Quite frankly, I think the only person who should be at bid signing is the Greek life or student life advisor, or if they're clueless the regional Panhel rep, and the rho chis shouldn't be there at all. (I don't remember any of our rho chis being there at all when I did mine.) They should be the ones who know the Green Book rules, the impact of signing a bid and being legally bound. But I'm sure the school likes it better if the rho chis are the ones who tell the rushees what to do - total CYA measure.

If it's a huge rush, and no way for everyone to talk to the GA personally, then there should be instructions posted on every table/desk/writing surface on what exactly you are doing, the way there are when you go to vote.

This is wrong. I normally don't say this, but in this instance if you were truly completely unaware of the one year rule, I would say you have a legal case. There should have been something somewhere on the bid card you signed that mentioned the one year rule or you should have been informed orally before you signed.

33girl brings up a good point: What do those bid cards look like these days? Is it a computer card, an index card, what?

Good excuse to call my daughters at school...:)

Right. If there is any question, then go to the Greek Life person. That's all I mean. It's a shame that there is so much confusion and it can be avoided.

Okay, just talked to daughter who pledged this fall and, keeping in mind this is the kid who says stuff like, "Oh, was that test today?" she says her bid card was simply a plain card with lines on it. She was to print her name at the top, rank her houses and sign at the bottom. Upon further reflection, she remembered that the card said something like Recruitment 09 at the top. She does not remember any fine print wording regarding the legal binding agreement.

Stay tuned. I still have not spoken with the daughter who is a college senior.

Sorry if I don't believe the "I wasn't told I couldn't go through recruitment for a whole year" line...it's more likely she wasn't listening or chose not to listen. It's funny how the vast majority of PNMs figure these things out but a few stragglers miss the boat. Sorry...pay attention. This is yet another example of how life is unfair at times. Going to college is a learning experience. Here is a perfect experience from which to learn.

No, I believe that they are not allowed to put down chapters that did not invite them to pref. That said, if they can only attend 3 Pref parties, but get invited to four, I suppose #4 could make it on the list, if they decided to pass on 1, 2, or 3. Not sure. I'll ask my local RFM specialist and see what she says.

I think the fact that the bid is binding upon signing should be stressed throughout recruitment - not just at bid signing. Most bid signing happens right after Pref and many PNMs are emotional, confused, tired and are anxious to get signing, go hang out with their friends and relax after a LONG week. To ask a PNM to read the fine print and listen intently to exactly what is being said before they sign their bid card is asking a lot.

To be honest, I'm 30 years old and in the legal field - if I was emotional, confused, tired and anxious and someone shoved a piece of paper in front of me, made me listen to a potentially boring lecture on directions on how to fill out a form - I would probably tune them out too and might miss very important information.

Not to mention, MaggieXi, that plenty of PNMs are only 17 and, as minors, legally incapable of binding themselves via contract.
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From my experiences with a few campuses only - usually the parents are contacted prior to the bidding process to ensure that they will allow their child to join the sorority. The sororities usually handle these bids a little differently.

Plenty? I know this is by school district, but don't most places say you have to be 5 by September 1 to start kindergarten nowadays?

Me, too.
I started school in a different state, and I started first grade at age 5. Everybody in my high school class was anywhere from two weeks to two years older than me.

I started at 4 and turned 5 at the end of November. So I was a 17 year old freshman in college.

psst, ladies, I said "nowadays." None of you went to school in the last 2 or 3 years to my knowledge. :)