Sixteen different selective living groups extended over 250 bids after completing a three-week rush process.
Ubuntu gave out the highest number of bids at 29, followed closely by Cooper House, which gave out 28 bids, and Mirecourt, which gave out 27 bids. InCube gave out the smallest number of bids at 9, followed by Mundi, which extended 14 bids, and Round Table, which extended 16 bids.
Senior Ariel Shpigel, vice executive chair of Nexus, declined to disclose the number of bids Nexus extended. Senior Josh Chester, executive vice chair of Nexus, could not be reached for comment.
Junior Aman Kansal, a recruitment chair of Maxwell House, declined to disclose the number of bids extended.
Black Culture Living Group gives out bids on a rolling basis, and does not have the total number they will extend at this time.
Many SLGs reported seeing a significant increase in the number of rushees from the previous year. Ubuntu saw a nearly 50 percent increase in the number of people rushing, said senior Andres Davagnino, an Ubuntu rush chair.
“There was definitely a big spike in the number of people rushing,” Davagnino said. “It was one long deliberation, but we’re really happy with the new class, and we really enjoyed the process.”
Sophomore Kari Barclay, a Round Table member, said that while the number of people rushing Round Table increased from previous years, their application numbers remained steady.
Senior Everett Loving, vice president of Cooper House, expressed the difficulty of narrowing down the nearly 400 candidate pool.
“If was difficult because when you have 400 people, you’re bound to have a plethora of great candidates,” Loving said.
Sophomore Logan Brundage, a member of Cooper House, noted that although Cooper House was not looking for a particular quality in those looking to join, it was important that a potential candidate could integrate well with the current Cooper House community.
“In addition to being an individual, it’s important that everybody can fit in the house,” Brundage said.
Candidates who rushed smaller SLGs reported having a more relaxed and positive experience than those who rushed larger, more competitive ones. Some students said they opted out of rushing certain SLGs because of the competitive environment.
“I heard there were 100 people rushing Ubuntu, and I didn’t want to waste my time,” said freshman Erin Brooks, who accepted a bid from Jam!
Freshman Lara Haft, a new member of Ubuntu, noted that the rush process was stressful and tended to be stacked in favor of extroverts. Despite that, Haft said the overall experience was positive and was excited when she received her bid notification late at night.
“They came to my door at 2:30 a.m., and there was a slight knock,” Haft said. “I opened the door and there was [an Ubuntu member]. He just gave me this little smile, and he said ‘I need you to come with me’ and at that point, I knew. We all went to [Gilbert-Addoms] and there was a bunch of Ubu family, and I felt incredibly welcome.”
Haft regretted being split up from friends who had dropped out during the rush process or did not receive bids.
“It sucks because if they had their way, they would have would have picked them all,” Haft said.
By the numbers:
Alpha Phi Omega: 13
Arts Theme House: Unknown at the time
Black Culture Living Group: Bids extended on rolling basis
Brownstone: 24
Cooper House: 28
Fusion: 20
InCube: 9
Jam!: 21
Language Theme House: 18
Maxwell: declined to release information
Mirecourt: 27
Mundi: 14
Round Table: 16
Nexus: declined to release information
Ubuntu: 29
Wayne Manor: 26
Mirecourt: 27
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