Would you have given up a break from school to go through recruitment?
 

Think back to the time when you participated in Recruitment. Would you have done it if it took place over a break from school? For instance, if school started in August and Recruitment was over fall break the first Friday-Tuesday in November? Our school is doing that with recruitment next year and I'm afraid many women WON'T stay on campus to participate - not to mention it seems unfair to require our members to stay for it.

Thoughts?

i would have, because i wanted to join a sorority.

As a chapter Founder, I went through part of my educational process during a break, summer break actually. I would DEFINITELY do it all over again. If the organization is right for a person, and they feel a deep passion for it, any time of the year is worth it. :-).

West Georgia, Mercer, and Jacksonville State all have their sorority recruitments over Labor Day weekend. I don't know if it hurts their numbers but they do have pretty big Greek systems.

My daughter's friends went back early from Winter Break to William and Mary for the Informal Recruitment and to UVa for Formal Recruitment. I think both schools have thriving Greek populations, UVa more than W and M. The young women in question were both excited to return to school especially when it's a fun time before the classes start.

And maybe boys do this differently and times do change:
When my brother was a rising freshman at MIT, the SAEs recruited him heavily over the summer. By the first day of enrollment, he was a pledge living in the house.

I believe many schools do women's recruitment the last week of winter break too. If there is a large number of people going though recruitment or a large number of houses, they can probably get more done because classes are not in session.

I also think it gives students time to get adjusted to college before having the stress of recruitment.

More info...
 

Keep in mind we're not talking about giving up a small portion of a large break like over the summer or Christmas holidays. We're talking about asking women to give up their entire long weekend bread - and that break for many of the freshmen women who live far enough away to fly will be the first opportunity they've had to go home since they arrived at school.

Is this school considered to be what we used to call a suitcase school, ie lots of people go home on the weekends? Where I went to school, nobody really went away from the campus except for the Thanksgiving/WB/SB.

Hmm...
 

I wouldn't say they go home a lot on the weekends but they definitely don't stick around when school is not in session - so fall break, spring break, etc.

You mentioined recruitment might be in November. Won't the students would be going back home in 2/3 weeks anyway for T'Day? Is this part of a transition to deferred recruitment in the spring of the following academic year?

It could be.

The school created a greek task force that has yet to publish any recommendations but is rumored to be moving in the direction of deferred recruitment. We continue to be told that no firm decision has been made on that and that they will consider any feedback after the November recruitment next year.

Yes it will be just a few weeks before Thanksgiving but that won't always be the case. Our fall break is usually in mid October but next year is around election day for some reason.

November seems to be an odd time to have recruitment. In my expert opinion:) , the beginning of a semester would seem more logical because initially there is not as much work as towards the end.

I believe Formal Recruitment should be in the fall. I would think the women would have less time to know about the groups reputations on campus and won't necessarily all want to join ABC because they are the hot group.

Spring Recruitment (again, IMO) almost means the freshmen are being analyzed and scrutinized for the entire first semester. This to me seems a bit of a strain to look and act perfect.

At some schools such as Bucknell, formal recruitment is in the fall but only open to upperclassmen.

This doesn't really help you unfortunately.

In my opinion, the scenario you are describing is very unfair to the NPC members. As for PNMs - I would bet there is a decline in numbers, but the ones who stay for it might be better candidates, as they already show the commitment to sorority life by giving up their break.

I would have because I really wanted to join a sorority. On my campus, recruitment starts the week before school begins-- the residence halls allow PNMs and sorority women who live on campus to move in early for this purpose.

Some residence halls or on/off campus housing close during holiday breaks and require residents to leave during the break. Is your recruitment equipped for this?

If on campus and off campus housing permit residents to stay over the break or move in early, shouldn't be an issue. You may have less women turn out than in the past, but I think this will weed out the wishy washy ones who wouldn't stick with membership if they were bid.

However, it might be harder to get 100% participation from current sorority members, especially ones who have family obligations or travel plans and members who work.