Greeks fight 'Animal House' image

By Jen Gomez
Arizona Daily Wildcat
January 24, 1996

Robert Henry Becker
Arizona Daily Wildcat

The women of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority eat dinner with rush participants last night.

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Organizers of this year's spring rush are pushing community service over partying to its current batch of rushees.

"A lot of people on campus think we just party. But we do a lot for the community," said Kelly Fiduccia, Panhellenic president and political science and classical literature junior. "Being Greek got me more involved with the university."

Jennifer Gerth, executive vice president of the Panhellenic Council and health education junior, said the fact that 50 to 60 percent of the leadership positions at the UA are held by fraternity or sorority members is a testament to Greek involvement.

Donald Frerichs, Interfraternity Council president and Latin American studies junior, said IFC sponsors three to five campus-wide philanthropic events a year, including the UA vs. ASU Blood Donor Challenge. IFC also sponsors the Boys and Girls Club and Ca sa De Los Ninos, and some chapters help clean parks through the adopt-a-park program.

All 21 fraternities and 13 of the 16 sororities are participating in rush week, which runs until Friday.

For the women, spring rush week is an informal process, not as structured as the rush week that takes place in the fall. "It's more of a one-on-one basis," Fiduccia said. The IFC, however, will be running a formal rush. Frerich warned rushees that alcohol and drugs are not to be consumed. "We like to keep the Greek system clean," he said.

Fraternities will be having activities through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The chapters are allowed to hold rush activities in their houses, the UA Mall or the Student Union; just as long as they are on UA grounds, Frerichs said.

The registration fee for rush is $15, but membership fees range from $200 to $1,000.

About 129 women registered for this week's rush. Lisa Milam, Panhellenic director of rush counselors and speech and hearing sciences junior, said the turnout was about what she expected for spring rush.

Frerichs said the IFC spring rush has stayed at a constant, ranging from 150 to 200 students, but approximately 250 men registered for this spring. He said the overall number of men rushing, however, has been declining. Rush used to attract 1,000 students regularly during the fall, but only reached 600 last semester. He said the decline is partly due to a changing student population. Frerichs said his organization is having to educate students about Greek values because some students are the first people in their families attending a university.

Frerichs said the IFC is trying to do away with the "Animal House" image most students have of Greeks. He is combating that negative image with orientation sessions for students and their parents and with pamphlets on brotherhood and scholarship that were sent out to incoming freshmen during the fall. Greek life organizers also advised rushees to be good consumers by choosing a chapter that will meet their interests and needs.

Chapter houses will be having open house from 7 to 10 p.m.

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