How do I join a sorority that is colonizing this fall at FSU?

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by 33girl

OK, I thought we were talking about colonizing pref and that's really not the same thing as regular pref. The chapter really isn't a chapter yet and as such doesn't have to follow regular formal rush rules. Which is why I made the comment I did and that's what I thought Titchou was talking about as well.

My understanding was that it is the bid list that is the thing that is binding on the sorority's part. We had a smallish discussion last week about when the bid lists are turned in, but I don't see how you could turn it in before pref when you never know, maybe 50 rushees will go to the Justin Bieber concert and get arrested the night before pref, and you obviously don't want to give them bids then. I really don't see how you could force a sorority to put everyone they invited to pref on their bid list - especially since

1) some pref ceremonies are part of ritual and who knows, maybe there's something in ritual that the rushee was supposed to do and didn't. Unless you know everyone's ritual you really can't stick your nose in it.

2) if groups are being forced to ask rushees back up to and including pref and rushees can't reject the invitation, it's basically telling chapters with lower return rates that they HAVE to take the women. They could pitch a bitch and say that Panhellenic is overstepping and denying them the right to select members as an individual organization.

This all being said, you should (you being a normal chapter, not a bunch of women from national HQ) cut them loose before pref if you don't want them to join.

I don't know about colonization processes because I suspect they're outside of the normal rules as far as pref goes. However for the sake of formal recruitment pref, the people running recruitment - chairs, VPs, alumnae etc. - should know that anyone who attends pref is expected to be on the bid list. (I have no idea what it would take to make an exception, however we can assume the Bieber arrestees would be in jail and miss pref thus saving us the trouble.)

1) I don't know how there would be something that a PNM is supposed to do at pref but didn't that would disqualify them from membership. That doesn't make any sense to me ritual or not. The PNM isn't any more aware of ritual than I am.

and

2) Even though RFM recommends not releasing any PNMs for smaller/weaker chapters those chapters can and do still release people. Panhel has no say about what goes on in MS.

But I agree with you on the last. Carrying them to pref if you don't want them is bad form.

Originally Posted by Titchou

Either way, colonizing pref or regular, while everyone there should be on your bid list, there are times when someone is dropped. Honest...I've seen it happen and for very good reasons.

Maybe so, but you're talking about extreme exceptions, not rules. Whether given permission or a whether a chapter that violates policy, it would be VERY VERY rare in the grand scheme of things.

[Barbie's_Rush]

Originally Posted by Titchou

Either way, colonizing pref or regular, while everyone there should be on your bid list, there are times when someone is dropped. Honest...I've seen it happen and for very good reasons.

There are situations where this can't happen. A campus with guaranteed placement is one of them. Yes, you might put Patti McBitchipants at the very bottom of your list or try to drop her after she does something horrible at your pref party. But if she didn't have any other pref parties or she was at the bottom of everyone else's list and you're the chapter few pnms are ranking as their top choices, guess who is getting Patti? Chapters on campuses with GP need to be sure that they would be ok with every single pnm they invite to their pref party before they give out their invites.

And this has nothing to do with colonization of course, but I think this needs to be clarified since it was mentioned here.

[Titchou]

The question was if an invite to colonization pref guaranteed a bid. And the answer is it should but there are exceptions...just like in a formal recruitment pref. It can happen - believe me, I've seen it .

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by Titchou

The question was if an invite to colonization pref guaranteed a bid. And the answer is it should but there are exceptions...just like in a formal recruitment pref. It can happen - believe me, I've seen it .

We'll all agree that colonization is different. Is anyone even sure if "Pref" rules apply since this is not formal recruitment? It would be like trying to apply formal recruitment rules on Informal recruitment just because a chapter had a "Pref" party.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

We'll all agree that colonization is different. Is anyone even sure if "Pref" rules apply since this is not formal recruitment? It would be like trying to apply formal recruitment rules on Informal recruitment just because a chapter had a "Pref" party.

I'll try to check later if someone hasn't.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I'll try to check later if someone hasn't.

Thanks...I don't have a green book so I can't, but it would make sense that the organizations holding recruitment for a colony can do what ever they want since they aren't competing with other chapters. That is the whole reason for the bid list issue in formal recruitment...to make things fair between the chapters. It made bigger chapters get rid of PNMs they didn't really want in the old system because they'd have the chance of getting them if they were on their bid list.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Thanks...I don't have a green book so I can't, but it would make sense that the organizations holding recruitment for a colony can do what ever they want since they aren't competing with other chapters. That is the whole reason for the bid list issue in formal recruitment...to make things fair between the chapters. It made bigger chapters get rid of PNMs they didn't really want in the old system because they'd have the chance of getting them if they were on their bid list.

Ok, flipped through and although it's not specific on colonization here's my best guess. If the colonizing chapter continues through formal recruitment and holds its pref parties along with all the other chapters, they're bound by the same rules. If they drop out of formal recruitment after the open rounds - something I've seen mentioned here - they're not. I'm basing this on the fact that pref lists only exist within formal recruitment.

[Titchou]

I know it can happen even in formal recruitment because I was involved in it as an adviser. And yes, we had to explain to the GA but our decision was accepted and the woman was not on the bid list. End of story.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Barbie's_Rush

There are situations where this can't happen. A campus with guaranteed placement is one of them. Yes, you might put Patti McBitchipants at the very bottom of your list or try to drop her after she does something horrible at your pref party. But if she didn't have any other pref parties or she was at the bottom of everyone else's list and you're the chapter few pnms are ranking as their top choices, guess who is getting Patti? Chapters on campuses with GP need to be sure that they would be ok with every single pnm they invite to their pref party before they give out their invites.

And this has nothing to do with colonization of course, but I think this needs to be clarified since it was mentioned here.

Can Low-Tier Lambda drop Patti McB - that is, not invite her to pref - or does Panhel compel them to invite a certain number of rushees back to every party including pref? Because if I get it right, what GP guarantees is if the rushee follows through and goes to all the parties she's invited to, she gets a bid. The onus is on her, not the chapters.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Can Low-Tier Lambda drop Patti McB - that is, not invite her to pref - or does Panhel compel them to invite a certain number of rushees back to every party including pref? Because if I get it right, what GP guarantees is if the rushee follows through and goes to all the parties she's invited to, she gets a bid. The onus is on her, not the chapters.

Panhel gives them the numbers that are recommended by RFM. Even if a chapter is recommended not to drop anyone, they can still drop people. Grade risks and people who walk in and go "I hate you" are probably first to go. I don't know of any campus where panhel can compel a chapter to take PNMs back, although apparently some may pressure chapters based on some posts here.

Like BR said, Pref is where you have to draw that line and say yes or no.

[fantASTic]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Panhel gives them the numbers that are recommended by RFM. Even if a chapter is recommended not to drop anyone, they can still drop people. Grade risks and people who walk in and go "I hate you" are probably first to go. I don't know of any campus where panhel can compel a chapter to take PNMs back, although apparently some may pressure chapters based on some posts here.

Like BR said, Pref is where you have to draw that line and say yes or no.

They can't force you. What they CAN do is call you over and over, telling you that if you don't put someone back on your list then you'll NEVER MAKE QUOTA AND NEVER MAKE TOTAL AND YOUR CHAPTER WILL BE GONE NEXT YEAR OMG.

I don't think the GAs should be able to comment on your list at all, unless asked.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

They can't force you. What they CAN do is call you over and over, telling you that if you don't put someone back on your list then you'll NEVER MAKE QUOTA AND NEVER MAKE TOTAL AND YOUR CHAPTER WILL BE GONE NEXT YEAR OMG.

I don't think the GAs should be able to comment on your list at all, unless asked.

Sore subject? But yes I totally agree. The bigger issue comes when your HQ is giving you that speech (that would be the same HQ that hasn't seen Susy McSluttipants screw her way through 5 dorms). In either instance, you just need to stick to your guns.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

They can't force you. What they CAN do is call you over and over, telling you that if you don't put someone back on your list then you'll NEVER MAKE QUOTA AND NEVER MAKE TOTAL AND YOUR CHAPTER WILL BE GONE NEXT YEAR OMG.

I don't think the GAs should be able to comment on your list at all, unless asked.

Ah so annoying, but not forced. I kind of get it in that some HQs/campuses/chapters are more number focused than others and they may not get it if you're NOT. But they should respect the chapter's wishes.

[irishpipes]

Ree,

I can answer how the AOII colony at the University of Arkansas worked:

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

For your colony, how many girls attended Pref but didn't receive bids? It seemed that Pref was more or less a formality - the earlier parties showed how/if a girl clicked with the other PNMs, and the interview was the make or break, for the most part. There were many more cuts after interviews than after pref. I do know a few PNMs attended all the way through and didn't get bids, but it was a very small number.

How long was the colonization process for PNMs, from the first interest sessions to chapter installation and member initiation? I know that a colonization is a long process and a lot of work. I know AOII did PR the entire school year preceding colonization, including participtaing in some philanthropy events on campus (collegians from another chapter came out), then a big blitz before recruitment. During round 1 of fall formal members from our chapter at Ole Miss conducted recruitment. (Door songs, etc.)

After formal concluded, AOII hosted 3 parties. We used the former DG house. Each party had a theme, like coffee house, build a bear, etc. The parties were open invitation. There were games/activities at every party, and alumnae and international volunteers were present.

Then interviews were conducted in the union and there was a nice pref-like event. Bids were distributed the next day in the union.

I believe the whole process of the 3 parties and interviews was just over a week.

At what point was the colony/chapter allowed to be an official, voting member of Campus Panhel? When were colony members able to wear letters? Could the colony hold socials or official philanthropy events?

Don't know about Panhel - AOII allows new members to wear letters so the bid day t-shirts had our letters on them. The colony had several socials and participated fully in campus Greek events.

It's all very fascinating. I guess I'll have to read some colony threads!

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions!

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Ok, flipped through and although it's not specific on colonization here's my best guess. If the colonizing chapter continues through formal recruitment and holds its pref parties along with all the other chapters, they're bound by the same rules. If they drop out of formal recruitment after the open rounds - something I've seen mentioned here - they're not. I'm basing this on the fact that pref lists only exist within formal recruitment.

That makes sense, Drolefille. Thanks.