Luckily for fraternity members, playing “Call of Duty” with potential
new members is no longer banned during recruitment.
The Interfraternity Council has made changes to recruitment, which began last weekend, allowing
it to be more relaxed and informal.
IFC is also making changes to recruiting rules and recruitment, which started last weekend.
Fraternity recruitment has made a step this year to become more informal.
In previous years, resident advisors,
assistant resident advisors and recruitment counselors would be disaffiliated from their fraternity
until recruitment was over, but this year they only have to disaffiliate when a formal recruitment
period is in progress, such as the opening weekend block party or Late Night BU.
Matt Hafer, sophomore business
major and recruitment counselor
for IFC, said the more relaxed rules make it easier to connect with the men joining a fraternity.
“It is pretty cool to still be able to wear your letters around at non-formal events,” he said. “It’s easier to hang out with potential members
when it isn’t a huge ordeal.”
IFC President Alan Goebl said he is hoping the changes make recruitment “less forced and that students and fraternities can form better relationships.”
Another new way fraternities can bond with potential new members
is by allowing them to return to fraternities’ houses during the week between round one and two, during a specific time during the day.
Some potential recruits said they were looking forward to the start of recruitment.
“I’m excited for it to begin,” freshman industrial engineering major Jay Espinoza said. “I’m most excited for the parties and to meet all of the new people.”
Freshman engineering major Andrew Rau said he is looking forward to pledging a fraternity.
“I always wanted to be in a fraternity,”
he said. “It will be great to have that sense of community and brotherhood with them.”
Associate Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Jesse Koch said 190 students have signed up for recruitment, including 165 freshmen.
At this pace, recruitment is up “five to 10 percent,” Goebl said.
The number of students signed up for recruitment has been in the 260s for the past three years, including 269 last year.