Fraternity council plans to streamline recruitment

Kate Bigam

Male students interested in joining a fraternity at Kent State may soon have an easier time doing so than in the past.

The Interfraternity Council, which consists of representatives from fraternities on campus, is in the planning stages of streamlining its informal recruitment system, said Beth Gittons, assistant director of campus life, Greek affairs.

Under the current system of informal recruitment, men are left to their own devices. They are usually invited to attend an individual fraternity’s recruitment event by members of that fraternity who they meet in residence halls, classes or other student organizations.

Council representative Korey Papa called this system “too closed-door,” because many students do not get involved with Greek life unless they are invited to do so by a current fraternity member.

The new system of recruitment would include a sign-up process and a few scheduled events where potential new members could meet representatives from all the different fraternities on a casual basis. On-campus events would make the fraternities “easily accessible,” Gittons said.

“With the men, it’s maddening,” Gittons said, who is working with the council to bring a sense of organization to the recruitment system. “We miss men who may not be joining fraternities because it’s too hard. They don’t know where to begin.”

The new system of fraternity recruitment would not be as in-depth or time-consuming as sorority recruitment, which usually lasts for about two weeks, he said.

Gittons said fraternities not interested in participating in organized formal recruitment will not be required to do so.

Any student who is interested in joining a fraternity this semester should contact Beth Gittons in the Center for Student Involvement at (330) 672-2480.

Contact Greek Life reporter Kate Bigam at [email protected].