There is no need to go into why - simply tell your professor you may have to miss one class, and you wanted to know if he/she offered the same class at a different time and if you could attend it. If pressed, just say you have some personal business that you may need to attend to. You are not lying, and you are making it obvious that you are trying to keep the personal business from interfering with your studies.

This. You are under no obligation to say what you are doing, and if the professor seriously presses you, you can simply say that you do not feel comfortable divulging your personal reasons.

Check with your campus panhellenic's rules. It's been brought up on here that at some schools, if you miss class for recruitment, you are automatically dropped.

I think you mean "miss recruitment for class"?

No, she said exactly what she meant. If Panhel finds out that you are skipping classes to attend rush events, you are eliminated from rush and cannot receive a bid. Some schools specify this on their rush registration forms.

Huh, I have never heard of that. Good to know.

i worked at the campus bookstore during the before school started and during the first week of classes. As a requirement to work there we had to miss class the first few days. Only once did I go to a class and that was because I was trying to get in (as in get a spot that might have been dropped by another student) This never hurt me as far as grades went. I usually found someone (or had a friend) whose notes i would copy. I made it a point to ask around about the proff and see what missing the first days of class would mean, as in if they gave specific info to the class that I would need. This was never a problem for me and I usually never told the professor that i missed their class except my senior year when the classes were small (as in 20 or less students). I did not tell them why, but explained that I missed the class and that I copied someones notes. Usually proffs though it was weird that I told them, but I did not want to get a reputation for missing class.

My point is that the first week is not as important as the rest of the weeks, I would try and find another section of the class and see if you can attend that section, if not get notes from someone. Also, talk to panhel, they should have ways to deal with this. Goodluck

Thank you so much girls! All of your input has been so helpful! And very reassuring! =)

Actually, it's my opinion (as someone who works in this world) that even professors who are pro-Greek or just neutral about Greeks would NOT be thrilled if you asked them this. I'm extremely pro-Greek and I think I would roll my eyes at someone doing this (I have worked as a Teaching Assistant for the last two years).

So basically: don't do it.

My opinion (as someone who also works in the world) is that missing the class and then trying to deal with it afterwards would be a problem. Planning ahead because of a conflict is less of a problem. I tell my students the first day that I understand that things happen - I've had everything from a student whose father had a heart attack to car problems galore (or so they said . . . :rolleyes:)- but it is their responsibility to make up the work.
I also advise them that the sooner they let me know they have a conflict, the more likely I am to be able to help. I am teaching 3 sections of the same class in the fall - should one of my students need to miss class, I'd be happy to let them attend one of the other two, and be impressed at his/her diligence, because God knows there are plenty of students who will just skip because they feel like it.
But first I would check with your campus Panhellenic and see how THEY would like you to handle it. If they can work it so you can attend the class and make recruitment events, so much the better. Good luck!

Sorry to tell a different story: When my oldest daughter rushed 1st parties were held in the evening. She had an importent class, in her major offered once every 4 years that met once a week. Panhellenic SAID that if you tell them blah blah...daughter told them and what a surprise...she was dropped from all the houses that she was supposed to go to that evening. Her rho chi warned her that it might happen...and it did. (This was first round.)

YIKES. First round? Hope she found a great sorority home - that really is the pits.

Also, some Greek Life Offices require PNMs to miss parties if they conflict with classes. Any other policy really does counteract the purpose of going to college (even if you occasionally skip classes anyway) and would make it look like Greeks condoned skipping class.

As everyone else said, check with your Greek Life Office.

Why are schools doing this? As much as I am not a fan of taking new members before school even starts I also think having it at a time where it can conflict with classes is not showing support of academics, you know the reason we go to college and have the opportunity to join the Greek system in the first place.

Wow! How did I miss this whole second page that already discussed this!