No, when they sign their bid card, they can include as many or as few chapters as desired based on their invites for Pref.

I believe that this would go against one of the Unanimous Agreements. I'd check with the NPC Advisor for your school as to the legitimacy of this rule.

But what happens to the PNM who only has 1 sorority left to place on her pref card? Does she get kicked out because only
1 sorority invited her to pref?

What if they don't put down any of the chapters they went to pref at and instead put down chapters that released them? Are they allowed to do that?

to the OP, you are not going to be able to rush until next fall.

i hear over and over that recruitment counselors are telling pnms that if they list only one chapter on their bid card that her card will be kicked out and she will not be matched. it makes me wonder who is telling the rec. counselors this malarkie? i believe that they (r.c's) believe this is true-i don't think they are intentionally deceiving the pnms. it's kind of like the "we can't have sorority houses due to the brothel law" conundrum-who the heck started this rumor? who starts these things?

I was told that by a girl in the house who is on PHC. She told us that it was part of the rule with the "no skipping parties" rule, but I will double check. I like the no skipping thing, but thought that part sounded a little crazy. We get our Rho Gammas back today and I will double check with them since they should know.

This whole conversation is so frustrating for me because every year there is a debate/confusion/etc on exactly what can or cannot happen with bid cards and pnms.

I feel sorry for the pnms. They are totally relying on 20 year olds to advise them about a legally binding agreement. It is this very fact that is so disturbing regarding the breakdown in communication at this point in recruitment. There are too many myths and inaccuracies that float around among the very people who are supposed to be the experts!

Granted, some people only hear what they want to hear and will do the very thing they are advised not to do. But when pnms are forced to list all the houses they attend, bullied into it in some cases, then I think NPC needs to figure out how to improve this area of recruitment. We have come a long way in leveling the playing field - no frills, RFC, etc but this business of making girls rank houses that they may not want and then smiling while we say, "Sorry, you signed a legal binding agreement on pref night. You are stuck for a year." is getting out of hand.



I will step off my soapbox now. :)

I agree! But these ADULTS need to know about everything they are signing, not just bids. I am stunned by what students sign then try to get out of because they "didn't know." There are advisors for a reason. If you are unsure, ask someone else. A bid is a big deal--you are joining an organization for life! Why should it be easy to break that agreement?

I don't always think the pnms are unsure about how to list their houses. In the instructions that are given, if someone tells them to rank all the houses they attend, then they do just that. And, let's say that the pnm is unsure, then she does in fact ask her rho chi, who tells her the incorrect/myth/varied truth info. So the pnm takes that info and runs with it. The rho chi is the authority figure. In large recruitments of 800 plus women, the person the pnm speaks with regarding all things is her rho chi - not an advisor.

I agree that no one should blindly sign anything. But, I think the problem occurs when they aren't unsure. Suzie likes choice #1 but is told the procedure is to rank the remaining houses or else. So she does. She is sure this is the way to do it. And, again, I am sure that in most instances, the girls are told this is going to bind them to all the houses they rank, and the girls don't listen because they are sure they are getting their first choice.

I just wonder how hard the rho chi is stressing the fact that the bid card is a binding agreement. And, I am wondering about these strong arm tactics of insisting that they list all pref night houses. I am beginning to think it is turning into a "sign first, answer questions later" type of deal. Greek life is busy trying to make sure girls get bids and houses get quota and possibly not stressing the "fine print" as much as they should.

yes!