Fall rush turnout sets records

A record-breaking number of students attended rush events for sororities and fraternities during fall rush this year, with a potential new member class of 1,046 women rushing sororities.

The nine sororities participating in rush were encouraged to offer more bids this year as a result of the large class, which broke the previous record of 953, USC Panhellenic President Megan Lambert said. Houses offered 737 bids this semester, with about 70 to 90 pledges in each sorority’s class.

Roughly 300 students dropped out of Panhellenic’s rush and some students were not offered bids. Lambert said this happens every year, however.

“There’s no guarantee that women will be matched up with a chapter, unfortunately,” Lambert said.

USC Interfraternity Council President Michael Madden said official rush numbers will not be released until next week after IFC’s secondary rush ends. Madden said that, on average, more students attended rush events each night. Potential new members were asked to sign in to IFC’s computer system at each house they visited during rush events.

“Every single day we were getting 50 more check-ins than what we had last year and the years prior,” Madden said.

During house tours Sunday, for example, 1,054 potential new members signed in compared to 1021 students last year, Madden said.

About 400 students received bids from fraternities, but more bids will be offered during IFC’s secondary rush, Madden said. Secondary rush will be held at The Lab on Sunday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Despite the logistical challenges created by the increased number of students during the rush process, Lambert said she saw the bigger rush class as a positive change overall.

“We are thrilled that there are so many women looking to join the Panhellenic community, and we can’t wait to welcome our new members,” she said.