As the semester starts, students in fraternities and sororities at AU have only two things on their minds: Greek Week, seven days of events in April, and recruitment, better known as rush.
Rush events are slowly taking the stage on campus as recruitment begins full force and students post hundreds of "Go Greek" fliers across campus. AU's greek students have been earnestly preparing for recruitment since November of last semester.
Formal Panhellenic recruitment dates this semester run from today to Jan. 19. For students interested in rushing a fraternity or sorority, sign-up sheets were available fall semester and from Monday through today at 3 p.m. in the Mary Graydon Center lobby and in all residence halls. Rushing costs $30.
Alpha Phi Omega, AU's coed service fraternity, will hold a rush process comprising a series of meetings that is separate from the general greek recruitment effort. The fraternity recruits new members every semester.
Michaela Thayer, a freshman in the School of Communication and a public communications major, is excited about forming a tight group of girlfriends like she had in high school.
"I think it would be a good experience," Thayer said. "And I can meet new people."
Dylan French, a third-year student in the College of Arts and Sciences, decided not to rush a fraternity because he doesn't "need validation through acceptance," he said.
"I don't need to pay for and tag my friends," French said. "I see greeks as weak in that respect."
Sara Davidson, a freshman in CAS, has decided against rushing a sorority.
"I don't have a dedicated personality. ... I don't like being tied down to stuff," she said. The thought of being surrounded by girls, she continued, is not appealing to her.
Greek Week, which will take place April 4-10, allows fraternities and sororities to mark aspects of greek life at AU, such as the associations' awareness events and community service, along with special athletic events.
Danny Kelley, coordinator of AU greek life, said the "overarching goal" of Greek Week is to celebrate the personality of greek life on campus.
A formal Greek Week 2005 Committee will begin meeting Jan. 26 to coordinate this year's events. It was competitive for fraternities and sororities to get a chair on the committee.
Greek Week activities are open to all students on campus, with the exception of athletic competitions pitting fraternity and sorority members against one another.
In the past, Greek Week's annual awareness event has covered everything from alcohol issues to breast cancer. This year's awareness event has yet to be chosen, and the complete schedule will not be released until later in this semester. One community service event is generally incorporated, as well.
