For AU students interested in rushing a sorority, recruitment weekend came at an unusual time this year, taking place the weekend before second semester classes begin, rather than the traditional weekend following the first week of school.
Despite the atypical placement of recruitment, assistant director of fraternity and sorority life Colin Gerker said in an email that spring recruitment numbers this year are similar to those of last academic year.
Last year, 425 registrants participated in spring recruitment, according to Gerker. This year, the process is starting with 435 students.
Lily Brown, a junior in the School of Communication and the incoming president of AU Panhellenic, said that the timing of this year’s recruitment weekend is inconvenient, and might have deterred students from signing up.
“We recognize the placement this year for recruitment is a little awkward,” Brown said. “But the reality is, we need a three-day weekend in order to conduct recruitment the way in which we do.”
Meanwhile, recruitment for the Interfraternity Council begins on Jan. 23, according to Gerker.
“There are around 200 [people] signed up for IFC recruitment at this time with about 20 days to register remaining,” Gerker said.
Overall, the unconventional placement of sorority recruitment weekend did not hinder students from showing interest in rushing, according to Gerker and Brown.
“Getting back to D.C. two or three days early isn’t too much a price to pay for a process whose results and benefits are truly unmatched,” Brown said.
