As hundreds of men and women go through the pledge process to join fraternities and sororities, another set of Greek organizations are still recruiting.
The Bicultural InterGreek Council -- which comprises 13 chapters focused on minority groups -- has a recruitment process that extends throughout the school year.
This spring, BIG-C groups are using a variety of new recruitment techniques to increase their visibility.
BIG-C adviser Larry Moses said the the council has almost tripled in size over the past nine years to include about 100 members and 13 chapters.
Each chapter -- significantly smaller than its counterparts in the InterFraternity or Panhellenic councils -- has up to 20 members.
"Everyone is always looking to find quality people to join the organizations, to keep the traditions alive," Moses said.
Chapters in the so-called "Divine Nine" -- black-interest sororities and fraternities in the BIG-C -- recruit throughout the year and offer bids periodically. Delta Sigma Theta sorority, for example recruited throughout January and plans to continue holding events in the coming month.
But the two Asian-interest sororities differ from the other BIG-C organizations in limiting recruitment to a set period, spanning two weeks in January.
While Panhel rush has no formal calendar of mandatory events for all those rushing, Alpha Kappa Delta Phi and Sigma Psi Zeta held a tea tasting at the Bubble House and a chocolate fondue party as open rush events.
Last fall was aKDPhi's first as part of the BIG-C, and membership helped to make the rush process run more smoothly, members say.
AKDPhi Rush Chairwoman Kuohsin Chen said that advantages to joining the BIG-C include organizational support from the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, access to facilities and an official adviser.
The Wharton senior said she thinks joining the BIG-C was a good move for the sorority.
The other Asian-interest sorority, Sigma Psi Zeta -- which came to campus in April 2004 -- joined the BIG-C last spring.
Sigma Psi Zeta Rush Chairwoman Joyce Lin said that the sorority's founders were interested in providing professional and networking aspects -- in addition to a social environment -- to their sisterhood.
Lin said that she has enjoyed being in a special-interest sorority and values its small size of 20 members.
"Being in an Asian-interest sorority really gives you the opportunity to do something and have a leadership role on campus because it is newly established and ... smaller," the College and Wharton sophomore said.
Sigma Psi Zeta member Eva Tsui said that she enjoys the benefit of being both in a special-interest organization and part of the larger Greek community.
"Its not only becoming part of the Asian community. ... It's part of the greater Greek community," the College sophomore said.
Unlike the majority of IFC and Panhel organizations, none of the BIG-C chapters has a house of its own, but Moses is hopeful that the University will help to find a small house that a chapter will be to afford.
The Big-C is "continuing to be a vital and very viable part of the student culture for the entire community," Moses said.
