I do like the idea of NPC alums being Gamma Chis, especially if their chapters aren't represented in campus.

Jen, you just made me picture a Sassy Gay Friend as a Gamma Chi. And the picture is kind of awesome.

Here's what the NPC MOI (aka Green Book) says about recruitment counselors

Recruitment counselors are undergraduate chapter members in good standing
and who:
1. Are dependable, responsible and available to the Potential New Member.
2. Are enthusiastic and have a positive attitude toward
fraternity experiences.
3. Are objective and impartial in opinions.
4. Have good listening skills and the ability and willingness to
keep confidences.
5. Are sensitive and perceptive of another’s feelings while
remaining objective.
6. Are representative of the best qualities of a Panhellenic woman.
7. Are willing to refrain from contacting their own chapter members in
order to reveal confidential information obtained from a PNM.

Resolved (1993), That because collegiate membership recruitment
counselors function as a committee of the local College Panhellenic during
membership recruitment, they shall be in good standing in their member
groups, be active participants in the collegiate chapter and shall be enrolled
in the institution where the chapter is located.

I disagree.

I think in an process like recruitment experience and prior exposure mean a lot. Its such an emotionally stressful time I would think that having someone who's been there would be more understanding and supportive to the PNM.

I'm sure the NPHC members are not doing a bad job, as this works for this campus.

I agree. Portland State University asked all the alumnae associations for help during their recruitment. I know that at least ten of us showed up. I was a Rho Gamma (or Gamma Chi or whatever) at U of Oregon. The PNMs seemed a lot more open to talk about what was troubling them as none of our chapters were representing on PSU campus. It could be that the campus personality is more open or it could be that there was no chance we were part of the organizations they were worried about. Also it reinforces the idea that sorority membership is for life. Most of us even wore letters which, in my opinion, also reinforced that there is a larger community that one is joining instead of just one chapter.

Perhaps the NPHC gamma chis will do (or do at Southern Miss as someone mention) a great job. I am just having trouble imaging giving advice to someone going through something that I had never experienced.

I said it elsewhere, but I'll say it again:

Many women who go through recruitment have great (or at least good) experiences the whole way through. Thinking that they can relate to women who are getting heavily cut just because both have been through formal recruitment is a huge mistake. Yet, many of us would agree that consoling disappointed PNM's (and encouraging them to stay!) is one of the most important things that a gamma chi does.

So, if you think that NPHC women are not qualified to do this, I think that you should also never have gamma chis who got their top choices each round.

Hey, that's pretty good. It's awful watching someone who got all her choices go off on someone who hardly has any. Yeah, she'd come apart too if it had happened to her and the PNM knows it.

This just seems strange to me. I can't imagine being a PNM with a Gamma Chi who wasn't a member of the organizations. I would questions her ability to be thoroughly knowledgeable. I know that there are clueless Gamma Chis from NPC groups, but I agree with the previous comment that this is a misguided attempt at diversity.

I also think alums of groups not on campus is a really interesting idea. Alums would have much more to offer in terms of objectivity and a bit of life perspective.

perhaps i am reading this wrong, but unless the NPHC members sororities are not members of the college panhellenic-meaning they are members of the NPHC at MSU-then it appears that MSU is not following NPC recommendations.

And thank you AZ-AlphaXi for finding this.

^^^ FSUZeta ... that's the way I was reading it.

this resolution has been cited to me, when I've suggested that Alumnae (unaffiliated ones) act as counselors.

(and you're welcome :-) )

Well, if the only issue about NPC recruitment is to console a crying young woman who does not get her choices, or is dropped, then yeah, I guess anyone can be a gamma chi.

Well, there's consolation, directing the girls to the physical meeting location (houses) and explaining the process/rules. There shouldn't ever be a time when a rush counselor says anything about a specific chapter. "you'd like XYZ. They're like you because..." would be a huge no no. A rush counselor should help a rushee make decisions by drawing out of her what she liked and didn't like about specific chapters, not doing the pointing out herself. "How did you feel about XYZ?" "What made you feel that XYZ is better than DEF? Could it be a specific girl you were talking to and not the chapter as a whole?" Those statements could be said by ANYONE and are the kind of open ended questions a rush counselor should say to draw out the feelings of the rushee. And if the rushee knows for sure that the rush counselor is not a DEF, she's going to feel a lot more comfortable being honest about her feelings, and thus getting to the truth quicker.

NPHC women are joiners, leaders, enthusiastic, and smart. There is no reason to think they couldn't handle this and I see very little down side. I think this is also true of non-affiliated alumnae, and grad students in psychology for that matter. The grad students would just have a larger learning curve but presumably they'd also end up in the same place.

Or else she will think "this woman/man/elm tree has NEVER been through this experience. How in the world does she have the nerve to try to counsel/console me?"

Please keep in mind when we talk about these options that we're talking about 18 and 19 year old women.

Don't the NPHC, MCGLOs etc. sometimes all fall under the umbrella of the Panhellenic council at schools? It doesn't appear to be the case at MSU, but it seems like I've seen things structured that way at other schools.

The only time I've seen these groups under the same council has been in the case of "All Greek Councils"