After a long week of conversation and introductions, many new students at UCLA have now received bids to join UCLA fraternities and sororities.
The fall rush process is the busiest time of the year for the Greek system.
But the atmosphere between Panhellenic sororities and Interfraternity Council fraternity houses differs considerably.
A record 700 females are undergoing the process, said UCLA greek adviser Troy Bartels. He was unable to confirm the number of men going through recruitment, though he said it was also a considerable number.
Fall rush started with orientation presentations from the Greek councils on Monday, and students began the recruitment process by visiting Greek housing and meeting Greek members on Tuesday.
By Sept. 28, the Greek houses who are part of the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council sent out bids to accept members, though some Interfraternity houses started offering bids earlier.
The four Greek cultural councils will accept members throughout the year on a rolling basis.
After students have accepted their bid Sunday, fraternities and sororities go through a welcoming process, as sorority members seek to make the new members as comfortable as possible in their new house, said Erica von Trapp, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.
Von Trapp said her sorority treats its new members very well.
“There’s absolutely no hazing, in fact we do the exact opposite. We shower them with gifts, including a uniquely made gift basket with the new member’s name on it,” she said.
Von Trapp added that several current members of the sorority will enter a big sister program with the new girls, in order to help them adjust to Theta.
“We basically make them feel extremely welcome. A sorority is a place for girls to learn and grow about themselves, and we want to make it as welcoming an atmosphere as possible.”
Several fraternity representatives who were reached declined to comment on the nature of their interactions with the new pledges.
But Jeff Looby, the president of Pi Kappa Phi, said his fraternity would be taking its new members on a retreat next weekend to encourage bonding and to let the new pledges get to know the rest of the brothers.
Bartels attributed the large turnout for rush due to a well-publicized campaign over the summer.
“We sent representatives to orientation and got the names and numbers of interested students, and kept in touch with them,” Bartels said.
Bartels added that Greek organizations sent out postcards and constantly remained in contact with students throughout the summer to keep up recruitment interest.
In both fraternities and sororities, the rush process, which prohibits the consumption of alcohol in any sorority or fraternity house during the week of recruitment, generally consists of Greek members engaging in conversation with rushees, Looby said.
After meeting the potential new members, the Greek members discuss to whom they will give bids, or invitations to join the Greek organization, Bartels said.
Morgan Smith, a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, said the sisters in her house talk to the potential new members as though they are a new friend with whom she is meeting for coffee to chat.
Sororities invite back girls they feel are a good fit for each day during rush, Bartels said.
The fraternity process is slightly different, as the houses plan various theme activities to attract potential members.
Kevin Baldwin, a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, said his house puts on everything from a hookah night to a formal Italian dinner during rush.
Fraternity houses are open during recruitment, and students are encouraged to visit as many houses as they like, Bartels said.
The houses that potential new members want to join the most should be visited multiple times, he added.
Like sororities, fraternities invite back some students to invitation-only events so they can continue to get to know members better.
Despite the record number of students rushing, Bartels said most will receive a bid from at least one house.
“The percentage rate is very low for those who do not get a bid to join,” he said.
Bartels added that the recruitment process creates a strong sense of community at UCLA.
“It’s just an opportunity to make friends and fit in a huge place,” he said.