Frat-bound frosh looking for match

After a year trying to find the perfect college match, some freshmen and sophomores started another quest for the perfect fraternity match yesterday. And like their search for colleges, reputation has become a key determinant for many. Fraternities tried to attract students with exotic food, live bands and root beer kegs as the Interfraternity Council held its first day of fall rush Sunday, but many decided where to rush even before they knew what was on the menu. College freshman Kirk Davis said he picked houses based on the reputation he had heard from other people. "[I decided] not necessarily on the parties, but on the people in it, if the house is nice, and what they do on campus," Davis said. College freshman Dan Wright said he decided which houses to go to based on what he had heard from upperclassman and on the parties he went to earlier in the semester. "It's more of a reputation kind of thing," said Sigma Chi Rush Chairman Paul Arrouet, a College junior. "We are a very visible house on campus because of volleyball." Having a beach volleyball court next to the house helps, but Arrouet said Sigma Chi's members are its biggest asset. "If you have a lot of influential people and leaders on campus it helps a lot," said Arrouet. Arrouet also said the house itself is a big factor for many people. "A lot guys have said to me they can't live in a dirty house," he said. "I think guys want to live in a house that's clean, respectable and has a good reputation." He added that the fraternity drew over 400 students to their Sunday pizza and volleyball fest, one of their biggest draws in recent history. Engineering freshman Brain Simmons said Phi Delta Theta is the only house he is rushing because it has a nice house and a central location. Simmons said he also picked Phi Delt because he knew several brothers -- another way fraternites attract members. Kappa Alpha Society President Dave Wetzel said they get most of their rushes through personal contacts established before rush even begins. Engineering freshman Ryan Shefftel said he went to houses because either he knew people or had heard they had a reputation of being nice people. He said he stopped in some houses not for their food and entertainment, but simply because he "saw a lot of people and they seemed friendly." Yesterday's events were the first in a month-long process where students can visit different houses and fraternities choose their new members. College freshman Dean DiPileto said, although the first day can be a bit superficial, he met a lot of nice people. "Of course everyone is giving their best impression, but the brothers are very friendly," he said. Bruce Forman, the IFC vice president in charge of rush, said there is no way to gauge how many people rushed, but from speaking to members of other houses it appears the numbers are similar to previous years.

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