NPC Rho Gamma Involement Resolution - Opinions
 

So everyone knows that this resolution was passed recently and effective this fall.

RECRUITMENT COUNSELOR INVOLVEMENT AS IT RELATES TO THE MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT ACCEPTANCE BINDING AGREEMENT

Whereas, The recruitment counselor program provides much-needed support and guidance to potential new members (PNMs) as they participate in formal recruitment;

Whereas, During recruitment, many recruitment counselors form close bonds with PNMs assigned to their recruitment groups, making it difficult for some counselors to remain objective and unbiased in their role resulting in undue influence at the very time PNMs must make crucial membership decisions; and

Whereas, PNMs must be allowed to make their own decisions regarding the membership recruitment acceptance binding agreement (MRABA) in order to prevent any challenge or appeal to the MRABA based on a recruitment counselor’s alleged influence;

Resolved, That effective no later than fall 2011, recruitment counselors shall not be involved with any PNMs in the process of completing and signing the MRABA.

My question is how much is this impacting your recruitment counselor staff? Were they involved with the signing of the MRABA in the past?

At our campus the Rho Gammas hung out with the PNM's while they waited to take turns signing their MRABA. They were there to give advice if the PNM's were conflicted. However there were always stories of RG's being partial.

Now the RG's are not allowed to be in the room while they wait to sign. Which reduces the occurrence of partial behavior but now signing will take forever since it will just be the GA doing the forms and giving advice. We are a small school I don't know how a large school will handle it.

I don't see where it says the Greek Advisor is the only one allowed to be there. This would be a time where you call on alumnae or even members of a closed chapter to help out. It sounds to me like this is more to stop the Rho Chis from pushing women to put down chapters they don't want, not that the Rho Chis are pushing for their chapter.

Many times, the GA is FAR from impartial - in other words, his/her presence only isn't going to automatically improve things - but that is another thread.

Couldn't they just leave the room?

I know that my school had huge problems with RG impartiality in my day. I think this is a good move.

For me it's not the exact moment they sign the MRABA but the time from the last party until the PNM signs. Where RG could influence what chapter they put first or if they list another chapter. I don't think they should be involved at all after the last party ends.

I think it's okay for the RG to oversee the group, I just don't think they should be doing anything one-on-one. It's one thing for a RG to say "if you don't maximize your options you may go bidless" and push the whole group to list all of the groups at which they attended pref.

It's a whole other thing for her to say that when looking over the shoulder of a PNM who is deciding whether to suicide or to list the RG's group as her second choice.

Maybe, for an extra safeguard, though, the RG's could switch groups that night.

I actually helped out at American University during their MRABA signing. They solicited alumnae help through the DC Panhellenic Listserv.

VP what exactly was your roll?

I was a rho gamma for the Fall 2010 recruitment. I felt that rho gammas were there to explain and help the PNMs through recruitment. If they left during the MRABA who would counsel the PNMs? If we had alums there, wouldn't they be just as impartial in theory?


Secondary thought:
While I can't speak for all of the rho gammas, I know that many were impartial. Did it hurt to see my chapter put as last or have girls suicide instead of putting my chapter down. Sure. But I never pushed anyone to put it down. I mentioned maximizing, but would never push a PNM to put it down. I know my partner didn't either. It's somewhat similar to the PNM side. Would you really want the PNM who didn't want your chapter there? While she could grow to love the chapter, she could also be a negative presence who might cause problems for the entire pledge class.

Polly PNM is going to put a lot less weight into the opinion of Annie Alumna that she doesn't know from Eve than she is into the opinion of Ruthie Rho Gamma who has been helping her throughout the week and who she's grown to think of as a friend. She also might be a lot more apt to call Annie Alumna on saying something like "you should REALLY give ABC a chance because XYZ has 100% return rate and bids there are hard to come by."

Exactly. I was a rho chi, and I had a PNM who was totally torn between the two chapters she preffed (neither of which was my chapter). So I told her, think about where you felt most at home, list that chapter first, and list the other chapter second. She took her time and she was entitled to do so.

It's arguably easier when the PNM is not considering your chapter. But then all the temporarily-deaffiliated people (including the Panhel president) are, at the end of the day, affiliated... and biased.