Living at the House
Responsibilities
Waitings – Many fraternities have cooks that they pay to come to their house and prepare their meals for them. Others have catering services that bring them their meals. At our house, we strive to be self-sufficient so we adhere to a system in which every brother is required to be a “waiter” one day a week. We normally have 4 or 5 people waiting each day dinner is served. These people are required to prepare a healthy meal for the rest of the people on the meal plan (usually around 30 people) and ensure that the kitchen is clean after dinner (including washing dishes, mopping, etc). Our steward, the person we put in charge of organizing waitings and purchasing food, makes sure that at least two experienced cooks are on each team in order for waitings to run smoothly. Waitings typically run from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Having this system not only saves money, but also allows us to provide the meal-plan at a fraction of the cost of a campus meal-plan. Additionally, this helps members learn how to cook and to work as a team. Many brothers gain satisfaction from being self-sufficient. For all weekday waitings, dinner is served in the dining room at 6:30 PM.
Postulancy
What is Postulancy?
New members do not pledge Alpha Chi Rho. Instead, they enter into postulancy,which is a period in which one is an uneducated equal. It takes time for new members to learn the history and ideals of the fraternity. This period will last approximately 8 weeks during which postulants are expected to learn what it means to be a brother. This includes participating in new member education classes, Rensselaer’s Greek Life 101 programming, community service, and other brotherhood events.
Why Go Greek?
Friendship and Brotherhood
As a member of Alpha Chi Rho, you will form friendships unlike those found in other organizations. Alpha Chi Rho is composed of members with a diverse set of interests from Capoeira to Jazz Ensemble to ROTC. Your brothers will grow to become your closest friends, those who will cheer you on when you’re successful and who will support you when the going gets tough. This unbreakable support system will allow for experiences in many activities that you wouldn’t attempt on your own.