Fraternity rush
numbers deceiving
By Kim Sweet
S. Staff writer
On paper, it seems fewer men will
be inhabiting fraternity houses this
yean
But after a formal spring rush and
> the colonization of two new ffatemi
ties, the number of men becoming
brothers is actually up from the last
-- two years, said Jess Sweley,
Interffatemity Council president
These factors contribute to a
number that is deceiving, Sweley
said
A total of 455 men signed to join
University of Nebraska-Lincoln ffa
temity chapters during summer rush
t this year. That number is down slight
ly from 467 men signing in 1997, and
.487 in 1996.
But summer rush numbers do not
g include approximately 75 men who
joined Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity last
J; spring, Sweley said. The chapter
formed last year and recruited mem
bers during; the firstrever formal
>e
T.TJnif Jssunpus s first historically
nonexQlpsive.Latipp fraternity also
w£s Thought to cajnpps this year.
7 " Though the chapter hasn’t started
recruiting yet, its membership will
add men to the greek fold, Sweley
said
Summer is the main season for
recruiting, but fraternity rush is infor
mal and can continue through the
T year
Though spring rush helped to
recruit upperclassmen, the number of
incoming freshmen signing during
the summer still dropped.
Bill Schellpeper, rush chairman
at Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, said
getting freshmen to cojnunit.has been
harder.
*There aje a' lot of kids who; are
interested in (the greek* system);”
Schellpeper said. “The problem is
convincing them to go with it and
stay with it”
Sweley said certain obstacles
have made recruiting men more diffi
cult in the past few years.
One problem that has caused
numbers to go down over the past
three years is UNL’s rule that fresh
men must sign before submitting
their housing application. That means
they must decide by the beginning of
July, when contracts are due.
Low out-of-state participation in
fraternity rush also has contributed to
declining numbers, Sweley said.
Although sororities have a formal
rush in the fall that is easily accessi
ble to prospective out-of-state mem
bers, fraternities have informal
events all over Nebraska, which tend
to exclude out-of-staters, he said.
John England, rush chairman for
FarmHouse agreed with Sweley.
“The biggest problem is that out
of-state members don’t have a fair
shot,” England said.
While the numbers for summer
rush decreased, many chapters expe
rienced a successful membership
drive. England said his fraternity had
no problem filling the 25 Spaces it
tries to occupy every year. •
-' But lower Summer rush numbers
may affect chapters that try to recruit
35-40men a year, England said.
And chapters that traditionally
have to look hard for new members
will feel the effects of the lower num
bers as well, England said.
“Houses that don’t fill up as
quickly will feel die crunch,” he said.
Bringing the numbers up will
require fraternities to be ready to face
the challenge of a shorter rush period
and the difficulty of reaching out-of
state students, Sweley said.
Spring rush addressed both of
these problems this year.
It helped the fraternities prepare
early for summer rush and gave all
men enrolled in the university a
chance to look at houses in a relaxed
environment before die busdeof rush
began, Sweley said.
Schellpeper thinks it is up to each
chapter to keep men interested in
joining fraternities.
“The biggest thing is staying
motivated.”
Bylaw promotes community service
ByIevaAugotums
Staff writer
ASUN leaders picked up where
they left off last semester and began
the new academic year Wednesday
with unanimous support for commu
nity service, concerns about sexual
harassment and parking problems.
The Association of Students of the
University of Nebraska accepted a
community service bylaw stating,
“ASUN will strive to organize regular
collaborative community service pro
jects” to benefit the university and the
surrounding community.
Senator and Campus Life
Committee Chairman Ryan Anderson
said ASUN’s goal is to have a cam
puswide service project involving as
many student organizations as possible.
Anderson said ASUN senators
will be contacting all student organiza
tions asking for help.
ASUN’s first service project is
picking up trash in and around
Memorial Stadium on Sept.. 26 at 8
_ a.m., after the game against the
University pfWashington.
7 Depending on how many organiza
U--- ■
tions help, the cleanup should take one
or two hours, Anderson said.
Senators Rachelle Winkle and
Andy Schuerman, members of the
Human Rights Committee, proposed a
bill for the creation of a harassment ad
hoc committee in light of increased
publicity and concern about harass
ment (hiring the 1997-98 school year.
Winkle said the purpose of the
committee would be to get information
out to faculty, staff members and stu
dents about die definition of and proce
dures involving sexual harassment
“At the present moment, there is no
student organization working on
harassment issues - one should be cre
ated,” Winkle said.
The legislation states ASUN will
work with the vice chancellor for stu
dent affairs. The committee wiH be in
place for the 1998-99 academic year.
-■ Student appointments to the com
mittee will be made by ASUN
President Safa' Russell. Faculty
appointments will be made by Vice
Chancellor for Student Affairs James
unesen.
“It’s going to take a long time to
sort all of the issues and concerns,”
Winkle said. “But there is a need for
faculty, staff and students across die
board, campuswide”
In other business, loss of parking
was the main concern with the
Antelope Valley and Master Plan
Construction Project
Russell said ASUN understands
that there are plans for permit parking
structures for students and employees
but is concerned with the elimination
of parking because of construction.
Senator Jeff Woodford asked
Russell about the senate’s ability to
debate future concerns regarding the
project
Woodford proposed that the senate
leave open its ability to discuss other
concerns, even if parking problems are
solved.
„ Russell said ASUN will fully sup
port tb£ project,' and iegislatioawill
stay open to voice future project con
cerns, including parking.
A committee is being formed to
discuss concerns of the Antelope Valley
and Master Plan Construction. Russell
said 10 students will be appointed.
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