U. Iowa: Frats work against stereotypes at U. Iowa.

(From University Wire)

Byline: Dena Schworn

As rooms sit empty in the large mansions sprawled across the University of Iowa campus, greek officials are trying new tactics in an effort to boost low recruitment numbers, including offering scholarships to pledges.

Fraternities have had a more difficult time than their sorority counterparts trying to find pledges, said Scott Murphy the vice president of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

"Movies depict fraternity guys as preppy losers so focused on themselves," he said. "Some movies show it as this big party scene where it's drinking all the time and getting wasted. But until you really join, you can't know what it's like or what it's about." Murphy joined Alpha Tau Omega, 724 N. Dubuque St., when he was a junior in 2003. A two-year member, he recalls membership numbers were higher in the past.

Jason Pierce, an assistant director of the Office of Student Life, attributes several factors for a fraternity's low membership, including low motivation within the chapter, alumni support, live-in supervision, or the amount of support from national and executive offices.

"Well, first off, I wouldn't say it's necessarily low. It depends on the chapter and organization if you look across the board," he said. "Chapters range from 10-15 to 80-90 students. There is a broad range of membership in each chapter." In the fall of 2003, there were 24 Alpha ...