I was shocked to learn that round 1 parties at some schools last all of 20 minutes, and sororities and PNMs are expected to make decisions based on that. PNMs and sororities really need more time together before cuts start being made, unless the only cuts made after round 1 are for grades.
If I could restructure formal recruitment, I would do this:
1. Require all Panhellenics to enforce release numbers.
2. Create a "no invite with interest" category so that a sorority can let a PNM know that the only reason she wasn't invited back was due to release numbers. I'm not sure how valuable this would be, since it might really break a PNM's heart when she gets only straight no's and doesn't get a "no invite with interest" from any sorority... but it also indicates to PNMs where they might get snapped up or where they should concentrate their COB efforts, and if someone is cut across the board it may be a little less devastating if she knows that in at least one or two cases it was only because of release numbers, not because of her personality or other factors.
3. A PNM should not be allowed to sign up for recruitment if she doesn't meet Panhel's or any sorority's minimum GPA, so that she doesn't get her hopes up during round 1 only to be cut across the board. PNM's should also be informed, before rush starts, of each sorority's minimum GPA; that way, a PNM with a 2.4 won't allow herself to fall in love with a house that requires a 2.5 (obviously she might still be taken as a grade risk, but if she is cut, she will know that it's because of her grades).
4. Lengthen round 1 parties. If that means that round 1 has to be stretched out over 2-3 days, so be it. Actually, what I'd really like to do with round 1 is similar to what my school does: You visit each house for 15-20 minutes. Then, you have an afternoon and evening, or a full day, or more, depending on how many sororities there are, to go back to whichever houses you choose. The open house should include enough time for a PNM to spend at least half an hour or 45 minutes at each house if she wants, and the PNMs should be encouraged to do so. This structure also means that if there are a couple of sororities you really don't like, you don't have to go back to them and can spend more time with sororities that you do like.
5. Don't count juniors and seniors against quota. They would still, of course, count against total. This allows smaller chapters to get up to size more quickly and gives more women the chance to go greek.
6. Allow PNMs to decline invitations even if that means they'd be going back to fewer than the maximum number of parties for that round. It should be discouraged, and PNMs who do it would not be allowed to use the "decline with interest" option, but it should be allowed. A PNM who cuts down to one sorority should be treated as if she ISP'd. This way, a situation doesn't arise where a PNM has been trying to cut a sorority all throughout rush, but they keep inviting her back, she is forced to keep going back, she ends up at their pref party, and either has to ISP or ends up getting a bid from a sorority she doesn't like and is now bound to for a year.
(whew... I wrote a novel, didn't I?
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