In the midst of more than 40,000 students drifting around East Lansing every day, many are searching for a way to make campus just a little bit smaller. For some, the solution might be the arms of their newfound greek family - their fraternity brothers and sorority sisters.
In the MSU greek system, there are 41 social- and service-oriented organizations, seven culturally oriented independent groups and six culturally-based, historically black organizations. Each has its own practices when it comes to recruitment, philanthropy and living options. Every community has differences not only in its members, but in its expectations as well as the time commitments and costs.
The independent organizations and the historically black groups do not have community houses. They're different than the social-and-service chapters in that they are typically smaller and their service work is culturally oriented.
There are 13 chapters of social and service sororities at MSU and 28 fraternities. The sororities are governed by the Panhellenic Council and the fraternities by the Interfraternity Council.
Formal recruitment for sororities, also called rush, consists of a week of activities. Interested women meet with all 13 sororities on a Sunday and throughout the week narrow their preferences down to three houses. Through two philanthropy days, a video day and a preference day, women must decide which sorority is best for them.
"All the sororities are very different," said Abbey Mansfield, president of the Panhellenic Council. "They all offer the social aspect and the academic and leadership opportunities, but it's where you feel most comfortable and what women you see yourself living with and being friends with that should determine your decision. There is a place for every woman at MSU in one of our sororities."
Sometimes, women drop out halfway through recruitment. This was the case with electrical engineering freshman Caitlin Wettle, who also is a cadet in the Air Force ROTC. Wettle said she attended two days of events, but did not return for the weekend.
"I had other commitments and I would have had to put the sorority before everything else," Wettle said. "I just wasn't sure if it was really me and I figured if I'm not 100 percent in it, then why do it?"
Wettle said she didn't regret rushing, though.
"I just wanted to see what it was like, and I did. There was a good mix of people."
Recruitment for fraternities is more informal, said Chris Sorgi, president of the Interfraternity Council. During rush, houses open their doors at designated times and interested men are free to stop by. He said that although they're not required to go to every house, it is recommended.
"Go to multiple chapters to get a feel of every fraternity because every one is different," Sorgi said. "They all have their own personality; you should go where you feel most comfortable and fit in the best. Definitely go to quite a few so you can see what's out there."
Once members are inducted into a fraternity or sorority, they are expected to attend weekly meetings, participate in community-service events and pay dues, which typically are between $200 and $400 for each semester.
In most chapters, there is a requirement that members live in the house for at least a year. Men and women who live in a house are required to pay rent, which usually includes housing, meals, a parking space, dues and payment for social events. The price differs between chapters, but is around $2,300 per semester. Every house has a caterer or chef and a "house mom," who is responsible for cleaning the house and resolving issues between members.
Kelly Duda, recruitment chairwoman for Alpha Phi sorority, said one of the major benefits of joining a greek organization is the people.
"You always have someone there to help you out with homework or a ride to class or whatever," the marketing senior said. "It's an amazing experience and if I had to do it all over again, I would."
