After attempting a formal recruitment drive this semester, fraternities on campus are returning to informal recruitment.

The idea of formal recruitment was a split 50-50 between the chapters, said Korey Papa, Interfraternity Council vice president of recruitment. Most chapters were willing to try the new process to see how well it worked, he said.

The formal recruitment process failed this year because of lack of advertisement, Papa said. There was only a small handful of people that signed up for formal recruitment, he said.

“One of the reasons why formal recruitment failed the way it did was because there was a $25 non-refundable fee to go through the process,” said Matthew Machingo, a member of Alpha Tau Omega. “The money did not even guarantee that a student will get into the chapter he wants or get into a chapter at all.”

Interfraternity Council secretary Greg VanDyne said formal recruitment was something the chapters tried to put together this semester. Each fraternity was still using its old methods, so the new process was bound to fail, he said.

“If formal recruitment, in my book, is going to work, they have to get rid of the fee or make all fraternity rushes formal so that is the only way to be able to join a chapter,” said Machingo, senior art technology major.

Fraternities returning to informal rush means that each chapter is responsible for handling its own recruitment, VanDyne said.

“Without a doubt, the best recruitment tool is word of mouth,” VanDyne said.

Without formal recruitment, Lambda Chi Alpha is using its own efforts by talking to people the chapter knows and making connections, said John Pana, a member of Lambda Chi Alpha and senior communications major.

Alpha Tau Omega sends men invitations to join the chapter, Machingo said. Men have until this Sunday to accept the bid, and then they will begin the pledge process, he said.

Informal rush can last all year long, Papa said. Fraternities are always looking for new members to join their chapter, he said.

“Maybe the chapters will get a formal recruitment system put in place for next semester,” VanDyne said. “We have a lot of things to work out.

Contact Greek life reporter Jessica Parmelee at [email protected].