inviting other chapters to rush

[iup/tpa]

I need advice. Right now my chapter only has 15 sisters in it and other sororities on campus have around 40-60 sisters. In a few weeks we are having formal rush, and I wanted to invite another chapter of my soroity to rush to make it look like we have more girls. Do you think this is a good idea of bad idea. I am afraid that it will miss lead the rushees to thinking that we have more girls than we do, and when they find out they will not want to join us. But I am so afraid that we wont get any girls because we are so small and the other soroities are so much bigger. What should I do? Thanks a lot!
~Kathy

[33girl]

Kathy, you pretty much touched on the good and the bad! I would suggest if you do have them come up, put on their nametags "ABC Chapter - Penn State" or wherever they are from. That way it won't be misleading. Be sure you all have stuff on your tags also (prez, vp etc) so it looks normal.

It all depends on what kind of rooms you'll be in - if you are going to be in some gigantic cavernous room, you really should try to fill it out as much as possible.

Does IUP have formal or informal rush the first semester?

[iup/tpa]

This fall is formal rush and the spring will be informal rush.

[SoCalGirl]

If I remember correctly from what I've read in the Green Book, your local Panhel should have some sort of policy written for this sort of thing.

For instance at my school if we have another chapter at rush, they have to be dressed the same as our alumnae. The alumnae cannot be dressed like the actives. The alumnae and visiting members' nametags must also clearly state alumnae or what school their from.

If we wanted the visiting members to rush pnms, we'd have to get Panhel's approval. (Luckily, we haven't had to.) The rushers can't mislead the rushees at all. So if Molly Member of AB chapter is rushing at ZP chapter, she has to be up front w/ the girls and tell them that she doesn't even go to that school.

Honestly, my number one concern (as an alumnae who has "been there, done that") is that you make sure your members can handle double/triple rushing. My first year "on the other side" we had to double rush during every party. Eventhough we were the 2nd smallest chapter (smallest closed after rush) we were the only chapter to exceed quota during formal rush...AND...we doubled our chapter that year!

[TechAPhi]

In all likelihood, your school's Panhellenic Council has probably established rules regarding bringing in people from another chapter--I think I read something about that in Tech's rush rules. Before you do anything, be sure there are no rush rules against it.

Besides that, I agree with what 33girl said: if you do bring in people, make sure they have nametags identifying them as visitors/sisters from another chapter.

Best of luck to you and your chapter!

Jen

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Alpha Phi: Texas Tech's Classic Choice Since 1955

http://www.ttu.edu/~alphaphi

[TechAPhi]

I just checked Texas Tech University's Panhellenic Rush Rules. According to Section 8, Article N, of Texas Tech's Rush Rules:

"Any group returning with fewer than fifty (50) members for Rush week may seek additional assistance from alumnae and members from their other chapters. These Rush helpers must be identified by their name tag with their specific school and chapter indicated. Plans of this nature must be submitted to the Panhellenic office and Central Rush Chairman for approval."

I don't know if any of the chapters at Tech have ever brought in additional helpers, nor do I have any personal experience with them, so I am not sure if it is an advantagous thing to do in the long run. Maybe others can speak to that...?

Hope that helps! Good luck!

Jen


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Alpha Phi: Texas Tech's Classic Choice Since 1955

http://www.ttu.edu/~alphaphi

[TPARose]

Hey There,
You can email my at TPARose@yahoo.com.. Im not sure when you pledged, or what not, but Im pretty sure chapter assitance is allowed at Indiana University of Pennsylavnia, because my chapter came down from Pitt last spring to help.
Take Care!!

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~Theta Phi Alpha~
Kappa Chapter
University of Pittsburgh
"Taken a ride on the... sin wagon!" -Dixie Chicks

[shadokat]

If the practice is not forbidden by your campus, which would be defined in your Panhellenic by-laws, then you can certainly invite other chapters to participate. As 33girl said, it's important not to mislead PNM about the size of your chapter, but inviting other chapters has other benefits. It shows PNMs the benefits of national or international organizations, and the support units that exist in such organizations. At my campus, where we have a lot of locals, this was a selling point for the national groups. Mind you, the locals do just fine Small chapters have to find something to focus on besides numbers...talk to PNMs about all of the leadership opportunities that are available to them joining a small chapter. Talk about the advantages of helping to mold the future of an up and coming sorority. You can't focus on the negative...it will show through in your presentations and drive women away.

Best of luck to you!!

[aephi alum]

A word of warning: You must be sure PNM's meet enough active sisters from your chapter. If all a PNM meets are alums and people from other chapters, how can you vote on her, and how can she decide if she likes your house? Double rushing or a good rotation system is a must. Also, if a large percentage of sisters in the rush room aren't actives from your chapter, PNM's will think "where are the actual sisters I'll be with for the next 4 years?"

A suggestion: Get some of your alums back and get *a few* people from another nearby chapter; then, sell the leadership opportunities that come with being in a smaller group. And make sure you've spent some time with the "helpers" before rush, so that you at least know their names and vice versa - nothing looks worse than "Have you met my sister, ummm... (peeks at sister's name tag) Susie?"

I think the special name tag thing is an NPC rule.

[Beryana]

Definitely check with your campus Panhellenic. The chapter that I'm currently advising had sisters from another chapter come up last fall to add numbers (and show the fun of being a national--doesn't matter what chapter you are from, you are all sisters and are there to help each other out). The visiting sisters really only did the singing, etc. They didn't actually rush any of the PNMs--and if the PNMs approached them with questions the visiting sisters directed them to a 'local' sister for the answer (tactfully of course!) The visiting sisters were also only there for phase two (philanthropy day). I think my girls really enjoyed it as well because they got to meet more sisters than those just on their campus and also learned some formal rushing tips.

I would definitely say go for it.


Fraternally,

Sarah

[AchtungBaby80]

A chapter on my campus has done this for the past two years that I know of. Last year, I was going through rush and they happened to be one of the houses that I really liked; however, I was never told that any of those girls were from other chapters (their name tags were the same, too, if I remember correctly), and when I found out I felt sort of betrayed. If I had just heard it from them instead of one of the girls in my rush group, it would have been cool, but since I felt like they were pulling a fast one on me I put them down on my bid card as my second pick instead of my first.

[KillarneyRose]

Originally posted by AchtungBaby80
I put them down on my bid card as my second pick instead of my first.

Bet you're glad you did, though!