rushing

Fraternities that get kicked off can maintain a high morale for maybe a semester or a year after they get kicked off. They don't get the same quality of pledge classes like they used to, some sororities won't be mix with underground fraternities, and brothers stop paying dues because there's no incentive which means not as many social events. This is what leads to lower morale in the brotherhood and causes the fraternity to gradually disappear.

Back a decade ago you could survive being underground. But now the school has a tight grip on IFC and won't let fraternities tailgate if theyre on probation or kicked off. Plus like the above poster mentioned, few brothers will pay high dues since theyre kicked off which limits what the fraternity can do. Now sororities get in a lot of trouble for mixing with underground fraternities as well, so only a few will risk it. They also have to have it as an unregistered event which means the sorority won't pitch in money, girls are likely to get MIPs (like what happened with a lot of the unregistered mixers last year and the year before) and typically fewer people go. Lastly, kicked off fraternities can't get a good quality and sized pledge class (most get some sort of pledge class but never the same size or quality of the good registered fraternities).

They're coming back quick enough that they'll survive. This will at least temporarily kick them out of the top tier. They're probably middle-middle now.

They will only be out for a semester so they'll still be top tier. They were/are probably the best all around fraternity on campus so it might be worth it to pledge them (if you get a bid) when they are able to.

Heard they are trying to get rushees to wait till spring. I'd do it, they still are the best. Love you sigma chi