RFM Specialists
 

I think I have officially spent too much time in Greekchat! Last night I had a dream that was more like a nightmare! I was in some big hall full of PNMs then a bunch of ladies came over to me and told me I had to be the RFM Specialist. I was all Whuuuuuuuuuutttt??!! I'm not all so great at math and I'm still in school so this will not be very good for anyone! That's all I remember but I was really confused and scared I would do something wrong!

Now I am wondering how a lady goes about being an RFM specialist. Do they have a special training for it? Does the NPC put an ad out like in craigslist or something? Haha Do you have to be a sorority member to be one? Is it okay to be in a sorority that is at that school or do they want sorority members who are not represented at that school? Is it a paid thing or a volunteer thing? See I do have a lot of questions now!

I am glad you asked, because I was also curious about the RFM specialist process:

https://www.npcwomen.org/.../RFM%20S...ion.doc‎

Just checked the link and it appears that it does not work. However, I accessed it by Googling "RFM Specialist", and it was the first hit and I opened and read all about the requirements.

I have always thought of ours like the "wizard of oz" behind the curtain and no one knows what she really does!

And some updated RFM information for those that might be interested:

https://www.npcwomen.org/resources/pdf/RFM%20Update.pdf

RFM history
 

I saw that RFM started in 2003--way after my time. Does anyone know the history of how/why the switch was made? I'm assuming this was a way to get more PNMs placed in a sorority and more sororities making quota which seems to be working. Has there been a big difference in the amount of chapters closing since RFM was started?

Can somebody give me the current definition of a minus list?

NPC member groups each sponsor their specialists. Each group has an internal vetting process so to speak. There is an effort for an even number for each group but it isn't always possible.

There is yearly training for the entire team. Each specialist is supported by a senior specialist on each campus. The RFM leadership team supports the entire process including keeping an eye on trends may necessitate changes to the process. An example would be when upperclass quota was created several years ago.

New specialist start out with "easier" campuses and a lighter load until the get their sea legs.

Here's what the document linked above says (I've bolded the minus list)

Importance of Flex Lists
Flex lists are used only on campuses that use the priority system. A flex list is actually two lists of PNMs — a plus list and a minus list. These lists are used to help optimize the invitations issued by all sororities. Flex lists are powerful tools that enable the RFM specialist to ensure that the number of PNMs returning to each chapter’s events most closely approximate the return number being targeted for that chapter, based on the number of PNMs a chapter needs to have for a successful recruitment conclusion. The RFM specialist draws from a plus list if a chapter does not perform as well as expected. Similarly, the RFM specialist draws from the minus list if a chapter’s performance exceeds projected expectations. Chapters that receive a minus list request from the RFM specialist are required to submit a minus list.

I think AZ-Alpha Xi would make a terrific RFM specialist. She is a Real Scientist and she is also a math wizard. And she understands RFM and all things Recruitment. Plus she is very, very nice to everyone. And she doesn't roll her eyes. Ever.

Old_Row, you crack me up. That would be MY nightmare. No way I'd be able to do the RFM work. My brain freezes just contemplating what's involved.

Flex minus is the number of women the RFM specalist assigns a chapter. The women listed in order should the the women the chapter would want to release in the event that they out perform their past history that round round. Sometimes they are used, sometimes not. Flex minus lists are mandatory.

Sorry to double respond AZ-Alpha Xi. I was typing as you were replying.

From the University of Cincinnati site:

Flex list: when chapters select the PNMs they’d like to invite to the next recruitment round, they
must also indicate, from their selected PNMs, which PNMs they would be OK releasing (flex
minus list). They may also indicate, of PNMs they did not select, which PNMs they would be OK
inviting (flex plus list). The RFM Specialist sets each chapter’s “flex minus” and “flex add”
numbers. Chapters must complete the flex minus list, but it’s optional to complete the flex plus
list.

My brain is trying to wrap my head around this, but why do you need plus and minus lists if each chapter just ranks all of the PNMs top to bottom? One list would show the preferred order of the PNMs. Why make three lists? Invite list, plus and minus lists

I understand how the lists work, but I still don't get why so many lists are truly needed if all of the PNMs are ranked in order.

For the sake of the example, lets say ABC has 120 PNMs left for the next round. They are told they can invite 50% back. If they order the list 1 through 120, then the invite list is 60 women. If they are doing well and can't invite that many, the computer just does not issue invitations to the last few women on the list. If they are doing not so well and can invite 60% back, then the computer would just issue invitations to PMNs 61-72. That's their flex plus list, but it's all on one list.

1-60 invite
48-60 flex minus
60-120 flex plus

It just sounds more complicated that it needs to be. If there was one ranked list, the computer can do it's thing based on the release figures for each chapter.

Well technically, your flex plus list would probably end at 100 (or whatev) because there would be some girls who you've decided you really don't want. But other than that, I think what you're saying sounds accurate.

I was thinking the same thing. But then there are those schools where the first list (after open house) could be well over 1000 and ranking them 1 to 1,000 would take a very long time. But then again, trying to figure out which girls should be on the "flex minus" and the "flex add" lists must take time as well.

My follow up question is this. Do all chapters get the same initial number for their invite list and then given their specific "flex minus" and "flex add" numbers? Or do the RFM Specialists also set the initial invite numbers as well.

Perhaps another way to look at this is say ABC has a high return rate. In theory, ABC does not need to invite as many PNMs to their party as other chapters. As such, is that initial invite number set lower than those chapters that do not have as good of a return rate? Or is it the same number for each chapter, and then the "minus list" comes into play?

To put some numbers to the example, say ABC - based on their recruiting strength - should only invite 80 PNMs. Do they prepare a list of 100 PNMs (because all chapters do), of which 20 are on the "flex minus" list. The “flex minus” list would be utilized if ABC is recruiting as normal (i.e. good returns). Or is ABC’s invite list initially set at 80. And if they are under performing, then their "flex plus" list would be utilized.

Does any of that make sense?

That is pretty much how it has worked in the past- the "flex lists" are the the bottom xxx of the main list- when you put everything in the system it tells you when you are on your flex lists.

If memory serves, if you are asked for a negative flex list, you must use it, but you don't have to use the flex on list (or all of the flex on list). Not sure why you wouldn't, but you don't have to...

Wouldn't excel be able to do this relatively quickly? Use different columns for GPA, daily score, rec/no rec, etc. and have excel tally the scores and rank by that tally column.

ETA: Thanks FR!

I figured there had to be some way that was quick and easy.

A reason for not providing a flex add list is when a weak recruiting chapter doesn't have any additional women they want to invite. In other words, their carry figure is so high as to be every (or nearly every) PNM in the system and there are just some PNMs that a chapter does not want to invite back ... such as grades that don't make the mandatory chapter cutoff.

An add flex list is optional as a chapter cannot be required to invite PNMs that they have determined will not be extended a bid.

That makes sense.

Every chapter has its own invite number based on previous recruiting strength.

The reason there is a flex plus/flex minus is that the lists for rounds prior to the final bid list do NOT need to be in order, so ranking everyone would indeed take additional time, depending on your MS procedure. For example, if you were allowed to extend 100 invitations, plus/minus 10, and you had 20 legacies, and your group mandates a courtesy invite for legacies, it would be a complete waste of time to try to put the legacies in order.

Thanks. This makes sense as well.

As a numbers geek, I usually understand why or how these things work. It is the "why" behind the numbers that I may not always fully grasp.

Doing the entry into ICS is not fun and the flex lists are the worst part, so I thank goodness we don't have to rank everyone.

You don't rank the women every day. You just turn in a list with who you want to ask back. You get a number, say 130, and you can invite back that many women. You don't rank the PNMs until the rank list after pref. Your chapter may keep a running rank, but the RFM is not privy to that information throughout the week. The flex list is useful because the RFM can then pare down that list or add to it if needed.

Thank you everyone for answering. This is so interesting!

If one was able to maintain the list in an Excel spreadsheet, surely there's a way to to upload it into ICS? You might have to start with a download from ICS, and then add attributes necessary to each PNM to make the spreadsheet useful to the Chapter.

***Note I am not a Recruitment Advisor, and do not pretend to be one, it's just that I was a manager of a very large and complex computer database before I started lawyering.

Congrats on your 1000th post!

Thank you, Titchou!

If anyone knows how to do this, please share! I've been using ICS for years now and I don't know if there is a way to get in the back and load a data file. It's much more of a click-and-point sort of application :(

Hope someone out there is an ICS superuser. I've not ever touched it. If it is point and click, look for a pull down menu that lists "Export" and "Import" Some newer software has an elaborate help function.

Is the company that makes ICS? Interactive Collegiate Solutions Maybe you could ask one of their support staff.

Yup, that's the company. We get training every year via Panhellenic as most of the members have never used it before. If there is a way to upload anything, I don't believe it's an intentional part of the design. I think it would be more of a hack.

Dukedg, the answers you seek may begin here: http://www.gmr-manager.com/home.php AND http://www.gmr-manager.com/help/home...tUploadService

Wow, I had no idea such a business existed! Unfortunately, DG already requires our own software to be used and the chapter I work with already has electronic voting devices too. Has anyone used these guys?

Our electronic devices are the members own smart phones. It will be out first year. We had to upgrade our connection to the internet and the Wifi capacity in order to be ready for the peak volume.

Still, I think a text delimited spreadsheet should be upload-able. Just don't know how you would get one in the first place. Still there are others doing it, so maybe it is possible for you?

Wow. How times have changed! Voting electronically has to strip HOURS off the total process. And I guess it's not too much to expect each member to have a smart phone :)

We voted with them at Convention last year - we call them clickers. It's a hand held device configured with yes/no for the vote on an individual. Some groups also use a hand held scanner.