Appropriate Sanctions for Recruitment Infractions
 

Looking for creative - yet serious - ideas for sanctions imposed to chapters due to recruitment infractions.

We all know that presenting an 'educational program' does nothing but take up time and that no one ever learns anything new, so we're trying to come up with some new ideas...keeping in mind that sanctions cannot interfere with a chapter's ability to participate in recruitment or achieve quota.

One we've thought of so far is:

*disallow the member who committed the infraction from being present or "speaking" (read: participating with recruiting PNMs during a party) in a certain round(s) of recruitment

Any other ideas out there? Our campus is really having issues with enforcement of recruitment rules, because the punishment never fits the crime. It's too easy to break rules and get away with doing NOTHING for punishment. We're trying to figure out ways to enforce the rules and make the sanction and equal and appropriate response to the action. Thanks!

Have you considered docking them points for Greek Week/Homecoming (whatever)? If your school is pretty competitive about those things, that could be pretty effective.

We had this thread before - some good ideas in it.

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=99271

THANK YOU, 33 girl!! I had not located that thread - appreicate you linking to it!! :)

Just an FYI - if you go down to the bottom of the page there is a list of "similar threads." Sometimes they make sense (like in this case) sometimes not.

I doubt that you could restrict the woman from participating in recruitment. You might catch some flack from their national organization and NPC.

At my school, depending on the severity of the infraction, they may take away bids or not allow a chapter to participate in recruitment the following semester.

My understanding of NPC regulations is that this is not allowed. Not sure where this came from at your school, but taking away bids is absolutely not a part of any NPC recommendation or guideline. In fact, I believe the exact opposite to be true. Can't tell you the exact page in the Manual of Information or NPC materials, but I KNOW I've read that NPC guidelines do not allow taking spots away from quota or the prohibition of participation in obtaining quota or total (which would include formal recruitment & COB activities).

If I were a collegian at your school, I would challenge this. But, that's just me.

I haven't seen the latest copy of the Green Book, but AFAIK, nothing can happen which would disallow a chapter from taking quota.

Well, maybe if a gang of sisters hatchet murder another sorority...

I have seen cases where women were released from the MRABA due to dirty rushing, but they weren't forced out. Big difference.

We don't use the quota system. Chapters can give out as many bids as they have open spots in their chapter. For example, if chapter ABC has 35 members out of a possible 55, they can give out 20 bids. If chapter XYZ has 50 members, they can only give out 5 bids. I'm not 100% sure on the specifics, but we were informed that taking away bids would be possible. Generally situations aren't severe enough to warrant strict actions like that though. Usually a chapter will be slapped on the wrist and put on probation by Panhellenic. A rush infraction at my school is defined as dirty rushing through breaking the rule of strict silence, talking about membership selection, or breaking party ban. Sorority members aren't allowed to attend any registered parties held by fraternities or be seen at any unregistered parties, regardless if they are held by Greeks or not.

Per the MOI - in the unanimous agreements section

3. Penalties
Each College Panhellenic shall strive to achieve a fair and reasonable
resolution for infractions. Penalties should be assessed to fit the nature
and degree of the offense.
A. Inappropriate Penalties
1. Monetary fines shall only be acceptable for measurable recruitment
infractions (i.e., late invitation lists, late events, etc). The amounts
shall be predetermined by a vote of the College Panhellenic Council
and stated in the membership recruitment rules.
2. Penalties shall not forbid formal or informal entertainment that is
part of membership recruitment or the observance of an inter/
national fraternity celebration.
3. Penalties shall not affect a fraternity chapter’s Quota or Total.
4. Penalties shall not affect the time of new member acceptance
and/or initiation.
5. Penalties shall not forbid the right of an NPC fraternity to vote in
College Panhellenic meetings.

As you'll see, they can't do that either. You may not have Quota, but you are bidding to Total. If they sanction you by limiting the number of women you can bid, that is expressly violating #3 by limiting your ability to reach Total.

It sounds like someone on her campus is just making a threat.

This is the way I've interpreted it - that since formal recruitment is a function coordinated and sponsored by Panhellenic, yes you can. Whole chapters have been barred from participating in formal recruitment. However, that isn't the same thing as not being able to recruit at all or take members. It's usually in Panhel's interest not to play this card, as if you bar ABC from formal they are still allowed to informally rush in whatever manner their nationals deem fit. In other words, if they want to take girls to Morton's for steak and then shopping at Coach for a rush party, they can. They don't have to play by the rules of formal rush at ALL.

Pretty much you don't want to open up the wild wild west, because people will go there.