Interfraternity Council discusses improving recruitment rates


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Central Michigan University's Interfraternity Council meets on Tuesday, Feb. 13 in the Charles V. Park Library Auditorium.

Word of new recruitment techniques and ideas about how to increase interest in Greek Life on campus filled the room as Central Michigan University's Interfraternity Council gathered for the first time since spring rush.

The meeting took place on Feb. 13 in the Charles V. Park Library Auditorium. 

Jeff Daian, vice president of recruitment, addressed how spring recruitment could have been improved and asked attendees for suggestions concerning fall recruitment. Daian also suggested a more formal approach to recruitment could be necessary in order to make interested students feel more comfortable with the process.

"Recruitment is 365 days a year," Daian said, adding not only should importance be placed on those initiated, but to the students who were interested and didn't follow through with the process. 

"We all focus on our own chapters. We don't focus on the community as a whole," said Galen Miller, president of the IFC and member of Phi Delta Theta.

Miller encouraged a community oriented approach to recruitment rather than members of Greek Life only promoting their specific organization.

Attendees at the IFC meeting said that "Meet the Greeks" held at the Towers Residence Halls didn't go as well as planned. Some even shared that they felt it was too intimidating for freshmen because fraternity members were "in their home" rather than having the recruits in theirs. Measures may be taken in the future to have a softer approach when trying to gain the attention of interested students.

Following spring recruitment, Sigma Chi had the most new recruits with 10 and Sigma Tau Gamma had the least with zero. A total of 73 new members were recruited this spring from all the fraternities governed by the IFC. 

Attendees said recruitment this semester was not advertised well and there wasn't enough information on social media accounts linked to Greek Life.

Miller noted that the problem isn't social media use, but rather that only fraternity and sorority members follow the accounts. Although use of social media is important, he said ideas are on the table to improve recruitment rates on campus such as having greek tours during freshman orientation. 

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