Saturday, September 6, 2008

A Rush by Any Other Name

About a year ago, the Delta State University Interfraternity Council (DSUIC) began instituting a council-wide shift from the word "rush" (to describe the recruitment processes) to "recruitment."  This was, I suppose, to reduce the public image that the formal process of recruitment was not stressful and hurried.  It was an intelligent advertising move, but I now consider it unethical.

To insist for one second that Formal Recruitment is not stressful for everyone involved is not only stretching the truth, but it is downright misrepresenting the facts.  To participate in Formal Rush, one must not have any obligations during the nights of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  No Wednesday night church obligations, no Thursday night classes, etc.  One is exposed to a fabricated image of each fraternity through four hour-long parties each night, which is very tiring.

To insist for one second that Formal Recruitment is not hurried for everyone involved is flat-out dishonest.  After experiencing a forced image of each fraternity for about two hours each over two days, on Friday, each potential new member must choose his lifelong commitment within only a few hours.

A rush by any other name is still hurried and stressful.


Antaŭ unu jaro, la Ŝtatuniversitato de l' Delto Interfratara Kunsilantaro komencis ŝanĝi la vorton "urĝiĝo" al "varbon."  Estis (mi opinias) por redukti la publikan bildon, ke la formala procedo de varbo ne estas hasta kaj ĝena.  Estis inteligenta reklama movado, sed mi rigardas ĝin esti maletika. 

Insisti dum unu sekundo, ke formala varbo ne estas ĝena ne estas nur maltroigas la situacion, sed ĝi estas misprezenti la faktojn.  Estas la samo kun hasteco.

Urĝiĝo por ajna alia nomo estas jam ĝena kaj hasta.

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