Greek life serves as an integral part of shaping the Elon experience for many students; however, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the recruitment process will be reenvisioned. 

Recruitment was already expected to take place virtually to adhere to physical distancing guidelines, but now Elon’s Panhellenic Association and Interfraternity Council recruitment process has been postponed without a rescheduled date as of now. Panhellenic recruitment usually takes place over Fake Break and IFC recruitment takes place in the spring semester. 

Jordan King, the associate director of student involvement, wrote in an email that both students and university officials are using this period to work on a plan that will ensure a safe and healthy initiation experience. 

“The pause on all planning activities for the spring 2021 Panhellenic and IFC recruitment processes will allow student leaders to work with university officials, chapter advisors and national leaders to develop and submit a comprehensive plan outlining strategies to ensure all chapter activities will be conducted in a manner that is healthy and meets COVID-19 guidelines,” King wrote. “We plan to host recruitment activities during the spring semester, but council and chapter recruitment planning activities will not resume until all member organizations’ plans have been approved by a committee of Elon staff and student leaders.

The decision leaves Elon freshman Sage Debasi with worries regarding the social scene in the spring semester.  

“There’s nothing social, so I don’t know, I wish they were doing [recruitment during Fake Break] even if it was online,” Debasi said.  “But I understand why they’re not. I just would wish there was like more ways to meet people.”

According to King, the decision to postpone recruitment is related to the high number of COVID-19 cases reported throughout the fall semester linked to greek life social gatherings. Seven fraternities and sororities had clusters identified in their organizations during the fall semester.

“The Elon Panhellenic Association and Interfraternity Council (IFC) have been carefully developing a formal recruitment process for spring that will be fully virtual, but the surge in cases over the past few weeks highlights the risk associated with the new member education period that follows the invitation for membership,” King wrote. 

There is expected to be a community-wide update by mid-January detailing a timeline and more information regarding recruitment plans.