University students involved in fraternity recruitment may have noticed a difference in the process this year.

In contrast to the formal recruitment hosted by the Panhellenic Council, fraternities have generally had a more informal process in previous years.

Nick Wainwright, vice president of judicial affairs for Interfraternity Council said fraternities have actually had formal recruitment techniques in the past few years, though it’s a “newer concept.”

Vice President of Recruitment for Interfraternity Council Matt Flanders said the students’ perceptions made it seem like more of a change.

“I think it got more out there and we had greater success with it,” Flanders said. “More people knew about it.”

Wainwright said this year’s process was only a slightly changed version of formal recruitment.

President of Interfraternity Council, Victor Senn said the version is best described as a more structured recruitment, or a semi-formal recruitment.

He said that a full-formal recruitment process involves recruitment software and having potential members look at every available fraternity.

“For us, it is more of a semi-formal process, considering we don’t make the potential new members go through every single fraternity,” Senn said. “We give them the option of the top eight and the top three.”

Senn said some differences from previous years were the use of recruitment guides and recruitment tables in the Union.

Another difference was chapter-based recruiting.

“Chapters would host events and we [the Interfraternity Council] would advertise the events to all the potential new members,” Flanders said.

Flanders said he thought the more structured process attracted more students.

“It allowed them to get an understanding of Greek life before committing to join a chapter,” Flanders said.

Of the more than 300 students who registered for recruitment, 145 signed bids at the end of the process, Flanders said.

Senn said some of the students who did not sign bids simply were not able to attend all the recruitment events.

“They didn’t get the chance to see everyone yet, so they didn’t want to make the decision,” Senn said.

Senn said those who did not sign bids but still had interest in Greek life would go through the open recruitment process.

He added that the Interfraternity Council would “assure that those guys who did show interest in Greek life are able to explore their options.”

Senn said the full formal process and open recruitment both had advantages, but the council wanted to combine them.

“Trying to find the middle ground with that semi-formal process is really the route we’re taking,” Senn said.

Senn said the council will stick with this policy for the next few years in order to give the process consistency.

“It should be something that we invest in for the future,” Flanders said.