Spring rush begins for two IFC chapters

Sorority pledges across campus are relieved that rush is over -- but for two chapters of the Interfraternity Council, spring rush has just begun. The Kappa Alpha Society and Sigma Nu Fraternity began rush Jan. 23 in hopes of finding prospective members who did not join fraternities in the fall. "What it does is it allows freshmen, particularly [those] who dismissed fraternities earlier on, [to] reconsider and join the Greek system," IFC vice president for rush and College junior Ed Sckyler said last week. Presidents from the two fraternities said last week that they are also very happy about rush. "We had our first open event [last] Monday night, and I'd call it a success," Kappa Alpha President Robert Giacopetti said. In the past, spring rush was a closed affair by invitation only, Giacopetti said. This year, he and members of his society decided to make it open to "grab a few more guys." "Some of the best people come from the spring rush," Giacopetti added. "The people who come by are more interested. They've thought about it more. They're more familiar with the Greek system." Sigma Nu President and College junior Justin Sattin said his house has had spring rush for years. "We invite [prospectives] for a few events and feel them out," he said. Sattin added that spring rush is "really informal." "We need some more quality men in our fraternity, and we felt this is the way to do it," he said. Sckyler said he hopes more fraternities will utilize spring rush in the future. He added that many fraternities do not have two rushes because they feel it breaks up pledge unity and because they think all interested freshmen rush in the fall. "Spring rush has definitely been underused by the fraternities," Sckyler said. "This fall, the amount of bids signed went up again, and a lot of freshmen entered the system," he added. "The fall rush on the most part is successful." Bids issued during spring rush will be signed February 14.