A detailed look inside Greek Life at MU

by Paige Childs, posted Dec. 12, 2011

Greek life isn't for everybody, but for those involved, it is a very important part of their lives. The feeling of brotherhood or sisterhood, traditions and socials define what Greek life is all about.

In the Greek society, a fraternity is for males and a sorority is for females, although originally they were all called fraternities. An example of one of the older sororities that was created as, and is still listed as a fraternity, is Phi Mu.

Each house has its own special founding history on a national level and charter history on campus. The first sorority chapter to receive its charter on MU campus was Kappa Kappa Gamma in 1875. The first fraternity house to receive its charter was Phi Kappa Psi in 1869, which is only 30 years after the university was created.

Over the years some houses have had to leave campus for various reasons. Some reasons that houses loose their charter are because of low membership or money problems. Some houses that were around during war lost their charter because members had to leave to help in the war leaving the house vacant until somebody came back to claim the house again.

There are 14 Pan-Hellenic sorority houses on campus. For a complete list, visit the MU Greek Life website. The newest of these is Sigma Sigma Sigma. Tri-Sigma received its charter in 2008 and completed their third formal recruitment at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year.

Young women who decide to join a sorority have to go through a process called "Rush." They move in a week before the school year starts. After arriving, they are split up into groups depending on where they are living on campus. Each year the numbers have increased. The last recruitment started with around 1,600 young women.

Each group has three Pi Chis to instruct them, guide them and help them during the recruitment week. Pi Chis are sorority members from every chapter who are trained prior to rush on directing the young women. Pi Chis are not allowed to reveal their chapter to anyone until the week is over so the women are not biased or swayed in any way to join a certain sorority. The new recruits are not allowed to talk to males at any time during rush either.

"The first time you go to a house for rush, that's exactly what it is, a rush," said Mary Karcher, a new member of Phi Mu. "The air horn blows and all of a sudden Greek town gets really loud and there are girls running out from every house."

The process of rush lasts seven days. The first day is for orientation. During the next two days, there are 14 socials, lasting about 30 minutes each, to meet each house. The groups are on a strict schedule during the day, walking together to the houses, and lining up in alphabetical order. Once the prospective members are in order, a loud horn is blown to indicate the socials have begun. The houses swing the doors open and start chanting their chapter song while they walk out, two-by-two, to greet the rushee they line up with.

Inside the house, sorority members are not allowed to touch the potential members or talk badly about other houses in the system. While talking to the recruits, depending on the sorority, another member or two will trade places with the original sorority member talking to the recruit. This is helpful for getting multiple opinions on the recruit, but there cannot be more than two sorority members talking to a recruit at one time. This is called "hot-boxing."

After days two and three are up, the recruits have to preference 11 houses they like, in no particular order, then rank their bottom three houses. While the recruits are doing this, each house decides which of the prospective members they would like to return for sisterhood day, which occurs the next day. This process is called mutual selection.

For the next three days the recruits are seperated from their group and have to get themselves to the houses on time and in order. Sisterhood day involves a skit and dance by each house that really shows off their personality. Following sisterhood day, preferencing happens again, this time naming the top seven houses and ranking the bottom four houses.

The fifth day is called Philanthropy day, which is when each house gives the recruits a tour of their home and explains their philanthropy with the girls. The sixth day is Preference day. On this day, each house has their own thing that they do, like having the seniors speak about what their sorority means to them. This is the last day to preference. Recruits rank their top three chapters, or the chapters they would accept a bid from. After accepting a bid the recruit is no longer eligible to participate in Continuous Open Bidding (COB) if she chooses to drop the sorority during the year.

The final day of rush is Bid Day, an exciting day where all of the recruits meet on the quad to receive their bid from one of the houses they preferenced. The Pi Chis reveal their sororities then count down to the opening of their bid. The moment the bids are open, each new member runs to her new sorority to celebrate in various ways.

"Bid day was crazy," said Maddy Weinert of Sigma Sigma Sigma. "I thought I was going to get run over by all the girls. My chapter went to a Royals game that night to celebrate. I had a blast meeting all my new sisters."

There are 30 IFC (Interfraternity council) fraternities in the Greek system. For a complete list, visit the MU Greek Life website. The most recent returning chapter is Alpha Tau Omega, on their first year back this school year.

Fraternity rush is similar to sorority rush in ways. The men get to see all the fraternity houses and meet all of the men. Through different events, the men decide which houses they like and the houses decide which men would fit best in their house. Each house offers a bid to those men, which they want to join their brotherhood. If the men accept the bid, most fraternity pledges move into the house their first year.

Every house eventually initiates the new pledges, each in its own unique and secret way. Initiation is sacred to those who are official members of the chapter.

"Every year we have about 20 to 30 pledges," said Jacob Thompson of Alpha Gamma Rho. "We enjoy having them move in early. It's a good way for the pledges to get to know their brothers."

Philanthropy is a large part of the Greek system. Every house has its own cause it supports and hosts events in which other fraternities and sororities participate by paying to enter a team, paying to eat, or paying to do an activity of some sort. The Greek system is supportive of each other when it comes to philanthropy.

Socials and formals are another aspect of Greek life. One of the well-known socials is called a "marriage party." For homecoming and Greek week a large fraternity house and a small fraternity house are paired with a sorority. The marriage party signifies the partnership between them until the event is over. The most common competitions are skit, dance, house decorations and float.

"Every year we have a weekend called 'marathon weekend,' that is the week before homecoming or greek week," said Matt Quintero of Phi Delta Theta. "It's a crazy weekend and you spend every hour with your partners. It gets hectic but it's also a lot of fun"

Coming up with budgets and preferencing for homecoming partners is done at chapter meetings. Chapter meetings are held weekly and formal meetings are held monthly. Each chapter sets different days for each.

Greek society is an in-depth society that has an atmosphere like a town within the University of Missouri. It is a town full of brothers and sisters who are always there for their Greek families. Greek life members may have their fun, but they also have another thing, a bond that will last a lifetime.

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