What is Rush?


The term "RUSH" is often used as a more appealing substitute to the term "New Membership Recruitment." It is important to remember that without new members a fraternity chapter will ultimately fail and dissolve, thus rendering new members the "lifeblood of every fraternity." This is the sole reason why "Rush Week" is so important to each chapter on campus. Chapters that fare better in the future years are most often those chapters that initiate large numbers of quality men during the course of "Rush Week."

"Rush Week" refers to the primary membership recruitment drive that each fraternity participates in over the same week-long period, usually following "IFC Rush." (Interfraternity Rush - all chapters at once) During Rush Week fraternities generally set up a calendar of events designed to attract students interested in what fraternity life has to offer. Prospective members have the chance to get to know as many fraternities as desired over the week, and towards the end of the week they may or may not get a "bid" from each fraternity. Rush Week usually occurs early during the fall quarter and in the winter and/or spring quarters.

A "bid" is the general term to describe a formal invitation to pledge a fraternity. At the end of our Rush Week, for example, prospective members are given bids and if they accept membership, they are pledged into the fraternity.