Interfraternity Council regulates recruitment


With about 400 men attending Interfraternity Council rush events each day last week, the executive board set about its task of upholding recruitment guidelines.

Alex Keane, IFC vice-president of recruitment discussed this year’s changes implemented during the recruitment process.

“As IFC, we have to make sure everyone follows the rules and has the most successful rush they can,” Keane said. “The minute we let things get out of control, we don’t have a purpose.”

Common violations, such as having girls or containers of alcohol in the houses, were seen this semester, but no major alcohol-related incidents were reported.

To keep violations under control, IFC Executive Board sends one or two members to patrol rush events on a random basis. There, they check in with the chapter president to answer questions and to make sure that rules are being followed. Each night beginning at 10 p.m., IFC does a walk-through of each house.

“One or two executive members will walk through every corner of the house to make sure there are no girls, alcohol or dirty rush events,” Keane said. “Dirty rushing” refers to when fraternity members coerce potential new members to join the fraternity outside of official rush events. “Going until about 1 a.m., we have people driving around the area to make sure there are no parties or events downtown,” he said.

If IFC finds a violation, the offending member must fill out an incident report to be resolved within the next 24 hours. A judicial board of five chapter presidents meets to review the incident and makes a decision based on IFC regulations and prior cases. Fraternities may appeal the decision within 24 hours.

“We’re really just looking to make the best out of the process for the fraternity, but we just have to enforce the judicial process,” IFC president Jake Simon said. “Some sanctions are capped pledge classes or required workshops for the chapter. It’s more developmental for the fraternity to make sure the violation doesn’t happen again.”

Though the members of IFC have to make sure their own chapters are following guidelines, they say that their position does not compromise them significantly since they are unaffiliated with their fraternities during rush week. They may not wear their letters, attend rush events as members or recruit rushees.

“If you were to find a violation within your own house, you have to report it and have the integrity to do the right thing,” Keane said. “I expressed to all my friends that this is a position I was elected to and that I have a job I have to uphold. Everyone knows this is something I do, so I’ve never had any pushback.”

Keane said he feels that overall this recruitment season went smoothly.

“I think we were very successful; we were very good about finding out when things happened and were fair with the rules we uphold,” Keane said. “We have to represent the best interests of the houses.”