1992 RUSH

[Momof5]

I have enjoyed all the twists and turns in other's stories so much that I figured I would tell you my story.

Let me start by providing background info because this is WEIRD.

Where: GMI (Kettering) has a different schedule students attend classes for 11 weeks then coop for eleven weeks, classes 11, coop 11 etc.

When: July 1992 due to the weird schedule one group starts classes in July.

Who: A good student who was totally clueless about sororities and rush.

What Sororities: Alpha Sigma Alpha, Beta Sigma Phi, Theta Phi Alpha

How: Rush was very different, but very fun at GMI. Certain days during the week were set aside for each sorority. On that given night only that group could host an activity. The rest of the week was a free for all. Sororities and Fraternities would have activites and you could go to whichever activities you wanted to.

I hope I have not confused you too much!

[LOVEinZTA]

It's still cool to me just how different rush can be from school to school. Please go on!

[susan314]

I rushed in 1992 at Michigan State!

I'm quite familiar w/GMI (even though its officially Kettering now, I always think of it as GMI )...even had a few friends who went there.

What about the Alpha Gamma Delta chapter at GMI/Kettering? I remember meeting up with them at statewide IRDs (International Reunion Day) while in undergrad...I'm pretty sure the chapter was around in 1992.

(Or is each sorority only active at certain times of the year due to the staggered groups? I can't remember anymore. )

[AnatraAmore]

How does it work with the different terms? Do chapters have two "groups" within them? I find it all really interesting and can't wait to hear more!

[Momof5]

I am not positive, but I think AGD may be only B session. There were definitely only the 3 groups during A session in 92'.

I'll admit I am getting old, and I did not keep notes at the time so this is not going to be very detailed.

I remember there was a sorority information session where each of the previously mentioned chapters had a table as well as Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta. I think almost every freshman girl was at this session. I remember one of my friends telling me that she was not sure how to take the two NPHC groups because they did not seem very welcoming. I understand looking back now that we were probably dumb rushees assuming they worked the same way as the other groups.

I also remember a casino night where each fraternity and sorority manned a different activity. This was a fun way to see all of the groups. (There were a lot more fraternities. GMI was like 5:1 guys:girls)

I went to both of these sessions because everyone on my floor was going. I had no idea what I would be getting myself into, but I decided that I had been having fun so I would give rush a try.

Finally, the real events started and I went to the activity for each chapter. I do not remember at all what we did, but I know they were silly fun things like Tie-Dye, Jewelry making etc.

After the first week I began to hear rumors. Beta Sigs were the partiers, Alpha Sigs the normal group, and I had been told the Theta Phis had low numbers.

I was really bummed because I had liked the Theta Phis the best. I also liked the Alpha Sigs, but I did not feel comfortable with the Beta Sigs. They were nice and pretty, but I just did not feel as comfortable with them.

[AGDee]

Yes, Alpha Gam is only on B Session.

[susan314]

Originally Posted by sangers

How does it work with the different terms? Do chapters have two "groups" within them? I find it all really interesting and can't wait to hear more!

Kettering is definitely a very unique school.

As Momof5 alluded to, there is an "A" session and a "B" session, which basically take turns being on campus. So, even though you technically attend the same university during the same time frame, you won't be on campus at the same time and will likely never cross paths.

(Sounds confusing, I know, and Momof5 if I did a bad job of explaining please let me know!)

So, for 11 weeks, the "A" session students would be on campus while the "B" students were off campus for engineering co-ops.

Next 11 weeks, the "B" session students would be on campus while the "A" session students would be off campus for engineering co-ops.

Then the cycle repeats every 11 weeks...with the student body essentially divided in half the whole time.

AGDee might be better able to confirm whether the Alpha Gam chapter at Kettering is for one session only...she has worked in an advisory type capacity with them. I'm only familiar with that chapter to the extent of seeing them at statewide events, etc.

The male to female ratio was crazy at GMI/Kettering...I recall a lot of their male students visiting MSU to meet ladies, since there weren't a whole lot on their campus.

ETA: Apparently AGDee beat me to the answer while I was typing my response. lol

[violetpretty]

Were there a couple more sororities on B session other than Alpha Gam, just out of curiousity?

[susan314]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Were there a couple more sororities on B session other than Alpha Gam, just out of curiousity?

Hmmn...according to the awesome recruitment thread by irishpipes (which lists the years of each NPC at each school), GMI/Kettering should have had 4 NPCs in 1992. (Theta Phi Alpha, ASA, Alpha Gam, and Alpha Phi)

I'm guessing then that Alpha Phi (which according to that thread opened in 1990) would have been in session B with Alpha Gam.

Beta Sigma Phi isn't listed in the irishpipes thread, which only includes NPC groups. So, there may have been another non-NPC group in the B session w/Alpha Gam and Alpha Phi.

(On one hand it seems odd that an sorority would only have half the female students available to them...whichever ones happened to be part of the respective session. On the other hand, I guess I understand why its done...otherwise you'd have sisters from your same chapter during the same year who you'd never have the opportunity to interact with. )

[UGAalum94]

That seems like such a strange way to do things and yet it's a fantastic use of resources: double the students in one set of facilities.

[33girl]

ASA has always been in both A session & B session. They're 2 separate chapters - Delta Nu-A & Delta Nu-B.

I thought that the BSP chapter in A section has since turned into the Alpha Phi chapter.

Here's a link that shows who's presently in A section and B section. http://www.kettering.edu/~asaa/links.html

Originally Posted by Momof5

After the first week I began to hear rumors. Beta Sigs were the partiers, Alpha Sigs the normal group, and I had been told the Theta Phis had low numbers.

I was really bummed because I had liked the Theta Phis the best.

I don't understand this part of the post - so you're saying that although you liked them the best, you dismissed Theta Phi because they had low numbers? Why?

[Momof5]

I would respond to the GMI questions, but you seem to be sorting them out yourselves.

At GMI we did not cut chapters and they did not cut us. As I saw it most of the decision was based on what you did on the "free for all days".
Initially, I was going to activities with my hallmates which meant a lot of ASA activities, but I convinced them to go to some Theta Phi activities.

By week 2 or 3 I stopped going to Beta Sig activities all together. As I said I cannot remember every detail, but I know we went to activities at the actual houses, and I never went to the Beta Sig house.

By the end of week two I had the courage to venture out on my own and was going pretty exclusively to Theta Phi activities on "free for all" days.

If I remember correctly, there was an invite party at the end. I received invites to ASA and Theta Phi Alpha. Almost all of my hallmates were going to ASA. Did I mention that our RA was an ASA?

[AlwaysSAI]

Originally Posted by susan314

Kettering is definitely a very unique school.

As Momof5 alluded to, there is an "A" session and a "B" session, which basically take turns being on campus. So, even though you technically attend the same university during the same time frame, you won't be on campus at the same time and will likely never cross paths.

I'm confused as to how this affects rush. So, if I'm a "B" student going through rush, do I only get to meet the "B" groups?

It doesn't really make sense to me that a woman would only get to meet half the orgs on campus. I know they occupy the campus at different times, but are coops like summer? My understanding was that during coops students were still on campus, just not in classes per se.

I just think a woman should have the opportunity to meet all the groups on campus.

Someone help clarify?

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

I'm confused as to how this affects rush. So, if I'm a "B" student going through rush, do I only get to meet the "B" groups?

It doesn't really make sense to me that a woman would only get to meet half the orgs on campus. I know they occupy the campus at different times, but are coops like summer? My understanding was that during coops students were still on campus, just not in classes per se.

I just think a woman should have the opportunity to meet all the groups on campus.

Someone help clarify?

It's almost like 2 seperate colleges. You can only join a group that's on campus during your "school" session. There would be no reason for a "B" student to meet the "A" groups, because they won't be on campus at the same time. You wouldn't join a sorority that only met during summer break at your university, would you? ASA is the only group that has both A and B sessions, but there are several fraternities that have both.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

I'm confused as to how this affects rush. So, if I'm a "B" student going through rush, do I only get to meet the "B" groups?

It doesn't really make sense to me that a woman would only get to meet half the orgs on campus. I know they occupy the campus at different times, but are coops like summer? My understanding was that during coops students were still on campus, just not in classes per se.

I just think a woman should have the opportunity to meet all the groups on campus.

Someone help clarify?

It is basically like there are two different Greek systems altogether. Momof5 was in A section - she would have never, ever, ever been on campus during B section. Therefore it would have made no sense for her to meet any of the B section groups, any more than it would make sense for a student at UNC to go through rush at Duke.

Kettering is above and beyond your normal co-op school. The students are completely immersed in their co-op jobs and aren't on campus at all during those quarters. A students are on campus in the spring and fall and work in the winter and summer. B students are on campus in the summer and winter and work in the spring and fall. (I might have that backwards, but that's the gist of it.)