[adpiucf]

I think the rules seem especially harsh to discourage the idea of dirty rushing. People still talk to their friends, etc.-- they just are discreet and are sensitive about discussing their sororities.

A campus Panhellenic can not punish someone from another school or an alum. They can't fine a chapter for an offense committed by someone who is not a member of their chapter. NPC as a whole, however, says that during Recruitment Week, sorority members must refrain from contact with PNM's-- this includes all members of the sorority at all chapters, and all members from collegiate to alumnae status. That is also unrealistic-- you are going to call your legacy sister or your best friend who just so happens to be an XYZ at College Down-The-Road to talk, speak to your boss who is an alumna of ABC when you show up for work, etc. You can't have complete and total silence because you can't enforce what is not on your campus. But you can be discreet and you can do your best to follow the rules and not push a PNM toward your sorority when you know that to be dirty rushing.

I think the NPC concept of silence is as much about being ethical as it is about being realistic. I support the idea of silence and the enforcement of it on a college campus. This doesn't mean that Suzy Sigma at College-Down-The-Street or your Grandmother from ABC Sorority should dirty rush you, but they should be respectful of letting the PNM make her own choices.

But the Campus Panhellenic can put the fear of God into you. Most people will listen. Some won't. So there will be some dirty rushing, but it won't be done with the knowledge or sanction of that chapter or its recruitment committee. Most importantly, it won't be done on a wide scale.

It may seem silly to not be able to hug someone, say "See you tomorrow," etc. Ridiculous that your chapter will be fined if someone leaves the house with a paper cocktail napkin because it is construed as a "favor." But there's a larger reason and a backstory to why these seemingly idiotic standards are in place. So just accept it and move on. You know the saying that "it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye?" That's exactly why you can't say, "See you tomorrow." Because someone took them literally and took action when they didn't get that invite back. So instead of "See you tomorrow," you are kind and nice and say other more innocous farewells, "Have a great day!" "It was so nice meeting you!" "Bye!"

As for no-frills rush, if you think you are missing out, think again. Recruitment week is a time for you to interview and be interviewed by prospective sisters. You're not here to be entertained with a mini-Broadway musical and to eat gourmet cheesecake. There will be plenty of time for that later. Conversation-based recruitment doesn't just level the playing field, it helps members from every chapter focus on what is important: people.

If sororities can cut out the frills, they can cut out a lot of time and money spent on things that have no bearing on the final result: people. You can dance, sing, cheer, chant and eat all the cheesecake you want on Bid Day and forevermore once your new members come running up to the chapter where they belong.