Sorority rush numbers drop significantly following ban

The total number of students rushing the three Panhellenic sororities dropped by over 64 percent in the first year of the ban on freshman rush. During registration last week, a total of 74 sophomores, juniors and seniors signed up to rush the sororities, including 64 sophomores, nine juniors and one senior.

With freshmen in the rush pool, over 200 students attended the first night of rush last year. But this year, the number of upperclassmen rushing has more than doubled; in past years, only about 30 sophomores and very few upperclassmen have rushed sororities.

College Panhellenic president Caroline Slutsky ’14 attributed the increase to a greater emphasis on targeting sophomores and juniors — and, later on, seniors — in recruitment. A recruitment poster posted during the first week of classes only invited sophomore and junior girls, but the rush Facebook event was later reflected to add that seniors were welcome to rush as well.

Slutsky said students of any year have always been allowed to rush but may not have known that in the past because recruitment was geared more heavily toward freshmen.

“Due to the freshman [rush] ban, we’ve geared it toward sophomores and upperclassmen, and I guess they feel more welcomed into the community,” Slutsky said. “Perhaps in past years, sophomores who really did want to rush felt they didn’t have as big of a chance of getting into a sorority because the sense is the freshmen are the priority.”

Slutsky said this year’s numbers show that sororities should have targeted upperclassmen more in the past and that the assumption on the part of past Panhellenic presidents that upperclassmen would not be interested in rushing was not correct.

In previous years, the three sororities — Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Pi Beta Phi — have each taken pledge classes of about 50 students. Of the roughly 200 who showed up for the first day of rush, around 50 were not placed in any of the three sororities.

Fraternities’ rush processes are different. While female students rush all three sororities and then rank their preferences, male students rush one individual fraternity.

Sorority pledge classes this year will be smaller, though Slutsky said this change would not negatively impact the experience in any way.

“It’s always great to have a large number of girls express interest, but the priority is to have quality over quantity,” Slutsky said. “It’s much more important to have a smaller group of girls that are really passionate and excited about joining.”

Slutsky said she could not yet say whether the sororities will increase membership dues as a result of the smaller pledge classes, explaining that it would depend on the number of students that joins each sorority.

University President Shirley Tilghman announced the rush ban in summer 2011. Last spring, a committee on the implementation of the ban led by Dean of Undergraduate Students Kathleen Deignan recommended a one-year suspension for all students found to have violated the policy.

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Unlike many other schools, Princeton’s sororities and fraternities are not recognized by the administration, do not have their own houses and cannot participate in University activities or use University resources. Slutsky said the ban has not had an impact on the vitality of existing Greek life at the University.

“It’s a sign that Greek life, and specifically sororities, are stronger than ever,” Slutsky said.