the first week back on campus. The Fra- ternities on campus are: Kappa Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Kappa Sigma, Lamda Chi Alpha, Phi Sigma K appa, Pi Kappa Alpha, Pi Kappa Phi Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sig- ma Chi, Sigma Nu, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Omega Psi Phi, and Tau K appa Epsilon. After scheduling and res- cheduling classes, standing in drop-ao'a and fee lines, trampling across campus from one advisor to ano ther, most students were ready to party hearty at night to unwind from the days trau- matic experiences. Some students found relaxation in their own dorm rooms or apartmen ts sipping on some 'icool ones with just a cou- ple of friends, while others enjoyed hitting all the frater- nity houses seeing old friends and meeting new ones, dancing, and drinking with a cro wd. Members of the fraterni- ties had been planning for Push Week long before the hectic week began. Many brothers had to return to school se veral weeks before classes for a week of work. During this week, brothers painted, mowed and trimmed yards of the houses and basically prepared ev- eryone for rushing prospec- tive pledges, or associates. Posters and flyers to adver- tise the parties also had to be placed and distributed all over campus. Kegs of beer had to be ordered. Music and sound systems had to be arranged. So by the time the first person ar- riveo' at the fraternity house, everything was 'y'ust right. if a young man was inter- ested in going through Fra- ternity Rush, he paid a fee of $3.00 at the first fraternity house he chose to visit. in re turn he received a receipt and all the beer he could drink. After leaving one house to attend another, all he had to do was show the receipt that was paid earli- er. Some guys just enjoy go- ing to the fraternity houses for the cold beer and fun, while others are thinking about pledging but want to know a little more about the Greek life. For these young men there are the brothers of the fraternity to talk to and get all the background needed. The main brother behind Rush is the Rush Chairman, who talks to pro- spective pledges. Then the brothers hold bid sessions and extend in vitations to in- terested men whom broth- ers think would be an asset to the fraternity. Rush Week is just about the most important week of the year for a fraternity, for Push is the lifeblood of the fraternity. Rush Week for the five 80- rorities on campus, Alpha Delta Pi, Kappa Delta, Delta Zeta, Sigma Kappa, and Phi Mu, all supervised by Panhel- lenic, is also important, for it too is the lifeblood of the so- rority. Rush Week is usually held the second week of school and is quite different from Fraternity Rush held the week before. About the same pre-rush preparations that went on before Fraternity Rush take place also for the Sorority Rush. Some things, however, are different. Instead of rook-n-roll music, skits and songs are practiced by the girls of the sorority for hours upon hours, weeks in ad- vance. Rather than beer being served, punch and cookies are served at soror- ity parties. Girls who wish to go through Sorority Rush must register the first week of school, pay a rush fee of 88.00 to the Panhelienio Council, and be assigned to a rush group. The rush group is headed by a rush counsel- or called a Rho Chi. The Rho Chi's are chosen by Panhel- lenic on the basis of leader- ship and scholarship. Their job is to advise the rushees during the week of rush and to be neutral to words all the sororities, An open-house is set up at the first of the week to give the rushees a casual glance at all the sorority suites and to get Rush Week rolling. The folio wing night parties are held by each so rority and all the rushees get to meet the sisters of the so- rority. That same night after all the parties are over, the rushees meet with their rush counselors and eliminate the sorority that they wer- en't particularly interested in. This leaves four sorority parties for the rushee to at- tend the next night. This pro- cess of cutting a sorority is followed every night all week long until only two are left. Once down to two so- rorities fby Fridays the ru- shee attends two Preferen- tial Parties. Preferential Par- ties are the most beautiful and serious of the whole week. The Pref Party is also when the hard-rushing is done by the sisters of the so- rority, for the girls attending this party could be future sis- ters of the sorority. After Preferential Parties, the rushees sign a card with the sorority they feel most at home with and want to be a part of. Then comes the waiting. The rushees have to wait to see if they get the sorority of their first choice ffor two are choseny, and the sisters have to wait to see if the girls they wanted Chose their sorority. These questions are ans wered Sat- urday morning when the ru- shee picks up a bid of in vita- tion by a sorority. Then the excited rushees proceed to the Candlelight Service where they pledge them- selves to Panhellenic. The ru- shees know which sorority they pledged, but the members still don 't know the answers to their question. The members find out after the new pledges walk through the door. it is all an exciting and tension-build- ing process. Fraternity Rush and Soror- ity Rush differ in many ways, yet both have the same goal: to encourage young men and women to pledge themselves to a fraternity or sorority where they can bet- ter themselves and become part of a family that will con- tinue for a lifetime. 27

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BROTHERS AND RUSHEES at Ihe Sigma Phi Epsilon house continue their legacy of Gatoring. Ron Campbell, Stall tarry Smith, Pho'o Lab ALPHA DELTA PI sorority performs KAPPA DELTA SORORITY mem- fhelr sklt durlng theme party night bers are preparing nametags for of Fall Rush. the most sentimental pariy of Rush, the Preferential Party. John Flanlgan, Staff 26 RUSH

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28 By Mary Paf Buchanan Staff Writer A beaufiful, sunny affer- noon wifh yellowjackefs flir- fing fhrough the tall grass and bluegrass music drifting in fhe background, set the scene for a cookout held during fhe firsfL week of school. The cookout span- sored by fhe University Cen- ter Program Commiffee sUCPQ and Sfudenf Gov- ernmenf Associafion sSGAy and catered by ARA, brought many sfudenfs out from unpacking boxes and suitcases for an affernoan of good eating and socializing. The UCPC along wifh the Sfudenf Governmenf Asso- ciafion wanted to give new and returning sfudenfs a chance f0 meef each ofher and relax, while introducing BUFFALO CHIPKICKERS BLUE- GRASS Band performed for stu- dent of the UCPC Cookout fhemselves and leffing fhe sfudenfs know fhaf fhe Sfu- denf Government was on campus fa help fhem. Jeff Anderson, Presidenf of SGA, offended fhe evenf along wifh Clyde Boone, Vice- Presidenf of SGA, and ofher members of Sfudenf Gov. ernmenf. Dr. Ron Beller, Presidenf of ETSU, was also on fhe scene to infroduce himself and welcome every- one who came out. A good crowd was on hand to sif and enjoy lisfen- ing fo bluegrass music pro- vided by the Buffalo Chip- kickers. All in all, fhe cookouf was a success and all seemed fo enjoy fhemselves fhorough- Iy. MARK SCRUTON GETS his food lrom tho ARA Ilno. COOKOUT JoMFIanlgan,$ia!I