Fraternity leaders said they are optimistic about recruiting new members this week, despite a decrease in some groups' rush numbers this fall.
Recruitment for the Interfraternity Council's 13 recognized organizations begins Monday in the Marvin Center Great Hall at 6 p.m. Activities throughout the week include mingling with Hooters restaurant employees, poker, cigar smoking and a "breasts and thighs" event.
The Phi Sigma Sigma and Sigma Delta Tau sororities will also recruit new members this week. Spring recruitment typically attracts fewer students than fall rush.
The Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, which has a residence in Townhouse Row, recruited eight or nine pledges this September, almost 10 fewer than the previous fall. Last spring the group attracted about 10 new members.
Sam Farber, the fraternity's rush chair, said the group is hosting events geared toward boosting recruitment numbers this week.
"Our events are designed to catch (rushees') interest," Farber said.
Pi Kappa Phi is offering free food at the ESPN Zone Monday and complimentary tickets to a Washington Wizards basketball game Wednesday, among other activities.
Despite residence in Townhouse Row, Farber said the group will be holding off-campus events to show potential recruits that the fraternity is not "confined" to its house.
"In fall we tried to up-play the house. People don't come to GW thinking of fraternity life like at other schools," Farber said.
Lambda Chi Alpha, which had one of the largest rush classes this fall with 17 pledges, had only nine members pledge last spring. Members said they want to increase numbers this semester.
"Traditionally spring has always been a little bit slower," said Dave Austin, the group's recruitment chair.
Despite hopes to increase interest in the fraternity, no quota will be set for the pledge class. All candidates will still be looked at on a "case-by-case" basis, Austin said.
"We wouldn't want to limit ourselves like that," Austin said. "It depends on what kind of guys we have coming out."
Recruitment for the Interfraternity Council's 13 recognized organizations begins Monday in the Marvin Center Great Hall at 6 p.m. Activities throughout the week include mingling with Hooters restaurant employees, poker, cigar smoking and a "breasts and thighs" event.
The Phi Sigma Sigma and Sigma Delta Tau sororities will also recruit new members this week. Spring recruitment typically attracts fewer students than fall rush.
The Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, which has a residence in Townhouse Row, recruited eight or nine pledges this September, almost 10 fewer than the previous fall. Last spring the group attracted about 10 new members.
Sam Farber, the fraternity's rush chair, said the group is hosting events geared toward boosting recruitment numbers this week.
"Our events are designed to catch (rushees') interest," Farber said.
Pi Kappa Phi is offering free food at the ESPN Zone Monday and complimentary tickets to a Washington Wizards basketball game Wednesday, among other activities.
Despite residence in Townhouse Row, Farber said the group will be holding off-campus events to show potential recruits that the fraternity is not "confined" to its house.
"In fall we tried to up-play the house. People don't come to GW thinking of fraternity life like at other schools," Farber said.
Lambda Chi Alpha, which had one of the largest rush classes this fall with 17 pledges, had only nine members pledge last spring. Members said they want to increase numbers this semester.
"Traditionally spring has always been a little bit slower," said Dave Austin, the group's recruitment chair.
Despite hopes to increase interest in the fraternity, no quota will be set for the pledge class. All candidates will still be looked at on a "case-by-case" basis, Austin said.
"We wouldn't want to limit ourselves like that," Austin said. "It depends on what kind of guys we have coming out."
