FAQ
WHAT IS RUSH?
Rush is the 2-3 week period of events set up in order for us to meet prospective members. Typically, it consists of two information sessions, multiple events of different types, and then a formal invite-only professional interview. It is generally held within the first few weeks of each semester. You can find the schedule of events for this semester’s rush here.
WHO CAN RUSH?
Any undergraduate member of the James A. Clark School of Engineering who meets the following criteria:
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Students must have a GPA of 2.0 at the time of membership application and maintain this GPA throughout their membership
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A student may not become a member within six (6) months of completion of his / her academic program
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A candidate for student membership must be of legal age, which is defined as 18 years old or older
WHY SHOULD I JOIN THETA TAU?
Theta Tau is a great way to get involved on campus and meet fellow engineers with whom you will likely be taking classes with. Whether you’re a freshman or a junior, Theta Tau offers many benefits socially, professionally, and academically. We are a close-knit group of students and many of our members say they have met many of their closest friends through membership of Theta Tau. Along with this, Theta Tau opens the door to a network of thousands of engineers across the country, including many in the D.C. Metro Area (there are chapters at Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University, and George Mason University). Finally, we have a lot of fun. We have a camping trip each semester, tailgate for many UMD Football games, have social events with other groups on campus, and much more!
I MISSED RUSH THIS SEMESTER, CAN I STILL JOIN THETA TAU?
Although we only give out bids once a semester, we are interested in meeting potential members throughout the year! We hold many events during the semester open to all members of the Clark School. We invite you to come and meet us at any of these events and then come out during our Rush events the following semester.
WHAT CAN I DO DURING RUSH TO GIVE ME THE BEST CHANCE OF RECEIVING A BID?
The best thing you can do during the rush process is to come to as many events as you can, meet as many of our brothers as you can, and be yourself! We are looking for members who are excited to join our fraternity and whom we believe can help us become better as an organization.
IF I DON'T RECEIVE A BID, CAN I RUSH AGAIN NEXT SEMESTER?
Yes! Oftentimes, it is the case that we have an abundance of great potential members, and cannot extend bids to as many members as we would like. We highly encourage that those who do not receive bids to come back and rush again the following semester. In fact, many current members rushed multiple times before ultimately joining!
HOW MUCH OF A TIME COMMITMENT IS THE PLEDGING PROCESS, AND HOW MUCH IS EXPECTED OF ME AS A BROTHER?
If you receive a bid to pledge our fraternity, you will then be involved in a pledging process in which you learn about our fraternity and participate in a variety of professional and service events. This typically requires many hours a week for a weekly meeting and other pledging requirements, as well as a few hours on weekends for various activities including service, social, and other events.
As a brother, you are expected to come to weekly meetings and participate in the wide variety of events that we plan.
Since all of us are engineers, we understand how rigorous engineering can be. If you are concerned about the time commitment, please talk to one of our brothers or email either of the emails at the bottom of this page for a better idea of the time we have put into the fraternity during our own pledging processes and as a brother.
IS THETA TAU A SOCIAL FRATERNITY?
No, however, we are a very social fraternity! A social fraternity is a member of the Interfraternity Council at the University of Maryland and is what most people think of when they hear the word “fraternity” or “sorority”.
We are a professional fraternity, which means that we have a focus on the academic and professional aspects of the undergraduate college career. This doesn’t mean we don’t have fun, it just means we have different priorities than a traditional social fraternity or sorority.
CAN I BE A MEMBER OF ANOTHER ORGANIZATION AND STILL JOIN?
Yes! In fact, we encourage our members to be as active on campus as possible. Most of our members are part of professional societies for their major or various honor societies on campus. It is even possible to be a member of a social fraternity as well as an academic/professional fraternity.
However, there are a few organizations that Theta Tau considers competing organizations that you are not allowed to be a member of if you are a brother of Theta Tau (such as ΑΩΕ – an engineering sorority). If you have any concerns about other organizations you might be in, please don’t hesitate to send us an email.
DO YOU HAZE NEW MEMBERS/PLEDGES OR DISCRIMINATE?
No. In accordance with University Regulations, we have a strict no-hazing policy. We believe that pledging a fraternity should be fun, and we will never ask anything of you that you don’t feel comfortable with. Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity does not restrict membership or discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, personal appearance, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
WHO CAN I CONTACT WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
For specific questions about rush, you can reach our rush chairs at rush.thetatau.umd@gmail.com. You can also email our president at president.thetatau.umd@gmail.com, and all of our brothers are always eager to answer any questions you may have!