How long is silence?
 

I posted this on the rush thread - but am looking for other responses.

How long is silence in effect on your campus?

Just curious with the new NPC recommendation that more clearly defines the length of silence. (Maximum of 24 hours! Only time between last preference party and bid distribution.) The rest of the time NPC suggests Panhellenically spirited interactions.

Saint Louis University has an entire week of silence. Since classes have begun by then, members and PMs are in contact in academic, athletic, work or resident hall situations, but are to limit their discussions during silence.

For PM's -- silence is the period during recruitment where active members are not to communicate in any way with PM. This would include in person, telephone, email, instant messager, or any other form of communication.

In the late 90's at UCF, silence began on the day of Greek Forum (when PNM's met their recruitment counselors) and ended on Bid Day. Sorority women were encouraged to talk to PNM's over the summer, but you couldn't talk extensively about sorority life, for fear of fining and dirty rush accusations. If you saw a PNM out and about during strict silence, you could say hello and were expected to be friendly, but you absolutely couldn't talk about recruitment.

Recruitment Counselor disaffiliation began at the end of the spring semester and reaffiliation was on Bid Day the following fall. No letters on clothes, cars, bags, totes, bedrooms, jewelry, etc., and you were not to associate in public with women wearing letters (even if they were not your sisters). You could say hello and chat for a moment, but then carry on. (If they weren't in letters, you could chat all day!) When strict silence began, there was zero communication with sorority women and recruitment counselors were sequestered in a hotel with recruitment/panhellenic exec. Disaffiliated sisters of the same sorority weren't allowed to be alone together without another disaffiliated member of a different GLO present, and you were never allowed to be alone in the hotel or make any phone calls privately. Don't ask me to tell you about going to the bathroom!

When I was a recruitment counselor, I referred to the strict silence week as Nazi bootcamp. ;)

At NAU it has been (not going to say it still is since I graduated) from the first day of move-in till bid day... Move-in is on a saturday and bid day is the sunday a week away... Classes have yet to start, but you see potential members all over campus... The only exception is the booths on campus... because our greek life has not always been promoted well during orientation or activity info booths we are allowed to talk to other students in hopes of getting them to go through recruitment...