Correct me if I am wrong but can't a PNM only become a quota addition to a chapter if the PNM appears somewhere on that chapter's bid list? Hence, a chapter shouldn't be too suprised if a PNM at Pref ends up with a (QA) bid.

No, you are probably right. This quota additions thing confuses me.

Honestly this just sounds like release figures didn't work the way they were supposed to - like the %ages the chapters were supposed to release were wrong or something.

No one in the chapter (other than Rec Chair, advisor) actually know who is a QA because QA's are usually the girls at the bottom of the bid list (keeping in mind that this list contains everyone who attended the pref parties and is priority ranked) who do not find themselves with a match based on 1) their pref rankings and 2) the sororities bid lists. So, no one is surprised by a pnm who receives a bid via QA because they don't know who they are.

If there are huge numbers of QA's for a handful of chapters then Panhellenic needs to re-think Quota. It's better to have a higher quota with a few chapters not making it because those chapters can COB up to quota to be competitive in size. Low quota leaves the chapters that didn't get QA's but made quota no option to add members (unless they are still below Chapter Total).

You mean - when they set quota? i.e., they should set it before pref instead of after pref maybe?

GOSH this is all really fascinating.

ETA: I really mean it seriously.

I would never recommend setting quota before pref. You automatically set someone up to not make quota. The new RFM makes sure that all women are placed and that's the important factor.

The smallest chapter on campus went into recruitment with around 30, and gained about 20

The largest chapter on campus went into recruitment with about 45, and gained about 30

(quota was about 25)

It just doesn't seem right to me....just puts a bigger number gap between them

^^^ Just means that smaller chapter has the opportunity to get 25-30 new members through COB this year ... better get started!

What is campus total?

Not necessarily. If total is around 50, the smaller chapter is stuck where it is. This happened on my campus for years, with the bigger groups taking quota+ and the smaller groups left to COB to total, which was always lower than what the bigger chapters had because they did so well at recruitment each year.

When I was in college, in the cases where women did not match to their #1 or #2, she was given to the chapter (#1 or #2) that was smaller, and I believe that's now NPC wanted it done back then. Is this not the way it's done anymore?

I do believe there should be a cap on quota additions in order to keep chapter sizes relatively equal.

^^^ Just my guestimate based on the numbers the OP did provide. Campus total may be different.

Theorectically, it should all eventually even out. Some schools are just now using RFM and it may take a year or two for things to shake out. Basically, it makes the options more realistic for the PNMs by forcing releases earlier. However, the basic premise is to place everyone who signs a bid card. If one group ends up with a seemingly disproportionate number of NMs, then the other groups were not recruiting the women they needed to be and that group had a more focused idea of who they wanted and who wanted them. The new RFM definitely places the onus on the larger chapters to refine their recruitment techniques rather than depend on the fact that they've always gotten quota. 33girl, I don't know what happened on your campus but am sure there were some circumstances at play. With RFM, each PH is to check with their assigned PH alum RFM specialist when they do bid matching so I am sure the outcome was approved.

What what? Not my campus, LOL.

Ooops....meant Sororitycutie