Whether you’re in Greek life or not, it’s hard to ignore how recruitment season often becomes a campus-wide topic of discussion. “Bama Rush” started trending a few years ago, and like any internet hot topic, debates about sorority and fraternity rush popped up quickly.
While there may be a lot of conversation about Greek life as a whole, I feel there’s less conversation about the clear differences between fraternity and sorority recruitment. As someone coming from inside Panhellenic, I think it’s become glaringly apparent because it takes up so much of my life.Â
With Greek recruitment season coming to a close, I figured now was a good time to reflect on the different expectations and experiences within FSL (Fraternity Sorority Life).Â
Firstly, during sorority recruitment there is a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol. Whether you’re 21 or not, it doesn’t matter. A scheduled dry period runs from the first day of “work week”—a 10-day period when sororities rehearse and learn how to go through the three rounds of recruitment—to the day after bid day, when all potential members receive invitations to join a chapter.
The consequences for drinking during this period are incredibly serious, ranging from a member caught drinking being disallowed from recruiting to entire chapters being exempt from recruitment as a whole. Even a 21-year-old going out downtown is strictly forbidden.
Additionally, sorority members are forbidden from fraternity property. You can’t step onto their front lawns or enter any chapter houses. Even if you’re dating a man in a frat, you can’t be seen in their houses. The reasoning is to prevent PMs (potential members) from being influenced by a chapter’s relationships with other frats and to separate the recruitment process from fraternity rush.
Since frats are often known for the parties they throw, seeing a sorority member on their property may insinuate drinking, which, as previously stated, is also not allowed. And while many would argue against these reasons, I know many sorority members have friends in fraternities, and Panhellenic has never amended these rules.Â
These strict regulations may seem like overkill, but what feels most unfair to me is that fraternities have never been held to these high standards.
During my chapter’s work week, I drove past multiple fraternity houses, where members were day-drinking in their front yards while advertising their upcoming rush schedule. As far as I know, there are no prohibitions against being seen with sorority members, and their recruitment process is entirely different and much more informal. While sororities dedicate entire weekends to these rounds—with different dress codes, expectations, and conversations—fraternities opt for open invites to their houses, where they talk with pledge-hopefuls and decide who they want to recruit.
There is no dress code, no fines for going over the allotted time for a round (even a minute over the designated end of a sorority round leads to at least $100 in fines), and no “bump groups” or “Rho Gammas.”Â
These differences stem from how fraternities and sororities originated. The first frats were founded in the 18th century as secret societies and were used to discuss literary, social, or governmental issues. Students met in certain locations to debate and converse in private spaces. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that college fraternities became more popular, and because these organizations were exclusively for men, women had no equivalent until they created one themselves.Â
The first known sorority was founded in 1851, and it was also regarded as a secret society. These organizations struggled to thrive when women weren’t valued for their intelligence or studies, but for how they could serve men and society as a whole.
Sororities were created so women had a place to exchange ideas, socialize, and focus on academics, since many clubs and literary societies barred women from joining. Since then, both fraternities and sororities have thrived in their own ways, but it’s easy to see how men aren’t held to the same standards when they created it in the first place.Â
While I believe Greek life can be uplifting and beneficial, I think it’s important to examine the disparities between fraternities and sororities and question why they still exist. This doesn’t necessarily mean that frats need to change their recruitment processes, but perhaps sororities should be allowed to have leeway and relaxed restrictions the way their male counterparts do.
Our experiences in Greek life should reflect the fairness and equality we experience in everyday life, so it makes sense that recruitment should be included.Â