Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) at Muhlenberg College has had a massive project in the works for multiple years- and it’s finally come to fruition. On April 15, members of the Muhlenberg community involved in Greek life received an email from Associate Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Natalie Shaw announcing an updated policy, allowing first-year students to participate in sorority and fraternity recruitment during their second semester.
Previously, both formal and informal recruitment were open to all sophomores, juniors and seniors. This new recruitment model puts Muhlenberg College in a similar position to most other comparable institutions. Muhlenberg was one of 12 schools left across the nation to use a sophomore recruitment process.
Next academic year, formal sorority recruitment will take place in both the fall and spring semesters. In the fall it will be open to current sophomores, juniors and seniors, and in the spring it will be open to all second-semester first-years and onwards at Muhlenberg College, assuming that they meet requirements including GPA and overall good standing.
The proposal for this change, authored by Shaw, 2023 Panhellenic Council President Hilary Rappaport ‘24 and 2023 Interfraternity Council President Justin Billich ‘24, was presented to Harring and senior staff members earlier this semester.
Taking a look at the submitted proposal, there seem to be very specific and direct goals that were the foundation for the change. “Through this proposed adjustment, we seek to promote early involvement and integration of incoming students into the fraternity and sorority community, ultimately enriching their collegiate experience, facilitating their personal and professional growth, and providing an additional means of retention. We also hope to expand on the current membership experience to provide a more robust and enriching community.”
