Release From Bid?
 

I went through Formal Recruitment recently, and at our school they don't allow PNM to drop a sorority, we have to rank the final two after Pref Night. I ended up getting a bid from a sorority I didn't really feel comfortable with. (Great girls, just not the place for me) Well, I received the bid, and my rho gamma told me to go to the bid day, and give them another shot. I did, but that night after leaving bid day, I decided I really couldn't see myself in that GLO for life. So I declined my bid. I've read on some of the threads here that a sorority can release a PNM from a bid, making her eligible to participate in COB in the Spring. Is this true? Also, is it Panhellenic rules to not allow PNM's to drop a sorority? My #1 choice has had a few girls drop for various reasons, and I think they'll be participating in COB in the Spring, so I was really hoping I could try.

Thanks everyone! If I missed a specific thread about this sorry, but I didn't see one dedicated to a situation like this. :)

I've never heard of anyone being REQUIRED to rank a sorority before, and I wouldn't think that was the case. But someone correct me if I'm wrong.

If you went to bid day, I'm assuming that means that you actually did accept your bid, which means that you're not eligible to pledge another sorority for one year (i.e. Fall 2010).

I am almost positive a sorority cannot "release" you from a bid. I think what you read is that the sorority can release you or not choose you before bid distribution. Once you rank your houses you are accepting whichever bid you get. You will have to wait a full year until you rush again.

Panhellenic rules depend on what system you use. And accept/regret system lets you remove sororities from your list. Priority systems make you rank all the houses you have. Generally, after pref night, you can "intentional single preference" or "suicide" which means you only rank one house even though you have two options. This is highly discouraged in the panhellenic system, but it's not prohibited.

What's done is done. You will have to wait a year to go through recruitment again. So, why not give this other sorority a shot? They wanted you, and your first choice sorority did not. I would say at least give them a few weeks to see how it works.

But that's just me.

Gah, don't say stuff like that. She was on the bid list for both sororities (you know that). They both must have "wanted" her...it just depends on where on the list she was.

The only time I've ever heard of panhellenic releasing someone from a bid is in the event of a chapter being shut down, etc. for risk management violations. In that case, it wasn't fair to the new members to be obligated to a group for a calendar year that didn't exist on campus anymore.

Why would a sorority release you so you could rush somewhere else?

Thanks everyone for the replies. I thought that was the case, but I read a few replies on one thread that basically said sororities "released" girls from their bid contract letting them participate in COB events in the Spring. I thought that this probably wasn't the case though. Just wanted to make sure.

If I had not gone to the Bid Day, would that have been "accepting" my bid? We sign the agreement right after Pref Night, so I'm not sure when exactly the bid acceptance is. I wouldn't have gone to the Bid Day if my Rho Gamma hadn't told me to try them out again. It was a rare case of things not working out =/ This sorority was actually my #6, but a couple that I wanted seemed to be the most popular, so understandably a lot of girls were cut. But as far as suiciding goes, I don't think our school allows this. But it is possible... they didn't even tell me about the one year rule until after I received my bid. After I received my bid I asked if I decline it can I participate in Spring COB events, and she said no at this point you have to wait the year.

It seems like the one year contract should start after recruitment week is over =/ but thats just me and I don't know too much about the greek system.

Thank you all for clarifying. I wish I could participate in COB events, because I don't think I could go through the Formal Recruitment process again =/

You agreed to accept a bid from either sorority that you matched when you signed the agreement. This is regardless if you attended Bid Day or not.

Sorry that things didn't work out as you had hoped.

I think this is one of those situations where the rho gam did not adequately explain the ramifications of accepting a bid, etc. Sometimes, in the spirit of "panhellenic love" Greek life spends a lot of time encouraging girls to go ahead and give every house a chance, etc and the rules are glossed over. And that is unfortunate.

OP - use this year to meet other sorority women, get involved, etc. I don't know what your campus is like regarding upperclassmen getting bids but don't let this disappointment get you down. Sounds like informal might work for you next year.

When I went through recruitment, we were told we weren't allowed to suicide or we would be "disqualified"(??) from recruitment. There were only 4 chapters and one was reallyyy struggling, so I think it was to try to protect them from having no one on Bid Day. Whether that's Green Book kosher or not, I don't know.

When an NPC chapter on my campus closed due to risk management issues this Spring, their New Members were totally released from any obligation to that organization. One of the NMs did COB and join a different org this fall. I think the others may be holding out for FR this Spring. In any event, I think that's the only case in which you don't have to wait a year.

I'm sorry things didn't work out for you, OP, and I hope you find your home. Like many of the other posters I would have recommended you stick it out for a few weeks since you have to wait a year anyway, but at this point, what's done is done. I understand not wanting to go through FR again since it can be a pretty intense experience - but if you really want to be in a sorority, that may be your only option. You can ask if any groups usually do COB immediately following FR, but that's a gamble because if they have a good recruitment and go over chapter total (and therefore don't need to do COB), you're out of luck. Waiting until sophomore spring to COB may be too late depending on your campus.

FSU requires PNMs to fill their rank cards with all available chapters. They are not allowed to 'drop' a sorority chapter, just rank them low.

If you are unsure about something so important, ask someone higher up than a rho gamma. You are signing your name to a binding document. This is a major decision, and it amazes me that so many young women think they can just be "released" and be done with it. When you sign your lease for next year, make sure you read the language in it so you know what you're getting in to. You won't be able to decide 2 days into living in your apartment that you don't like it and just pick a new one.

including at bid time?

There is a new PHC rule at my campus is that any PNM that skips a party or signs their pref card with one sorority is kicked out of recruitment.

When you say "pref card" do you mean the card they sign before they go to pref parties, or the card they sign before bids are issued? Because NO ONE should EVER be forced to put a group on their bid card they don't want - they could be bound to that group for a year.

CutiePie2000's bid card signing from hell experience

No, when they sign their bid card, they can include as many or as few chapters as desired based on their invites for Pref.

I believe that this would go against one of the Unanimous Agreements. I'd check with the NPC Advisor for your school as to the legitimacy of this rule.

But what happens to the PNM who only has 1 sorority left to place on her pref card? Does she get kicked out because only
1 sorority invited her to pref?

What if they don't put down any of the chapters they went to pref at and instead put down chapters that released them? Are they allowed to do that?

to the OP, you are not going to be able to rush until next fall.

i hear over and over that recruitment counselors are telling pnms that if they list only one chapter on their bid card that her card will be kicked out and she will not be matched. it makes me wonder who is telling the rec. counselors this malarkie? i believe that they (r.c's) believe this is true-i don't think they are intentionally deceiving the pnms. it's kind of like the "we can't have sorority houses due to the brothel law" conundrum-who the heck started this rumor? who starts these things?

I was told that by a girl in the house who is on PHC. She told us that it was part of the rule with the "no skipping parties" rule, but I will double check. I like the no skipping thing, but thought that part sounded a little crazy. We get our Rho Gammas back today and I will double check with them since they should know.

This whole conversation is so frustrating for me because every year there is a debate/confusion/etc on exactly what can or cannot happen with bid cards and pnms.

I feel sorry for the pnms. They are totally relying on 20 year olds to advise them about a legally binding agreement. It is this very fact that is so disturbing regarding the breakdown in communication at this point in recruitment. There are too many myths and inaccuracies that float around among the very people who are supposed to be the experts!

Granted, some people only hear what they want to hear and will do the very thing they are advised not to do. But when pnms are forced to list all the houses they attend, bullied into it in some cases, then I think NPC needs to figure out how to improve this area of recruitment. We have come a long way in leveling the playing field - no frills, RFC, etc but this business of making girls rank houses that they may not want and then smiling while we say, "Sorry, you signed a legal binding agreement on pref night. You are stuck for a year." is getting out of hand.



I will step off my soapbox now. :)

I agree! But these ADULTS need to know about everything they are signing, not just bids. I am stunned by what students sign then try to get out of because they "didn't know." There are advisors for a reason. If you are unsure, ask someone else. A bid is a big deal--you are joining an organization for life! Why should it be easy to break that agreement?

I don't always think the pnms are unsure about how to list their houses. In the instructions that are given, if someone tells them to rank all the houses they attend, then they do just that. And, let's say that the pnm is unsure, then she does in fact ask her rho chi, who tells her the incorrect/myth/varied truth info. So the pnm takes that info and runs with it. The rho chi is the authority figure. In large recruitments of 800 plus women, the person the pnm speaks with regarding all things is her rho chi - not an advisor.

I agree that no one should blindly sign anything. But, I think the problem occurs when they aren't unsure. Suzie likes choice #1 but is told the procedure is to rank the remaining houses or else. So she does. She is sure this is the way to do it. And, again, I am sure that in most instances, the girls are told this is going to bind them to all the houses they rank, and the girls don't listen because they are sure they are getting their first choice.

I just wonder how hard the rho chi is stressing the fact that the bid card is a binding agreement. And, I am wondering about these strong arm tactics of insisting that they list all pref night houses. I am beginning to think it is turning into a "sign first, answer questions later" type of deal. Greek life is busy trying to make sure girls get bids and houses get quota and possibly not stressing the "fine print" as much as they should.

yes!

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.
________
WetDreamsHot4u live

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.