After attracting a smaller-than-expected pledge class during formal rush, Delta Sigma Phi fraternity may offer snap bids and voluntarily move off campus.
In an e-mail sent to several potential participants in an informal recruitment process Monday, the fraternity-which currently has a section in Edens Quadrangle-implied a future move off campus.
"You have been selected to become a member of Delta Sigma, Duke's latest off-campus fraternity. Some of you receiving this e-mail have been in Delta Sigma for a while now so this is nothing new; for others of you, consider this your bid to join," the e-mail read.
Delta Sig-which received national attention in May when Rolling Stone magazine published a controversial article about social life at Duke-has been known for more successful recruitments in the past, several students said.
"Historically they've had a really good reputation, and they have been really selective," said freshman Joe Luchs, who declined a bid from Delta Sig. "They weren't just going to take anyone, even when it came down to the last rounds and they maybe weren't getting the class they thought they were going to get."
Although it is difficult to pinpoint specific reasons for the low acceptance of bids, some who declined bids from Delta Sig said the fraternity was less outgoing than others during this year's rush process.
"A lot of frats put on a show during rush, and Delta Sig sort of acted like they normally do," Luchs said. "It's a good thing they don't try to create an illusion, but you really had to put yourself out there to make them approachable."
Todd Adams, assistant dean of students for fraternity and sorority life, said it was not uncommon for student groups to have occasional lapses from their typical bid numbers.
"Normally you might have an aberration one year and this is cyclical-you see it happen with different chapters year-to-year," Adams said. "When you start seeing multiple years back-to-back, that's normally when you have a conversation about what the problems are."
He added that Delta Sig has not yet approached the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life regarding its status.
"In terms of any rumors, I don't know if the chapter has made any decisions about what to do long-term," he said.
Although Delta Sig referred to itself as an off-campus institution in its e-mail to potential new members, officers of the fraternity declined to provide any further comment.
Joe Gonzalez, associate dean for residence life, said moving off campus is not the fraternity's only option.
"I don't think we track bid numbers-they need to have 16 beds, but it doesn't really matter who's filling them, whether they be sophomores or seniors," he said.
Many freshmen who rushed Delta Sig said they were surprised by the deviation from the fraternity's typical pledge class size.
"It's really strange," said freshman Joe Repp, who declined a bid from Delta Sig. "[Their rush] was good. Some of the older brothers really reached out to me, and I clicked with a lot of them. But I think when I found out there were only five of us, I thought it was a safer option to pledge elsewhere."
In spite of Delta Sig's small pledge class, new members said they were no less enthusiastic about joining.
"I'm really excited, definitely, and I'll get to know more of the guys soon," said freshman Hunter Black, a Delta Sig pledge.
Others, however, said they were not sympathetic about Delta Sig's rush turnout. "I got cut there after the second round," said a freshman who wished to remain anonymous. "They made the bed they sleep in."?
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