Declining to Participate in Formal Recruitment
 

I would do a search for this, but I'm afraid I wouldn't have the proper terms.

1) Is participating in formal recruitment a requirement for NPC sororities?

2) Can a chapter opt out of formal recruitment if they find that the COB process works better for them? (Assuming they will not be penalized for a smaller pledge class than the rest of the chapters on campus)

3) On your campuses, would/do/have Jewish sororities found it more beneficial to have a COB process than formal recruitment?

I KNOW we discussed this before, but I have no idea where.

1. No it is not required. There are a couple of campuses that I know of that a chapter that is new or newer or a struggling chapter does not participate.
2. I don't know the official answer, but it does happen on some campuses.
3. Yes and no. Of course, when I was in school, we had 3 traditionally Jewish sororities, all participated in Formal. Two of the three, at that time, always reached quota so COB was never a big issue unless they had members graduate or drop out. Since that time, only one traditionally Jewish sorority is still there and they do very well during formal. I do know that AEPhi at Miami University does not participate in formal, but they just restablished last year (I think).

1) Is participating in formal recruitment a requirement for NPC sororities?
No

2) Can a chapter opt out of formal recruitment if they find that the COB process works better for them? (Assuming they will not be penalized for a smaller pledge class than the rest of the chapters on campus)
Yes, this is the case here. One of the chapters lost their house a few years back due to declining numbers and then decided to not participate in FR any longer. I don't know the story beyond that.

3) On your campuses, would/do/have Jewish sororities found it more beneficial to have a COB process than formal recruitment?
In our case, yes, it was one of the two historically Jewish sororities here. I have no idea what their numbers are like now.

Senusret sometimes I think you wish you'd been able to join an NPC sorority. :p

Sorry, no boys allowed.

Too late, I have already accepted the offer to become an honorary member, so fa!

:D

You didn't have gender reassignment surgery already, did you?

Didn't need it. I am just loved just THAT much by NPC. :)

LOL!

I know some of the ladies have answered no to number 1, but it was mandatory at my campus once you were out of a probationary period (either for being new or another reason). Could this be in specific in a college Panhellenic or would have to do with each of those specific GLOs at the campus?

I don't know about 2 or 3.

Ok, so who do alphagamzetagam and I have to fight if it's not our org?

I think you know I'll throw down for a Squirrel-tastic Senusret.

Srsly. He's obviously Alpha Gam material. Witty, snarky, and he has big boobs!*

*My mom actually thought this was a requirement for membership, because many young women in my chapter (while I was active) were very *ahem* well-endowed.

Your chapter too? Alpha Gamma Delta Delta (or as certain fraternity boys called us...AG Double D).

me too.

(now this just looks weird after the agdd posts. Thanks, you all.)

OTW? (Senusret, not boobs)

I think it's something in the water. I went from a small b to a very full c between receiving my bid and graduation.

Becoming an adult (physically and mentally) had nothing to do with it, I'm sure.

1. No, it's not a requirement, but I think in most cases, it is beneficial for them to participate.

2. Yes, but again, it is generally to a chapter's benefit to participate. While an NPC's HQ may pressure a chapter to make quota, reach total, I don't really think they'd care HOW they did it. Think about it, a chapter has nothing to lose by participating. They aren't forced to take anyone they don't want to (and any advisor who thinks otherwise is wrong---Panhellenics that tell small chapters they can't cut anyone only care about placement numbers, not happy chapters and PNMs), so they can pick up some women from formal recruitment and do COR after if they choose.

Kind of like the analogy used in I Heart Recruitment about looking for shoes. If you are looking for the perfect pair of shoes, you wouldn't just go to the mall and say "Well shoot I can't find what I am looking for, I guess I just won't get any shoes." You would look online, at DSW, outlet stores, ask friends, etc. until you find that perfect pair of shoes. The shoes represent the perfect new members (and a goal of quota) and the ways to find shoes represent different methods of recruiting, with the mall being formal recruitment.

3. I have heard on other campuses that historically Jewish chapters opt not to participate in formal recruitment. Maryland, as I am sure you know, is heavily Jewish. We have AEPhi and SDT (founded Jewish), as well as DPhiE and Phi Sig (founded non-sectarian, but tend to be Jewish at some campuses because of their history), but a lot of chapters have a pretty significant number of Jewish women, and two of the 4 "Jewish" chapters have a pretty signficant number of non-Jewish women. Jewish chapters are not at a disadvantage at Maryland, so formal recruitment works quite well for them. There's plenty of demand, and they're all very desirable chapters to be in.

That could be specific in a college Panhellenic; however, if ever the time would come to pass when one of the sororities decided it WASN'T in their best interests to participate in FR, they most likely could override it. It would have to do with the sorority's process of member selection, the administration of which trumps anything Panhellenic does.

Ok, that makes sense! Thanks!