Recruitment has been suspended for 13 of the 19 fraternities according to the University of South Carolina Interfraternity Council. In a letter released to chapter presidents and advisors, Council Vice President of Conduct Jonathan Withrow stated that numerous chapters violated alcohol and risk management policies during the weeks leading up to formal recruitment.
The letter states that the council has evidence that the organizations held unsanctioned events over the past few weeks, completely disregarding an emergency meeting about recruitment policies with Fraternity and Sorority Life Associate Director Jarod Holt that took place on Aug. 27.
According to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, informal rush events are supposed to be completely alcohol-free. The events are intended to focus on the four pillars of the Greek community — leadership, scholarship, friendship and service.
This comes hours after Monday night’s formal recruitment event at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. The move to the convention center was a big change from years past, as it was traditionally held in the Greek Village.
The Fraternity Council Vice President of Recruitment and third-year broadcast journalism student Zachary Driver said the reason for the move from Greek Village was due to poor weather conditions last year.
“There was a thunderstorm so we had to cancel recruitment, and that threw a lot of chapters out of whack because they weren’t able to talk to over 450 guys — because they had half one day and half the next,” Driver said. “Since half of the guys didn’t get to talk to them there [were] a lot of angry people on the PNM side as well as on the chapter side.”
The number of potential new members — some of whom will now sit in a recruitment “limbo” — that registered online is consistent with years past, at approximately 900 students.
Monday’s event is the only night of formal fraternity recruitment that is put on by the fraternity council. However, Driver hopes to see a 10 percent increase of potential new members with bids, as well as an upholding of values during fraternity recruitment.
“It’s a tough thing to do,” Driver said. “You have to have those tough conversations, and I think we’ve done as best as we can to monitor it this year. But fraternities do have the option to do what they want.”
Bid day is slated for Monday, Sept. 7. However with news of the suspension, speculation is that bid day will be postponed.
The Greek Conduct Board will begin meeting with fraternity leaders to discuss and investigate allegations in order to determine whether the organizations can resume recruitment and, if so, when.