Seventy-four percent of the 551 bids given out by Interfraternity Council fraternities were accepted this year — a number in line with those of recent years. However, the number of students considered “MIA” has increased to 60, according to IFC President and Wharton junior Christian Lunoe. The “MIA” number includes academically ineligible students, as well as those who have not outright declined or accepted a bid.
Lunoe pointed out that unlike Panhellenic Council sororities, fraternities do not have a quota for the number of bids they must give out. However, some chapters need to hit a minimum number of brothers in order to fill their house.
Lunoe said fewer students were eligible to join fraternity houses this year as the IFC began to enforce a minimum level of academic achievement. Starting this year, freshmen must maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher to participate in IFC fraternities.
In previous years, students with GPAs below 2.5 were simply required to meet with an academic advisor from his respective school in order to formulate a plan.
According to Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski, 554 bids were given in 2009 and 548 bids in 2008.
Individual Panhel chapters have a similar system to ensure members maintain a minimum GPA. These range from a minimum of 2.7 for Sigma Delta Tau to 2.0 for Alpha Phi.
With ongoing minimum GPA requirements, sororities experienced a rise in membership. Panhel saw an eight-percent increase in registration numbers and an average five aditional women per pledge class.
While Panhel President and College junior Darby Nelson praised the IFC system for maintaining “strong recruitment numbers over the years,” she added that “the recruitment process of fraternities and sororities are very different.”
“The Panhellenic Executive Boards have made huge strides to increase new member interest,” Nelson wrote in an e-mail.
Nelson said innovative marketing and promotional initiatives, like Sororientation — a meet-and-greet carnival during New Student Orientation — proved effective in strengthening the presence and reputation of sorority women on campus.
Fraternities are also hoping to allow freshmen to become better acquainted with the Greek system during the fall semester. According to Lunoe, the IFC plans to introduce open registration during the fall. Students will be able to provide information to fraternities and market themselves through e-mail.
In addition, fraternities will hold “open houses” for freshmen to meet brothers from different chapters in the fall.
“It lessens the burden of prospective rushes to visit nearly 30 houses within 3 nights of open rush,” Lunoe wrote.
