This year, incoming University students who hope to join a fraternity or sorority will have to participate in evening recruitment activities during times they might have reserved for getting acquainted with a new campus or relaxing following their first days of college classes.
Potential new members of LSU Greek Life will be viewing houses at night, and many current members will be working on rush week activities until the early hours of the morning.
LSU Greek Life postponed fall rush from Sunday, Aug. 14 for the National Panhellenic Council to Wednesday, Aug. 24 and from Wednesday, Aug. 17 to Thursday, Aug. 25 for the Interfraternity Council due to the historic flooding that struck Louisiana. Director of Greek Life Angela Guillory said this decision was made because of the concern as to whether the University could fully operate.
Sororities’ original recruitment week schedule stretched from Aug. 13 through Aug. 20 — two days before the start of classes. Fraternities’ recruitment ran from Aug. 17 until Aug. 21.
Guillory said Greek Life worked with the Emergency Operations Center to make the call to postpone recruitment. There was a concern with school starting due to the limited function of the university after much of Baton Rouge and South Louisiana was hit by floods.
“I think that the sentiment was we have to worry about Baton Rouge and so many of our students and our university,” Guillory said.
She said that this was the first time she had experienced recruitment taking place during academic time.
The Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council and the National Pan-Hellenic Council eventually voted to postpone recruitment. Guillory said she feels that while the decision was not ideal, it was the best option discussed. Another option was to divide the recruitment into two weekends, but Labor Day weekend plans posed a challenge for many students.
The PHC new member convocation was held on Sunday, Aug. 21, at 1 p.m. and the IFC convocation was held that same day at 4 p.m. Guillory said the time change did not affect the overall turnout and that no one withdrew from the process.
Guillory said members who were affected by the flood still wanted to come back and participate.
“I think it says a lot [that you have] something to come back for,” Guillory said. “You’ve got a support system.”
Group leaders provided information on the decision and its explanation to new members and their parents via email, text and verbal communication. Advisors, house moms and dads, chapter presidents and new member educators worked together to emphasize the importance of putting school first and that students’ schedules could be worked around.
“Academics always come first,” Guillory said. “We’re never going to work against the university to say recruitment is a priority. It’s more than just recruitment. It’s a way to find your place and your home at LSU. And for so many people, they really need that.”
The Daily Reveille reached out to several sorority members, but they did not respond to requests for comment. Sorority members are on an abridged silence currently, meaning they cannot post anything on social media related to recruitment. A complete social media silence begins Wednesday.