Rutgers University - as all universities - should be a place where barriers to socialization are coming down. However, as this article shows, the tendency to "hang out with people who are like me" is a strong force and one not easily overcome.
If you are the type of University student who spends your weekend nights on the College Avenue campus, you're probably very familiar with the "mainstream" greeks of Rutgers.
Fraternities that are a part of the Interfraternity Council - Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Delta Chi - and sororities from the National Panhellenic Council - Delta Gamma, Zeta Tau Alpha and Alpha Chi Omega - seem to dominate the greek scene on campus. But on Livingston, a campus that sometimes seems like a separate university, many people are accustomed to a different greek system.
Spring Rush began for the members of the Rutgers Pan-Hellenic Council Friday, when members from the 19 RPHC sororities and fraternities and more than 300 guests participated in the "Meet the Greeks" event. Rush information, history of the organizations, party strolling and stepping were available for greek hopefuls.
The RPHC "serves as the governing board for the historically African-American, Latino/a, Multicultural and Asian fraternities and sororities on campus," according to the event's program. If this is the greek world that you live in, some of the names you are more familiar with are probably Zeta Phi Beta, Omega Phi Chi and Sigma Lambda Beta. Why the difference?
"A lot of the people that chill with us, Sigma Lambda Beta, or chill around the RPHC greeks don't know much about the IFC greeks," Rutgers College senior Robbie Vilchez said. "If you live on [the] College Avenue [campus], you're most likely going to be more familiar with mainstream. If you're on Livingston, I think a lot of people know more about RPHC greeks."
Sororities, fraternities show pride to hopefuls - The Daily Targum - Page One
