Recruitment at U of Richmond?

[tangelo212]

My best friend’s little sister/close family friend/”cousin” (I call their mom “mom” too) will be a freshman at Richmond this fall. She leaves in about 2-3 weeks! Anyway, she is really interested in Greek life, and has even told me she wants to be a sorority president one day (which REALLY excites me--this lady is an excellent leader and is involved with so many things it would make your head spin!). I have done a bit of investigating, but it seems that many/most of the chapter websites are out of date, and my sleuthing on the UR websites have not turned up any helpful info.

I found 2 threads on here about UR sorority recruitment, but these are quite outdated too. I did find this one http://greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=45214
, but it is from over 4 years ago. I can't find the other one at the moment.

Does anyone, whether a current student, alum, or any informed GCers have any helpful info on UR recruitment?

I know which chapters are present on campus, that there are no chapter houses, and that there is deferred recruitment. How competitive is it? I believe recommendations are not required, but do PNMs obtain them anyway for an edge to chapters they are especially interested in? My mother and I would have been THRILLED to write recs for her, but neither of our sororities have chapters there!

I’d also appreciate any random tidbits of info besides the specifics I asked about above!
Oh, and of course when January rolls around I will avidly seek her permission to post a live recruitment thread…

[breathesgelatin]

I'm by no means an expert on UR recruitment, but I know a little bit. Two of my chapter sisters had younger bio sisters pledge there when we were in college. I know both of those women decently well. One went to her sisters' legacy house (Pi Phi) and one did not. Actually, the girl who went Pi Phi did not get it her freshman year and rushed again her sophomore year and did get Pi Phi and became a chapter leader. Also W&L and UR are similar in a lot of respects and I knew a few girls who transferred from UR and later rushed and pledged at W&L. Guys as well, incidentally. Also similar because both NPC systems were founded in the late 80s and are fairly new traditions at the schools.

Recruitment at UR is decently competitive. I would say moderately competitive for VA. The school has a lot of northerners who come down from NJ and places like that looking for a more "southern" college experience without going to the deep south. So it has some southern/Virginian aspects but also has a lot of newcomers. Probably not quite as competitive at W&L is, but for the top houses is it competitive. Like W&L they have deferred recruitment in January so you need to balance being social your first term with not doing anything stupid. I can't emphasize that enough.

I would say your perception of recs there is probably right on. They're never a bad idea to get but I'd imagine a lot of PNMs don't have them. I would say definitely try to get them anyway. It can't hurt.

Also, no chapter houses, but I believe they do have dorm suites at least. I think.

It's a beautiful campus. I'm sure she'll have a great experience.

I would strongly advise against a live recruitment thread in a somewhat competitive deferred formal recruitment situation. Maybe you could do a slightly retro one - a week after the fact or something.

[tangelo212]

Thanks so much for the tips!
I actually applied to UR, it IS a gorgeous campus!
PNM was actually shocked to see how southerners seemed to be in the minority in the Richmond class of '12 facebook group (haha). We are actually from the South; however, my family is much more Greek-educated/oriented than hers... her parents are not sure about it and PNM, my mom, and I are determined to tell her parents about the wonderful things Greeks do! My mom and I will probably be the ones assisting her with the recs (if any at all) after she gets to campus and feels it out.
I have totally emphasized that she needs to be on her best behavior in the Fall. This is coming from a two-time recruitment officer at a school with deferred, so she is taking it very seriously. And of course I will heed your advice about the live thread, I don't want to do anything that jeopardizes her experience!

[shadden]

A friend's daughter went through recruitment and pledged at Richmond last year. She did not have recs, and felt that this hurt her at some houses. She is very happy where she pledged, but is in one of the smaller chapters. I believe that there are currently no suites, but that panhellenic is in the process of going in that direction. My friend indicated that each sorority was asked to contribute a certain amount towards participating in the suites next year. Her daughter's chapter did not, because their numbers are low and their national would not commit until numbers increased. Seems to me this will be counterproductive as a recruitment tool, but who knows.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by breathesgelatin

I'm by no means an expert on UR recruitment, but I know a little bit. Two of my chapter sisters had younger bio sisters pledge there when we were in college. I know both of those women decently well. One went to her sisters' legacy house (Pi Phi) and one did not. Actually, the girl who went Pi Phi did not get it her freshman year and rushed again her sophomore year and did get Pi Phi and became a chapter leader. Also W&L and UR are similar in a lot of respects and I knew a few girls who transferred from UR and later rushed and pledged at W&L. Guys as well, incidentally. Also similar because both NPC systems were founded in the late 80s and are fairly new traditions at the schools.

Recruitment at UR is decently competitive. I would say moderately competitive for VA. The school has a lot of northerners who come down from NJ and places like that looking for a more "southern" college experience without going to the deep south. So it has some southern/Virginian aspects but also has a lot of newcomers. Probably not quite as competitive at W&L is, but for the top houses is it competitive. Like W&L they have deferred recruitment in January so you need to balance being social your first term with not doing anything stupid. I can't emphasize that enough.

I would say your perception of recs there is probably right on. They're never a bad idea to get but I'd imagine a lot of PNMs don't have them. I would say definitely try to get them anyway. It can't hurt.

Also, no chapter houses, but I believe they do have dorm suites at least. I think.

It's a beautiful campus. I'm sure she'll have a great experience.

I would strongly advise against a live recruitment thread in a somewhat competitive deferred formal recruitment situation. Maybe you could do a slightly retro one - a week after the fact or something.

Cosign.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by shadden

A friend's daughter went through recruitment and pledged at Richmond last year. She did not have recs, and felt that this hurt her at some houses. She is very happy where she pledged, but is in one of the smaller chapters. I believe that there are currently no suites, but that panhellenic is in the process of going in that direction. My friend indicated that each sorority was asked to contribute a certain amount towards participating in the suites next year. Her daughter's chapter did not, because their numbers are low and their national would not commit until numbers increased. Seems to me this will be counterproductive as a recruitment tool, but who knows.

Thanks for correcting me re: the suites. I could have sworn that they had them, but I could easily be wrong. Or maybe some groups have them and others not.

[tangelo212]

I know PNM said that students live in dorms/on-campus apartments all four years, so I’m thinking they don’t have suites… She also mentioned something about “lounges,” but I don’t exactly know what this means (or if she even does).

Something she said she really liked about the Greek life there is that she heard about/talked to (I don’t recall the details) some students who said that students from different chapters totally room together even after being initiated. She said she heard about a group of girls, some in ABC and some in XYZ who decorated their room half in ABC’s colors, and the other half in XYZ’s colors. She LOVED that girls from different chapters were friends’ and I really enjoyed hearing about the Panhellenic spirit!

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by tangelo212

I know PNM said that students live in dorms/on-campus apartments all four years, so I’m thinking they don’t have suites… She also mentioned something about “lounges,” but I don’t exactly know what this means (or if she even does).

Usuallly "suites" are not places to live, but places to congregate. A chapter's suite may be a chapter room, a kitchen, and an office, for example. (But I know nothing about Richmond, just saying about sorority suites in general.)

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

Usuallly "suites" are not places to live, but places to congregate. A chapter's suite may be a chapter room, a kitchen, and an office, for example. (But I know nothing about Richmond, just saying about sorority suites in general.)

Yes, that was my impression of what Richmond had. Or what I thought they had. I could be totally wrong about them having any suites or anything though. LOL.

[alum]

Some of the fraternities have lodges on the outskirts of the campus. The lodges are used for parties and meetings.

UR is a lovely campus located in a pretty part of West Richmond. As a mom, I liked the fact that all the dorms were still single-sex although there were no parietal hours. I also liked the fact that close to 100% of the student body remains in campus housing all 4 years. My D went to Governor's School on the UR campus one summer. That area does get hot and not all the dorms have central ac.


BG, I'm sure you know that your alma mater's current president was the dean of UR's School of Leadership. Of course he was at W&L for years before that as a student and then in administration.

[breathesgelatin]

Originally Posted by alum

BG, I'm sure you know that your alma mater's current president was the dean of UR's School of Leadership. Of course he was at W&L for years before that as a student and then in administration.

Indeed! I think he was basically absent for only the years I was at W&L - he left either the year I came or maybe the year before to go to UR and then of course he got hired after Burish resigned the summer I graduated. You can double-check me on that but that's my recollection.

[Titchou]

According to my information, they have chapter rooms/suites there. At least, the Delta Gamma chapter is listed as having it.

[PiPhiPen]

Originally Posted by alum

Some of the fraternities have lodges on the outskirts . That area does get hot and not all the dorms have central ac.

ALL of the dorms and townhouses at UR have central air conditioning.
The fraternities have lodges for meetings and parties.
The sororities do not have suites/meeting rooms.

[alum]

Is that fairly recent that all dorms got retrofitted with AC? It's been awhile since my daughter went to the program.

[tangelo212]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

Usuallly "suites" are not places to live, but places to congregate. A chapter's suite may be a chapter room, a kitchen, and an office, for example. (But I know nothing about Richmond, just saying about sorority suites in general.)

Thanks for the clarification!

Originally Posted by Titchou

According to my information, they have chapter rooms/suites there. At least, the Delta Gamma chapter is listed as having it.

Where did you find this info? Was it on the UR DG site, the UR Panhel site, or a completely separate DG site? The UR Greek Life page has been "under construction" for a frustratingly long time...

Originally Posted by PiPhiPen

The sororities do not have suites/meeting rooms.

You sound like you're "in the know," so then the mystery is what the DG suite is that Titchou found!

Thanks again for all the info and tips.