NIU men interested in joining a fraternity next semester will have to visit three different chapters before they will be eligible for a fraternity bid.

At Tuesday’s Interfraternity Council meeting, the council decided it will be mandatory for each prospective fraternity member to see three chapters so that each might find the “right” fraternity for him.

The mandatory minimum will be implemented in the spring semester.

Scott Peters, IFC membership vice president, said at a previous meeting that if a fraternity member is in the house that best reflects him, he will be less likely to drop out as has happened in the past.

“Before, guys went to two houses, then signed a bid,” Peters said. In the past, men were not pleased with the chapter they joined so they quit, he said.

The council’s intent of a three-house minimum is to increase the number of members and retain them, Peters said. Rush needs to be promoted more through people seeing the individual chapters, he said.

Jeff Cufaude, activities adviser for University Programming and Activities, said there never before has been a required number of houses a person must visit prior to receiving a bid.

He said he believes the council’s decision will “encourage” people to visit more houses and discover which one fits their personalities best.

A card system will be implemented to keep track of how many and which houses people visit, Peters said. Each fraternity will stamp the card when a person visits its house, he said.

Cufaude said the first fraternity a person travels to will issue him a card to take to the other houses. After the card has three stamps, a person is eligible for a bid, he said.

When a person enters a house, he still will sign his name in a book so that the fraternity can get in touch with him, Peters said.

Previously, the council passed a motion for men to see five chapters but reconsidered the five-chapter minimum because that might defeat the purpose of having men see different fraternities.

IFC President Tom Zur said men might become discouraged at having to travel to many different chapters, and fewer men might rush.

The purpose in having a minimum is for people to be “happy” with the house they chose so that they stay with the house, Zur said.

Rush is scheduled for the the first week of school after winter break. An informal rush will be held Jan. 18 at 9 p.m., Cufaude said. He said men’s rush will be Jan. 19, 24 and 25 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.