Spring recruitment a resounding success at OU

DELTA KAPPA (Oklahoma University) — Eighty-two men signed official bid cards with the Interfraternity Council to become official pledges Monday at the Jim Thorpe Multicultural Center.

One hundred and thirty one students signed up to participate in the spring rush process. Since some chapters were not able to attend, the preliminary figure that signed official bid cards will most likely increase during the next few days, said John Esche, council recruitment vice president.

The spring rush process was supposed to conclude Feb. 9. However, weather and campus closings moved the final day of the process — which culminates with the signing of the official bid card — to Monday.

“When campus closes, most events affiliated with OU are canceled as well,” Esche said.

The students and chapters pushed through the weather the first two days, Feb. 7 and 8, Esche said. The Interfraternity Council had initially planned to complete the process regardless of weather.

“The reason we didn’t finish on Wednesday as planned was because the campus was closed,” Esche said.

Esche said he did not expect the recruitment period to last three weeks, but knew the weather would be a factor.

Spring recruitment is a process that takes place during three days. Candidates are split into two groups and are taken on formal house tours the first two days. Students then participate in free time on the second and third days.

“During free time, each chapter hosts an open house so that recruits can continue to meet more of the members and compare their own interests with what a fraternity can offer,” Esche said.

Alex Henkel, University College freshman and Phi Delta Theta candidate, did not rush a fraternity in the fall because he did not think he would be interested.

“I didn’t think it would be something that I wanted to do, but after seeing a couple of my friends from back home do it at other universities, and talking to and meeting some guys, [I thought] maybe it’s the thing for me,” Henkel said.

He also cited being busy during the fall semester kept him from rushing.

“I literally did not have the time to do school, drumline and be a pledge,” Henkel said.

During the end of last semester, Henkel started attending Phi Delta Alpha parties and realized he fit in with the fraternity.

“For me, going to Phi Delt was just like hanging out with my group of friends back at home,” he said.

Henkel, along with 10 others, signed their official bid cards with Phi Delta Alpha on Monday night.

University College freshman and Kappa Alpha signee Gabe Duncan was relieved to sign his card and complete the process of spring recruitment.

“It’s a big relief, because I was kind of worried at first about not getting in either the one I wanted to, or just any at all,” Duncan said. “So I was really happy to get the bid card.”

Duncan signed with Kappa Alpha, his fraternity of choice.

The largest signing class belonged to Alpha Tau Omega, signing 17 students. The smallest class was Phi Kappa Sigma, signing one.

Esche said anytime there is an increase in the population of men in the greek community, it is an important event. He admitted it does get competitive between chapters.

“All in all though it’s healthy competition that pushes each chapter to really sell themselves as the place recruits will feel most at home,” Esche said.

Signing classes by the numbers:

Alpha Tau Omega – 17

Delta Chi – 7

Delta Tau Delta – 6

Delta Upsilon – 6

Kappa Alpha – 5

Lambda Chi Alpha – 3

Phi Delta Theta – 11

Phi Kappa Sigma – 1

Pi Kappa Alpha – 4

Pi Kappa Phi – 2

Sigma Chi – 8

Sigma Phi Epsilon – 12