Oregon State University - Beaver Yearbook (Corvallis, OR)

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N St U XI W r ptff - XZ OfoNl A TJkU UF« r fi jNX Pexz i Eugrnr Tinner After a 45 minute wait in the MU Quad. Jennifer Deverall. Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority Member, warmly welcomes new pledge Ann McKrinstry. Duru DrSuftno Eugrn fanner Nametags symbolizing unity, sisterhood and friendship are used to identify Alpha Chi Omega members Meredith Weijen. Jennifer Wetjen and Sarah Wal-berg. High above the crowds outside the MU. Susie Estes of Alpha Chi Omega watches for the rushees to emerge from inside the building. Sorority Rush 25

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Search for Sisters Sororities throw parties for rushees (6 I had a blast. Everyone seemed so thrilled to be there — it made the difference for me. 99 Erin McDonnell, Alpha Omicron Pi Member The MU Quad, ordinarily quiet on Sunday afternoon, was instead filled with people. Girls decked out in bright colors were singing and cheering, carrying banners bearing various combinations of the Greek alphabet. An aura of celebration and excitement prevailed as photographers rushed around trying to capture the moment on film. It was bid day, the end of sorority rush at OSU. As the doors of the MU opened, a rush of girls descended the stairs running and searching, then finally finding and hugging others amid tears and laughter. Rush had ended. A week of meeting, searching and finding had reached its climax. I had a blast, said Erin McDonnell from Alpha Omicron Balloons, smiles and hugs in the MU Quad were all a part of Bid Day for Pi Beta Phi Sorority sisters Beth Botts and Patty Botts. Doni DrSMfrno Pi. Everyone seemed to thrilled to be there — it made the difference for me, she added. Since the first sorority was established here in 1915, the system grew to include 14 sororities. With the growth of sororities came the birth of formal rush. Sorority Rush began a week before fall term started. Rush began on Sunday when rushees met with Rush counselors who are there to help them throughout the week by giving rush rules which include mandatory attendance at all rush parties, no speaking to fraternity men (for fear of influence), and attendance at all Rush counselor and rushee meetings. The first 2 days of Rush are 14 party days with rushees attending 7 parties each day lasting thirty minutes long. The next 2 days are nine party days lasting thirty-five minutes long. Rushees, on these 4 days will see skits, hear songs and get tours of the houses. The real vital and most memorable days are 6-party days and preference night. After each round of parties the rushees receive invitations back from the sororities. Depending on the day, the rushee can only accept as many invitations as the day specifies. Before all this takes place the sororities are eagerly planning each of the party days, outfits for each day and the many skits that go with each day, not to mention all the songs that must be memorized. Sororities begin planning for Rush at the beginning of each new year. Every year the days are reviewed as to their effec- tiveness. Another way to prepare is to have an all house retreat before or during Pre-Rush week. This provides a time for the girls to get reacquainted with each other and share their summer activities. Once Rush week has arrived the sororities were prepared for the week's long events. Dancing, singing, talking and sharing of each sororities qualities goes on for six full days. Saturday was the big event called preference night. These were one hour parties when each house tried to show their individual and special qualities to the rushees. The parties were planned so that they followed the courses of a dinner. The rushees started with salad at one house, followed with dinner at another house and ended with dessert at the third house. By the end of the evening the rushees submitted their three choices in preferential order to the Panhel-lenic Council. These were then submitted to the central computer system and were matched with the choices submitted by each house. On Sunday the rushees gathered at the MU where they received their bids. When the doors were opened, the girls rushed down the stairs, eagerly searching for the familiar faces. There were hugs, tears and laughter as rush week came to an end. I have really good feelings about it, said Becky Lloyd from Alpha Gamma Delta. It was quite an experience — lots of fun! □ by Lila Asnani 24 Sororitv Rush

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oming Out On Top Fraternity growth ensured by pledges You're just so hyped up for the moment you don't even care if it's going to hurt. You just run out there. )) Mike McKee, Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledge Mik« Sells, freshman in pre-engineering and Delta Upsilon pledge travels the traditional route taken Oy all pledges on bid day. The doors of the Memorial Union burst open, men came flying down the stairs and flung themselves in the air only to be caught by eager and willing arms admist robust cheers and laughter. Fraternity rush was ending and a week of fun and happy memories was almost over. I had the best time, commented Mark Larson, a freshman in pre-engineering from Kappa Sigma. There were lots of things to do and lots of food to eat. Diving out into the crowd during formal pledging was a really exciting experience, said Mike McKee, a freshman from Sigma Alpha Epsilon. You're just so hyped up for the moment that you don't even care if it's going to hurt. You just run out there. Rush is the most structured thing we do for the whole year, said Jeff Nuss, the president of the Inter-fraternity council. Fraternity rush started a week before fall term officially began at Oregon State University. Rush week was intense and competitive because every house was looking for the cream of the crop. A fraternity needs new blood each year to grow and ensure it's existence. So what actually happened during rush week? It was a week long social mixer where participants encountered the pleasant aspects of socializing. Rush week was divided into two main periods, A and B. Rushees were required to sign up to visit four different houses during period A. Two smokers and two dinner dates took place on Wednesday and Thursday. Smokers are events where rushees may get to water-ski, play miniature golf or participate in a friendly game of volleyball allowing the members and rushees to get better acquainted. Period B started Friday when the rushees gathered once again at Gill Coliseum to get invitations back to houses they visited during period A. They were required to sign up for another four dates at different houses or they had the option to suicide to sign all four dates at the same house. On Friday night, the 26 fraternities sent I.F.C. a list of the rushees that they were extending bids to. Some guys to share my life with, and have a good time going through school with was the reason that Larson decided to go through rush. Rush began on a Monday when most fraternities had open house. This gave the rushees the opportunity to meet the members. This casual open house period was when they were informed about the rules, regulations and procedures of rush. We stress it to be a dry rush, commented Nuss. The fraternities were not allowed to have any alcoholic functions throughout rush week and Nuss stressed there is a no alcohol period. The I.F.C. tried to enforce this rule by sending out a regulations board which visited houses during scheduled rush events. A new pledge takes the Memorial Union stairs three at a time before diving intc the crowd Of awaiting fraternity brothers. Any house caught violating this rule faced serious consequences. Depending on how serious the offense was, the judicial committee would decide to prohibit the house from participating in rush. Improvement on enforcement of rules, to make it a fair rush, was what Brian Lee, a pledge from Farmhouse, commented. Maybe I.F.C. should review and improve on their rules for next year. Smokers were impersonal, a formality to go through because there were so many guys, said Tim Kim of Sigma Chi. When smokers just began they were exactly that. Fraternity men could dress-up and invite potential brothers to their house to stand around and chat... and smoke cigars. When Saturday morning dawned all the rushees gathered at the Memorial Union. There was excitement and anticipation as the rushees were given their bids. They decided then which house to pledge and hence decided their new home. Pledging is the most emotional part, said Lee about bid day. Meanwhile outside the air was crackling with tension. The doors opened, names were announced and the tension was let loose with robust cheers and sighs of relief. Rush is a period of getting to know the house, yourself, and which house would best fit from what you want out of a fraternity and school, said Lee, summarizing rush week perfectly. □ by Lila Asnani i 26 Fraternity Rush