The 'Street' still strong: Clubs draw large sophomore numbers

The busiest week of the year on Prospect Avenue ended in February with 932 students — more than 80 percent of the sophomore class — joining eating clubs through Bicker and sign-ins.

Ivy Club had the highest selectivity rate, accepting only 64 of the 145 students who bickered. Tower Club accepted 89 of 130 students. Cap and Gown Club accepted 80 of 112 Bickerees and Tiger Inn accepted 78 of 109 Bickerees, Inter-Club Council Adviser Marty Crotty '98 said.

Cottage Club offered bids to 87 of 116 Bickerees, according to Crotty. Former Cottage president Grainger David '00 said, however, that by the second day of Bicker, 131 students were seeking membership in the club.

The Bicker clubs are enjoying increased popularity compared to recent years, according to Crotty. During the past two years, the total number of sophomores bickering has increased by 20 percent. In the spring, Bicker clubs accepted a total of 398 students, almost 50 more than last year.

First-round sign-ins were also successful, attracting almost half of the students who joined eating clubs this year. These students distributed themselves relatively evenly among the different sign-in clubs, according to Crotty.

"It looks like there is a good balance," Crotty said. "There is no club with a bleak outlook."

Charter Club was the most popular sign-in club with 132 sophomores selecting it as their first choice. Through the lottery process, Charter accepted 91 new members.

Terrace Club also fared well in sign-ins, attracting 93 new members. "We're very pleased," Terrace president Nili Safavi '01 said.

In the first round, Quadrangle Club and Cloister Inn attracted 74 and 77 members, respectively. In second-round sign-ins, Quad and Cloister filled, raising their new membership totals to 94 and 87 students, respectively.

Colonial Club and Campus Club took significantly fewer members than other clubs in the first round, attracting 45 and 23 members, respectively. Colonial, however, had the most successful second round, raising the number of new members in the club to 97. Campus Club, the only club not to fill, attracted 11 students in the second round, raising its new membership to 34.

Attracting about 100 students total, second-round sign-ins maintained success similar to that of the past few years. "I'm happy that people came out in good numbers for second-round sign-ins," Crotty said. "Overall, [there was] excellent participation, great balance and the prospect for even better things to come throughout the spring and early fall."