Published 2007-09-11T00:00:00Z”/>
ORION STAFF
<em>Editor’s note: This story has been</em> <a href= “http://www.theorion.com/corrections/#091207”>corrected</a>.
Multicultural fraternities and sororities seek recruits who approach members with an interest to join – not the other way around.
Rush begins this week for the seven university-recognized multicultural fraternities and sororities and will last for two to three weeks, depending on student interest, said Brenda Figueroa, president of Upsilon Kappa Delta.
Sororities and fraternities will cover campus with fliers and table in the Free Speech Area and Glenn Hall breezeway to answer students’ questions, Figueroa said.
The Latino-based fraternity Nu Alpha Kappa uses rush week to get its image out to campus by tabling with its paddles and other fraternity tokens representing culture and pride.
The group is not racially exclusive and welcomes anyone to rush. Students who are intrigued and interested in what the fraternity has to offer seek it out, not the other way around, president Pablo Soto said.
Members invite interested students to the fraternity house for football games and sporting events to get to know one another, he said.
“We put ourselves out there and show the campus our brotherhood, pride and culture,” Soto said.
Upsilon Kappa Delta members believe that potential recruits should also seek the sorority out, Figueroa said. The group determines its number of rush events by the amount of student interest.
Members hold dinners and events such as root beer socials for potential recruits, she said.
“We want to make sure that the girls are comfortable,” Figueroa said. “We want quality over quantity.”
Raul Curiel, president of Epsilon Sigma Rho, said his members will hold poker and pizza nights, socials with sororities and football games to get to know potential members.
Epsilon Sigma Rho uses the activities to make the men closer to one another, Curiel said.
“We focus on brotherhood,” he said. “We are a family, not just a club.”
Similar to social sororities, Upsilon Kappa Delta requires members to maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher, Figueroa said. Members must also log 10 hours of study time each week.
Two hours of study time must be in a group setting where sisters can ask each other questions and draw from each other’s knowledge, Figueroa said. The other hours must be split between the Meriam Library and home.
Nu Alpha Kappa requires potential members to be in their second year at Chico State and maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Members made the decision not to let any freshman rush so that potential members have a better understanding of college life before joining.
“We feel that that way they better understand who they are and what they want,” Soto said.
To ensure members maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher, Nu Alpha Kappa has a book in the library that members use to log their study time, Soto said. At the end of the semester, the brothers with the most hours logged receive prizes ranging from gift certificates to discounts on fraternity dues.
Most multicultural fraternities and sororities rush during the designated weeks that the university sets for them, but they are always keeping their eyes and ears out for men and women who might be interested, Figueroa said.
“We learn a lot from each other,” she said. “We welcome everyone in and build our own multiculture.”
Orion Staff can be reached at <a href= “mailto:[email protected]”>[email protected]</a>
—–Learn more about each of the multicultural Greek organizations with our <a href= “http://media.www.theorion.com/media/storage/paper889/news/2007/09/05/Multimedia/Flash.Presentation.Multicultural.Greek.Organizations-2949281.shtml” target=”_blank”>Flash presentation</a>.
