Recruitment is still going strong for Iowa State’s 28 fraternities despite canceling formal recruitment.

Scott Maine, Kappa Sigma recruitment chairman, said fraternities rarely get new members through formal rush, which is affiliated through the university. Kappa Sigma is located at 237 Ash Ave.

“[Formal rush] was canceled this fall after one day because of low participation,” he said.

Maine said he did not know the status of formal recruitment for fraternities in the future.

There are still some students interested in “going greek,” despite the cancellation, through informal recruitment.

In the informal process, both the fraternity and the potential member are looking for a mutual fit. The house then gives the potential member a bid card, which is an invitation to accept and join the fraternity or to decline the invitation to join, said Jordan Degree, a member of Sigma Chi, 2136 Lincoln Way.

Luke Neibauer, freshman in liberal arts and sciences, said men from his new fraternity, Kappa Sigma, came to his hometown of Mason City this summer to get to know him over dinner. He toured the house in late summer and joined this fall with a friend.

Neibauer moved from Mason City right into the fraternity’s house. He said he wanted to live there because he didn’t want to miss out on some of the experiences it would offer.

Kappa Sigma is one of 13 dry fraternity houses, or houses that never permit alcohol, on campus.

“I always told the guys right away that our house was dry. We were always upfront about that policy,” said Maine, junior in management information systems.

Maine said Kappa Sigma had 11 new members join this year. This is also the first year the house is dry.

“It really wasn’t a factor in recruiting. They were more interested in meeting and hanging out with the guys and getting to know them,” Maine said.

Living in a wet house, or one that is allowed to have alcohol in it, influenced Degree’s decision when considering fraternities to join.

“I picked Sigma Chi because it was a really laidback house, and it matched my personality,” said Degree, junior in English.

He said he considered a few dry houses but decided on Sigma Chi because it gave him choices and the opportunity to be responsible for his own actions.