mcdonaldge@lopers.unk.edu
UNK sororities kicked off recruitment events a week before school started. The results are in, and recruitment participation decreased by nearly one third this fall.
This outcome follows a national downward trend in Greek life involvement.
“A lot of it, honestly, is just that enrollment is down from what we’ve heard,” said Kali Herbolsheimer, Panhellenic Council president. “And the number of 18-year-olds that are going to college is way down just across the nation because of COVID. And I think that has a lot to do with where recruitment is across the board this year.”
Last year, approximately 140 young women went through recruitment week. This year, 103 moved in to UNK early for the events, and 78 received bids or offers to join sororities.
The sorority leaders organized interviews with potential new members and showcased their organizations. The week also included activities, such as shared meals, movie nights and “door stacks.”
Door stacks consist of sorority members chanting and singing at the entrance of their homes. However, Herbolsheimer said the National Panhellenic Council banned door stacks for next year’s recruitment process, so new members “don’t feel bombarded.”
This year’s quota for each sorority was 21 recruits.
Alpha Omicron Pi and Gamma Phi Beta welcomed 21 new members, Alpha Phi accepted 22 and Alpha Xi Delta recruited 15. Two of Alpha Xi Delta’s recruits were “snap bids,” meaning after they were dropped from the process, the sorority leaders offered them bids.
“We ultimately want all of our chapters to be equal number-wise on campus,” said Jenna Rover, vice president of external recruitment for Panhellenic Council.
UNK fraternities are struggling to recruit new members.
Unlike sororities, they host smaller recruitment events year-round, and they do not have a quota.
Starting June 1, Sigma Phi Epsilon recruited 15 first-year students, Delta Tau Delta has eight, Phi Delta Theta has seven and Pi Kappa Alpha has 11.
This number has since increased to 53 new fraternity members after a recruitment event.
Mason Casper, Interfraternity Council president, said stereotypes may be dissuading potential new members from joining.
“We have zero tolerance for hazing and things like that,” Casper said. “We do a really good job of reporting and managing those things, so they just don’t happen very often here.”
The Interfraternity Council will hold more recruitment events, and the Panhellenic Council will have continuous open bidding into spring.
Students interested in joining can fill out the interest form on the UNK Fraternity and Sorority Life website.
