Pan-Hellenic Council Regrets To Inform You...

[TrevorG]

At my school for IFC the duty falls to the guy sitting at the IFC desk on bid day. All the fraternities turn in their bid cards to IFC and the next day rushees go to the table to pick them up. If someone didn't get a bid at all the IFC guy just says "sorry" and invariably recommends that they "spend more time hanging out with the brothers".

Its sort of a crappy way to do it, I imagine it feels pretty horrible to go pick up your bids and find that there aren't any waiting for you.

[AOII Angel]

Ten years ago when I was a Rho Chi we had the "Knock" period. For an hour, all PNMs had to sit quietly in their rooms hoping they did not get a knock. I had to knock on two of my PNMs doors. I cried far more than my PNMs did...I felt like they were such great women who deserved a chance. Having that personal one on one time with them is the only humane way to do it. A card in the mail with regrets is cruel. Luckily I was able to talk one of my PNMs into COB-ing my chapter a few weeks later. She became my Lil Sis. I think the Rho Chi's have an excellent opportunity to make relationships with their PNMs that will allow them to comfort them should the unthinkable happen.

[KSUViolet06]

This thread talks alot about how PNMs are notified that they've been released:

http://greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=87171

I don't think anyone in there mentioned getting cards. That's seems really impersonal.

[UGAalum94]

It's interesting to note the shift in thinking about what to do.

I guess that in the "regret card" days, the thinking was that groups chose their members and if people ended up unmatched, they were capable to weathering this storm without assistance from Greek Life.

I agree that the event of bid opening will be happier if mis-matched members are told in advance, but at some point, I really think we're making/validating mis-matching as catastrophic when it's really not.

Those of us who experienced college life an a independents before we rushed as upperclassmen can testify that while Greek Life is enriching, it's really not (or shouldn't be) a centrally defining element of your life.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Ten years ago when I was a Rho Chi we had the "Knock" period. For an hour, all PNMs had to sit quietly in their rooms hoping they did not get a knock. I had to knock on two of my PNMs doors. I cried far more than my PNMs did...I felt like they were such great women who deserved a chance. Having that personal one on one time with them is the only humane way to do it. A card in the mail with regrets is cruel. Luckily I was able to talk one of my PNMs into COB-ing my chapter a few weeks later. She became my Lil Sis. I think the Rho Chi's have an excellent opportunity to make relationships with their PNMs that will allow them to comfort them should the unthinkable happen.

Intreresting. For some of our chapters you hoped for the knock. It meant you got the vote.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Ten years ago when I was a Rho Chi we had the "Knock" period. For an hour, all PNMs had to sit quietly in their rooms hoping they did not get a knock.

We did something similar, only ours was a phone call. I feel so bad for any unsuspecting guy or parent who called during that time only to get a freaked out rushee yelling "GET OFF THE PHONE!!" (No call waiting back then.)

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by 33girl

We did something similar, only ours was a phone call. I feel so bad for any unsuspecting guy or parent who called during that time only to get a freaked out rushee yelling "GET OFF THE PHONE!!" (No call waiting back then.)

Yeah...we were on pins and needles! If the room across the hall from yours got a knock, it was hard not to jump off the bed startled. I almost think it's cruel to add to the suspense, but these women have to be informed in some way. Our recruitment was a week before the beginning of school with all PNMs living in one of the dorms for the week. You couldn't send a letter...it would never get to them.

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by TrevorG

At my school for IFC the duty falls to the guy sitting at the IFC desk on bid day. All the fraternities turn in their bid cards to IFC and the next day rushees go to the table to pick them up. If someone didn't get a bid at all the IFC guy just says "sorry" and invariably recommends that they "spend more time hanging out with the brothers".

Its sort of a crappy way to do it, I imagine it feels pretty horrible to go pick up your bids and find that there aren't any waiting for you.

yeah, that's how we did it too.

I always felt bad for the guys who didn't get bids, but I feel bad for the guys sitting there, because they're not allowed to say anything other than "try again, hang out more" when really they should be like "dude, you aren't anything like those guys, next time rush ABC instead" which would be helpful for all concerned.