Informal fraternity recruitment is underway this week for UA men interested in joining a social fraternity.

The Interfraternity Council's informal rush began last night at an orientation session in Social Sciences building, Room 100 and will continue through the rest of the week, ending with bid day on Friday at 4 p.m., when the potential new members receive bids, according to the Greek Life Web site.

At the informational meeting last night, about 500 men attended, Council President Michael Katzman said.

Of the 22 IFC chapters on campus, 19 are participating in recruitment, said IFC Vice President of Membership Thomas Murrin, the others are multicultural and have a different process for recruiting members.

This recruitment will be the first time IFC is hosting a fall informal rush, Katzman said.

Katzman, a political science senior, said informal recruitment will "put more responsibility on the chapters to increase membership instead of IFC."

With informal rush, the potential new members can visit as many houses or events as they want, rather than being required to visit every chapter like in formal rush, said Murrin, a science education senior.

According to last spring's informal rush numbers, IFC expects the chapters to recruit more men than last fall because the process is more convenient, Murrin said.

Murrin said two springs ago around 70 men went through recruitment, and 154 bids were accepted in the spring.

Other changes to IFC's recruitment include removing the registration and fees associated with formal rush, Katzman said.

One of the major consistencies with informal and formal rush is the dry recruitment policy, which requires potential members to stay sober during rush events, Murrin said.

"Alcohol is usually associated with parties and fraternities. It's important to show the guys that fraternities are more than that image," Murrin said. "Fraternities are active in community service and philanthropy and raise a lot of money. We want to show that."

To make sure each event is alcohol free, a representative from the council will stop by the chapters to make sure "everything is in good taste," Murrin said.

Murrin said chapters who break the alcohol policy will be given different consequences depending on each situation.

If there is alcohol or drug paraphernalia or posters, the consequences won't be as severe as if a chapter hosts a party, which is strictly against the rules, Murrin said.

Each chapter has an approved schedule of events, which are set up to allow the active brothers to get to know the potential new members and introduce them to the campus fraternities.

Matt Van Horn, president of Alpha Epsilon Pi, said informal rush will benefit his chapter. With informal rush, the potential new members visit the houses because they want to, not because they have to.

Some of Alpha Epsilon Pi's rush events include a billiards event, bowling, barbecues and a hookah night sponsored by Smiley's Ultimate Hookah Lounge, 503 E. Ninth St., said David Shapiro, Alpha Epsilon Pi's rush chairman.

Many fraternities host bid night parties after recruitment is over, but those parties must be registered by Greeks Advocating Mature Management of Alcohol and must follow all of the rules and policies, Murrin said.