Random Question about Applications

PM_Mama00 · #1 09-03-2005, 03:09 PM

I have a question. But first I don't want this to turn into a North vs. South war. Please don't be rude or condescending if another school does it differently than you.

I just read Carnation's post about not getting an application in on time. Is it mandatory to attend EVERY formal recruitment night/day?

At UM-Dearborn, it's highly suggested that our PNMs do so that the actives have more of a chance to get to know her and a repeating face is always a good one. However, being commuter some girls just up and decide to go through and therefore miss a day because of work or previous engagements. But it's not looked down upon.

tunatartare · #2 09-03-2005, 03:16 PM

At my school it's highly encouraged to attend all three nights of formal recruitment. In order to be eligible for a bid, a girl has to attend 2 out of 3 nights, unless there are extreme circumstances. When I was a rho chi, one of the girls in my group could only come to the first night of recruitment because of work. The VP of recruitment made sure that all of the sororities were notified of this. At the end, she ended up dropping out of recruitment and open bidding.

alphaxikt · #3 09-03-2005, 03:33 PM

In schools (north or south) with a structured formal rush and a goodly number of sororities, it is generally considered a major detriment to miss a day of recruitment.

For example, my (northwest) school has 16 sororities, and recruitment is a week-long affair. Over the first two days PNMs visit all 16 chapters, the next "round" they visit up to 10, the third "round" they visit up to 6, and for preference they can attend up to 3 ceremonies. The UW holds recruitment two weeks before school officially starts, and PNMs AND active sisters are expected to take the time off from work, etc...

Missing one of the first two days would mean not visiting 8-9 of the 16 chapters! That would be pretty drastic, and there's a pretty small chance that chapter that hadn't even met a PNM would invite her back sight unseen after meeting so many wonderful ladies in person.

So missing a day of recruitment would not only be frowned upon by Panhellenic, but it would also make it MUCH more difficult to have a successful recruitment experience.

PM_Mama00 · #4 09-03-2005, 03:42 PM

I can totally see that! I didn't even think about the schools with a larger Greek panhel. We only have 3 and our PNMs can visit each chapter everyday, as long as they aren't cut.

KSUViolet06 · #5 09-03-2005, 04:05 PM

I go to Kent State, and we have a very relaxed recruitment (not at all competitive). Of course, it's STRONGLY suggested to attend ALL parties, but things happen. It's not uncommon for girls to miss first day parties for whatever reason. It's not a big problem because you visit all 6 sororities for days 1 & 2. So as long as you only miss ONE day, you'll be ok.

In my experiences with recruitment, if you miss a party, as long as your Rho Chi knows and tells the chapters that you are just absent and did not withdraw, you will not get released.

Girls visit a max of 4 houses for 3rd party (the round after cuts). Although you won't get released from recruitment entirely for missing first party, your # of invites WILL BE FEWER than those who have attended all days simply because chapters have had only one day to get to know you instead of 2.

If you just DON'T show up, without calling your Rho Chi so she can let chapters know, you could very well be released because they will assume you withdrew.

AchtungBaby80 · #6 09-03-2005, 04:19 PM

I think this is a really interesting discussion, because at UK you couldn't really miss any rush functions, let alone a whole day. I always assumed that's how other schools did it, too. No rushee would ever miss a party and expect to be invited back next round, I don't think. When you signed up, I guess you were sort of acknowledging that you would arrange things so that you could attend all the events.

carnation · #7 09-03-2005, 04:59 PM

It's not a North or South question but rather one regarding individual schools. Sometimes people don't have to go to all the parties--for instance, the women in band at Auburn who have summer band camp are able to work out a schedule where they go to some of the parties but most end up with bids. My niece at Jacksonville State was on the dance squad and was able to make most parties and still got a bid.

Still, you probably wouldn't make it through recruitment at the competitive schools if you missed parties. The sororities are the ones who do most of the choosing and they would want the people who made the commitment to come to all the parties, as short as rush is.

pinkyphimu · #8 09-03-2005, 07:41 PM

at my school, a pnm couldn't be cut because she missed parties due to class or school related work.

how do schools with many greek groups handle it if women have night classes?

Xylochick216 · #9 09-03-2005, 07:51 PM

At Elon recruitment is held during "fake break" which is the week between winter term (a 3 week intense semester in January) and spring semester. PNMs are told to make sure they are not working that week, and most athletes have the week off as well. Women who miss parties (which doesn't happen often) are usually dropped unless there is an emergency.

doubleblue&gold · #10 09-03-2005, 08:13 PM

All the systems I have been involved with, there were acceptable reasons to miss events. Panhellenic let all the groups know and it was up to the individual groups to decide whether or not to invite women back and work them around their realease figures. Let's face it, if you can't meet and get to know PNMs, it's going to hurt their chances in the long run.

But, if a PNM just doesn't want to show up to a party because she only wants to end up with one group and doesn't go to all the parties she's invited to-----she's OUT.

tunatartare · #11 09-03-2005, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pinkyphimu
at my school, a pnm couldn't be cut because she missed parties due to class or school related work.

how do schools with many greek groups handle it if women have night classes?

At Marist recruitment functions start at 9:30-9:45 to accomodate both PNM's and actives that have night classes. (Our night classes end at 9.)

nauadpi · #12 09-04-2005, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by doubleblue&gold
All the systems I have been involved with, there were acceptable reasons to miss events. Panhellenic let all the groups know and it was up to the individual groups to decide whether or not to invite women back and work them around their realease figures. Let's face it, if you can't meet and get to know PNMs, it's going to hurt their chances in the long run.

But, if a PNM just doesn't want to show up to a party because she only wants to end up with one group and doesn't go to all the parties she's invited to-----she's OUT.

This is how it was at my university...

PhoenixAzul · #13 09-04-2005, 01:58 PM

Our recruitment is held on 3 consecutive weekends. It draws out the rush process, but it allows the girls to be at every event. I had a few girls who did stuff like, "Oh but I'm going home for a football game!"...well, then you accept with regrt to all your parties and hope to God that they really liked you at Open house.

When there's only 3 rounds, each one is critical. Open house, novelty, final. We had girls who MISSED OPEN HOUSE!!! And expected to get invites to the next round (and some did).

We had one girl who didn't show up for the opening ceremony (held on a tuesday night when there are no night classes), didn't return our calls letting herwhere/when we were meeting, didn't show up to open house, and then showed up and turned down her only invite to open house. She then showed up at preference signing, and withdrew. But before we had to GUESS at who was still in or not. It drives me batty when girls don't return calls. (PS!! PNM's, put down an ACTUAL PHONE NUMBER THAT YOU PICK UP AND CHECK VOICE MAIL ON!! And return calls in a TIMELY manner...don't make your PX run around and dig up your aunt's phone number to get your cell phone number to get your dorm number because you are missing preference signing).

We had a situation with our final party this year...we had a good portion of the girls coming to our party who were involved in concert band, which was having a performance. It was ending about 15 minutes after our party was starting. Since several of our members were in band, we had to ask Panhel if those members were allowed to escort our band PNMs to the party...it worked out pretty well in the end.