http://www.vanderbilthustler.com/vne.../433cc42296694
Panhell presidents oppose sorority recruitment consultant
by Rachel Stevens
September 30, 2005
Vanderbilt students reacted to an ad in last Friday’s Hustler for an independent consultant who advises freshman girls preparing for sorority recruitment.
In a letter to the editor today, the ten Panhellenic sorority presidents announced their opposition to the service, urging freshmen to speak to their Greek Ambassadors about any recruitment concerns rather than enlisting in the services of this outside consultant.
Amy Donavan, a 2004 graduate of Vanderbilt, began Sorority Recruitment Consulting (SRC) this year to assist freshman girls in their decision to become part of Vanderbilt’s Greek community.
Donavan said that the service, which costs $50 for a 50-minute session, provides individually tailored consulting sessions. These appointments may include discussing Greek life concerns, recruitment anxiety, feelings toward each chapter and even shopping for recruitment rounds outfits, according to the Web site.
Donavan said that approximately 30 to 40 freshman girls have signed up for the service.
“The responses I have had thus far have been overwhelmingly positive,” Donavan said. “During the recent Parents’ Weekend, some girls chose to do a consultation with their mothers present, which was an extremely fun experience for me.”
Greek Life advisor Kristen Torrey said that she feels Donavan’s services are unnecessary.
“There is absolutely no need for women to take part in that service since it is a service we provide for free through Greek ambassadors, Panhellenic executive board officers and Greek Life staff,” Torrey said.
Donovan said that while she feels Vandy’s Panhellenic Council does a good job of educating potential new members about recruitment, her services offer each of the girls individualized attention.
“The struggle lies in the ratio often Panhellenic executive members to roughly 500 to 600 potential new members,” Donovan said. “While the executive board members do a fabulous job, they will never have the ability to devote individual attention to a significant percentage of the potential new members.”
In addition, on her Web site, Donovan states that she can give better unbiased evaluations of the different chapters because the Greek ambassadors are only familiar with their own particular sororities.
The Panhellenic presidents, however, said that Greek ambassadors are indeed a good resource.
“We’ve had plenty of women for many years without recruitment consultants who have become happy sorority members,” Torrey said.
Contributing reporting by Meredith Casey and Sean Seelinger.
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