sorority rush..I don't understand

[lifesaver]

OK, I know ima openin' a can of worms here, but I gotta ask...

Why so many rules? Why SO structured? Why do yall need 108 pages of rules just to recruit new members?(big green book) I am not slamming the system, or anything like that. I am honestly curious. I was an IFC officer for two years, and worked closely with panhel officers, and still never "got it". I understand part of it is women tend to be more egalitarian by nature, but dont you find 108 pages to be over the top? fraternities basically hang out with our prospective new members a few times and if we jive then cool, we bid. If not, we might direct the prospect to the org he might fit in with. sure, there's always gonna be rule breakers, but from formal panhel rush at my alma, there were violations, even with 108 pages of rules. You couldn't walk across campus after formal panhel rush without getting smacked upside the head by all the infractions charges flying around. So my point is this. It is hard for someone on the outside to understand why all the rules.

[PenguinTrax]

Quite simply put, the rules are there to insure a fair and impartial membership selection process for both prospective and current members. Yes, there are a lot of rules, but it helps keep the playing field level and insures that everyone involved in the process is given due consideration.

Barbara
Rush Forum Moderator

[SuperXO]

I agree with Barbara. I was a consultant for a while, and all the campuses I saw, the IFC had a much bigger problem with their groups thatn did Panhel and I believe this stems from rush. Fraternities colonize without thought to what is the carrying capacity at their school. They rush without regard to how many pledges each group gets, which then causes some groups to get very large and some groups to get very small. This does happen in the sorority world, but not as extreme. And all the rules are one way of saving some of those groups that are challenged. Okay, some of the rules are going to far, and it is getting like the government: too big and too hard for the average joe (or jane, rather) to understand. However, the overall structure is a great way to compare houses, compare prospective members and ensure as much as possible that the chapters and the rushees are all treated with compassion and protected for the future.

[equeen]

I found something interesting while surfing the other day - apparently, the bid/matching system that NPC sororities use is the same one as is used when matching prospective residents to med schools, and that it's as fair as possible, given the number of residents (women) being matched to schools (houses). The link was for a study that analyzed the matching process, to figure out if it was really fair or not.

If I find that link, I'll post it.

------------------
Always
Seek
Knowledge

Alpha Sigma Kappa - Women in Technical Studies

[SoCalGirl]

Like Barbara said all the rules is to make rush fair for both the chapters and rushees.

But the biggest reason for the rules (imho) is also the biggest difference between IFC and NPC.

NPC's goal is for every girl on campus to go through rush and join a chapter. They don't care which chapter as long as it's NPC. (That's how it was explained to me by my sorority's National VPM.)

NPC does also work to establish guidelines for other concerns, like alcohol. But the number one reason NPC exists is to keep NPC existing.

IFC, on the other hand, is in existence pretty much only to establish guidelines for alcohol, hazing, etc.

[Miami1839]

Why doesnt IFC incorporate the same philosophy as Panhel. Wouldnt it be more fair across the board for guys too? So that each chapter and the rushees on any particular campus are protected? Maybe its different for guys and we dont need as much structure in recruitment.

[33girl]

Whoops, I just slipped on a worm

I can see both points of view. The guys' rush is so laid back I can see where sorority rush would just seem mind boggling! And in some cases, I think it wouldn't be a bad thing to relax some of the rules. We have heard some formal rush horror stories on this board, and I'm sure there are some women out there who would be assets to any house that never go Greek because they just don't want to put up with the phoniness and stress of formal rush.

But on the other side of the coin, I think it would do the guys good to have to visit every fraternity at least once. I've seen quite a few guys who end up hanging out with another fraternity more than their own, probably because they never bothered to check out enough alternatives during rush.

What SoCal said about the difference between the purposes of NPC and NIC also has something to do with it.

[Billy Optimist]

I kinda feel the same way. But maybe not every house for the guys, just maybe like a certain number. Rho Chi's wouldn't hurt either. Or maybe not a PX but someone to just kind of guide us through rush. I guess thats what a rho chi is

[HeidiHo]

Never in 100 years would I have just walked up to a sorority house & said "Hi. Let's hang out" Seriously. If rush weren't structured with rho chis, rush groups & schedules I never would have had the guts to find out about greek life.
Heidi

[IowaHawkeye]

I'm not sure if the University of Iowa is the only school that does this or what, but the guys here go through formal rush the same time the woemn do. They have Rho Chis, they visit each chapter, they make cuts and the houses make cuts... their parties are just way more laid back.. they barbeque and talk with the members of the house... they do sort of a formal rush in an informal atmosphere.

[lifesaver]

Don't get me wrong, I have MANY MANY friends who are/was were and ever shall be panhel officers, chapter officers and chapter advisors, panhel advisors, etc.. So I AM TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF THE SORORITY SYSTEM. That having been said, about rush, I understand parts of it, and can understand the aspects of the process being geard towards helping the prospects. When I was IFC recruitment coord, I even created Rho Chi's for IFC, We just called them RM (Rush Monitors), but they preform the same functions as RX's. And many large traditional campuses (like OU) require their male prospective members to visit x number of houses. That's all cool. I guess the parts I don't understand is like, how the sororities (all this is only what I have seen at my campus) have to turn in all reciepts after rush, and can only spend X amount on rush, but you just get around it by saying "Oh, well, that is something the chapter owns." rtight, like your house really owns a gazebo that yall keep in your living room." Or that if the Panhel wants to set up a table at summer orientation, they have to have a rep from each org there, or none at all. Like if the AAA's don't care to show up, why should the BBB's not be able to attend the orientation, and possibly miss the opportunity to sell going greek to 200 new female students, because they couldn't have a table out there. I am not trying to stir up trouble, but I really dont understand why an org that works really hard to be the best it can be is only allowed to do as much as the meekest org can do? I mean if the BBB's can't or won't fufill their panhel obligatons, why not say oh well, and bring someone else who will.

or like the discussions here about suicuideing and then not being able to join for a year if they dis affilliate. (I have read the discussions, so I am not attempting to re-start them here). Why do some campus make references mandatory, when obviously it is SO stressful for some potential new members. Like how some girls will spend hundreds of dollars to get portraits done for rush apps. Or why rush app fees? Our IFC had to make money but we called it a grade release fee. so after they had decided to join they paid IFC the tarriff. But in a day and age when all GLO's are facing declining memberships, maybe we should focus on removing the barriers between potential new members and ourselves. Just from a marketing standpoint I would think that would make sense. Are the local panhels allowed much flerxability in enforcing the rules, or adaptingg them to fit their campuses?

Rage if you want, I am just trying to figure all this out. Everytime I'd try to ask local panhel about these things they'd look at me like I was a loon. Just remember these rules make sense to you, because ytou understand them and have operated under them for years. I am just trying to understand them, so whn I am asked (and I have been) I can defend the panhel system accurately.

I like SOCals' statement about as many girls, as long as it is a NPC soror. That makes some sense to me.

Like I said, ima just trying to understand.

[33girl]

lifesaver....

It all depends on the school you are at. The more competitive rush is, the more stringent the local Panhel is about the rules, and more likely to report infractions. At some schools, sorority rush is very laid back - no ornate decorations, no skits, etc. This is the "no frills" policy everyone is supposed to be moving toward, but if your tradition is to do it up fancy, and that's what the rushees expect, it's very hard to change.

[LyonLuv]

I don't understand all the structured rules either. I think some of the rules are just an excuse for rival sororities to get eachother in trouble for petty things. I like the fraternity way better, it's much more relaxed and allowing.

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

If you use them that way, that's what they'll be.

But SORORITIES have a lot of "petty rules," too. Like no drinking in the house, keep your grades up, attend meetings. And if the girls in your sorority/panhel want to use rules as an excuse to get each other in trouble........ that's what they're going to get.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by HotDamnImAPhiMu
If you use them that way, that's what they'll be.

But SORORITIES have a lot of "petty rules," too. Like no drinking in the house, keep your grades up, attend meetings. And if the girls in your sorority/panhel want to use rules as an excuse to get each other in trouble........ that's what they're going to get.

I hope you're being facetious, because I don't think having to keep grades up is a petty rule.