Despite the odds — rain and a very long walk — 522 Vanderbilt Women came out for Panhellenic recruitment Monday morning, which is a jump in participation from last year, Director of Greek Life Kristen Torrey said. And at first look, it seems the Commons Experience has not had a negative impact on the process, she added.
"Numbers are down this year a smidge, but percentage-wise they are up," Torrey said.
Though students in the Greek community have feared the new housing arrangement for the past few years, saying it might decrease Greek involvement, Torrey confidently said, "it hasn't had much of an impact one way or the other, based on what I have seen.
Several first-year students agreed, saying the distance had no impact on their decision to join.
"I knew I wanted to rush before I came to campus," said first-year student Kate Kerbel. "I didn't feel any pressure, but I knew I wanted to do it."
Others, though, think the experience did have an impact.
"I've always wanted to rush, but being over (on Peabody Campus) made me - even more - want to be a part of things," said first-year student Allie Semler said. "You have classes with upperclassmen, but it is harder to get to know them. I knew through this process I would (get to know them better)."
Semler is not alone in this sentiment. First-year student Elizabeth Adler went so far as to say the experience was the primary factor in her decision.
"To be honest, I feel like we were more likely to rush because we weren't as big a part of campus life," said Adler. "I hadn't intended on rushing, but the distance made me feel like I needed too."
"This year's freshmen class is smaller so the raw numbers are down, statistically speaking, but we have more students (proportionally)," Torrey said.
Of 565 women registered to begin the process, 522 participated in Display
Round. Last year 600 women registered and 547 participated.
To accommodate students making the 20-minute walk to Greek Row the Office of Greek life set up a lounge in the Student Life Center where recruitment participants could pass the time between rounds. In addition to providing couches, the room broadcasted episodes of "The Office."
First-year student Brittany Cowfer spent part of Tuesday afternoon in the lounge during Philanthropy Round.
"This has been a nice place to spend some time while we have waited for the parties to start, especially since it is raining," said Cowfer.
