Commission plan to delay rush angers IFC

Many campus fraternity and sorority leaders were angry and frustrated at the Commission on Strengthening the Community's recommendations to postpone all Greek rush to the fall of sophomore year. The report, released yesterday in Almanac, states that "first-year rush is a time-consuming event that inhibits new students from exploring the variety of living and social options on campus, and has a negative impact on academic performance." While acknowledging the support provided by "familiar groups," the Commission's report said first-year students needed an environment where they could explore their options. "Penn must teach its students to live in a community that is not homogeneous," it stated. "While the comfort provided by a familiar group is an important support when dealing with the stresses of the first year, we believe that it is vital that students' lives and experiences remain as open as possible." Ed Skyler, Interfraternity Council vice president for rush, said he sees no redeeming qualities in a sophomore rush. "It's the position of the Interfraternity Council that changing the time that rush is held would have severe negative consequences for not only the Greek system, but more importantly for the individuals whose lives are so positively enhanced by partaking in the Greek system," the College junior said. Skyler added, however, that although the IFC may disagree with the recommendation, the University administration can implement whatever policy it wants. "It appears they have the unfounded perception that fraternities negatively impact the community on this campus," he said. "We believe the opposite." Skyler said postponing rush could alter the amount of people that live in the fraternity houses, and thus hurt the houses economically. IFC president Hayden Horowitz, agreeing with Skyler, said he feels betrayed by the Commission. "I was at an IFC meeting last semester when the Commission met with us and we talked to them extensively about community relations, interaction and perceptions of the Greek system," said Horowitz, a College junior. "Not one word was mentioned about rush. I find it hard to believe that they can make this recommendation without talking to the fraternities and sororities." Horowitz said he attended an IFC meeting last night, "and all the members are very opposed to it." Panhellenic Council President-elect Suzanne Rosenberg said she would not defend or criticize the proposal. "I don't have anything to say right now," the College junior said. "I need to look over it, and I need to read it more carefully." Rosenberg said the first important step is for Panhel to speak to its members and gather feedback. Chi Omega president and College junior Donna Sartz is strongly opposed to a sophomore rush, though. "I think this is a serious issue," she said. "The idea of having a sophomore rush would weaken the Panhel system." Sartz said Panhel was unfairly pulled into a proposal directed at fraternities. "We have a winter rush," she said. "We aren't the one's who are pulling out the freshmen a week into school." However, not everyone thinks the proposal is a bad idea. "I think it's a really good idea, because by the time you're a sophomore, you have a more established identity on campus," College senior and Kappa Delta president Jessica Gross said. "You can get back to more of what the Greek system is supposed to be, which is a support network for men and women." Gross said having rush sophomore year would just be an extension of the ideology that led Panhel to have a winter rush. "One of the main reasons is to move us to a more educated decision," she said. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs has not yet taken a stand, however. "At this point I don't have much to say, because I have to meet with the constituents, the alumni and the national organizations," OFSA Director Tricia Phaup said. "We will definitely come up with a statement on this, because this is an issue of great importance to our Greek system."