RFM-pref day

[Griffins&Quills]

Release-Figure Management & Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement (pref card)

[AlphaXi_Husky]

Originally Posted by Griffins&Quills

Release-Figure Management & Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement (pref card)

I've seen a couple different names for RFM on here, so before anyone gets confused - Release Figure Methodology.


NPC has a 2015 handout with more details for anyone who's curious:
https://www.npcwomen.org/resources/pdf/RFM%20Update.pdf


And carnation, I'm not exactly sure what you're getting at. Are you asking if a PNM who has two stronger recruiting chapters (A & B) and one weaker recruiting chapter (C) at Pref is less likely to wind up in A or B than a PNM who has all strong recruiting chapters (A, B, & D) at Pref?


While I'm not an RFM specialist, based on what I've seen since RFM was started that isn't the case. It just all depends on where each girl is on each chapter's bid list.

[carnation]

I'm not even sure how to put this into words. It just seems like maybe 3/4 of the PNMs we know who have been in this situation (so this would be dozens of women) end up with C.

AlphaXi_Husky, I guess that's what I'm saying. And a lot of times, C still doesn't make quota after various additions, etc.

[MaryPoppins]

Originally Posted by carnation

I'm not even sure how to put this into words. It just seems like maybe 3/4 of the PNMs we know who have been in this situation (so this would be dozens of women) end up with C.

AlphaXi_Husky, I guess that's what I'm saying. And a lot of times, C still doesn't make quota after various additions, etc.

Perhaps the only cure then is for even leaner pre-Pref invites for the strong recruiting chapters (SRWs). I say this because the snap bid lists are now put together at the same time as the bid list. If an SRW chapter misses quota, it's handled before invitations go out and no one is the wiser except the RFM specialist and maybe two chapter officers.

[AlphaXi_Husky]

Originally Posted by MaryPoppins

Perhaps the only cure then is for even leaner pre-Pref invites for the strong recruiting chapters (SRWs). I say this because the snap bid lists are now put together at the same time as the bid list. If an SRW chapter misses quota, it's handled before invitations go out and no one is the wiser except the RFM specialist and maybe two chapter officers.

Or maybe leaner Pref invites?


That makes me so nervous though!

[AXOrushadvisor]

Originally Posted by MaryPoppins

Perhaps the only cure then is for even leaner pre-Pref invites for the strong recruiting chapters (SRWs). I say this because the snap bid lists are now put together at the same time as the bid list. If an SRW chapter misses quota, it's handled before invitations go out and no one is the wiser except the RFM specialist and maybe two chapter officers.

I see your point MP BUT if you have ever had to do a snap bid list it is usually women that the Chapter has already released. In theory it makes sense but in practice it is difficult to find women the Chapter would be willing to extend a bid to.

[33girl]

Honestly, I think this is one of those times when you have to look past bid day and at retention. Are those girls who get placed in C finishing pledgeship, initiating and staying members throughout college, or are they overwhelmingly not showing up for bid day or depledging? If it's the latter, then maybe it's time to relax RFM as far as letting C cut girls that show zero interest. RFM was intended to place more women, not to put chapters that are already nervous in rush further through the emotional wringer.

[MaryPoppins]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Honestly, I think this is one of those times when you have to look past bid day and at retention. Are those girls who get placed in C finishing pledgeship, initiating and staying members throughout college, or are they overwhelmingly not showing up for bid day or depledging? If it's the latter, then maybe it's time to relax RFM as far as letting C cut girls that show zero interest. RFM was intended to place more women, not to put chapters that are already nervous in rush further through the emotional wringer.

Even better!

[AlphaXi_Husky]

Originally Posted by carnation

I'm not even sure how to put this into words. It just seems like maybe 3/4 of the PNMs we know who have been in this situation (so this would be dozens of women) end up with C.

AlphaXi_Husky, I guess that's what I'm saying. And a lot of times, C still doesn't make quota after various additions, etc.

For the first part, do you mean we as in your family, or we on Greek Chat? We've discussed before that Greek Chat seems to see more PNMs who didn't get their first (or second) choice, or who were dropped completely (or so they say), moreso than a PNM who was happily placed. So I think that's just more of a sample size issue, so to speak.


As for your second point, I agree with 33girl that it's not something that can be fixed during Recruitment. It's more of a Recruitment 365 sort of thing where the chapter needs to make itself stronger outside of the formal recruitment period in order to start better competing with stronger recruiting chapter once the next Recruitment rolls around.


I do think overall RFM has been very beneficial across the board. I don't think RFM has led to more people being placed in a C chapter when also preffing A & B chapters.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AlphaXi_Husky

I do think overall RFM has been very beneficial across the board. I don't think RFM has led to more people being placed in a C chapter when also preffing A & B chapters.

This x zillion.

[carnation]

I'm talking about everywhere. Yes, on GC, but mostly women whom I know through various groups,from being in school with my daughters (I have 9), students of 2 of my kids who are teachers, just from various places. I would say I personally know at least 40 PNMs every year and maybe 5-10 end up in the A, B, or C scenario. And at schools where C is an extremely WRC, if the girl gets C, she walks away from her bid.

[AlphaXi_Husky]

Originally Posted by carnation

I'm talking about everywhere. Yes, on GC, but mostly women whom I know through various groups,from being in school with my daughters (I have 9), students of 2 of my kids who are teachers, just from various places. I would say I personally know at least 40 PNMs every year and maybe 5-10 end up in the A, B, or C scenario. And at schools where C is an extremely WRC, if the girl gets C, she walks away from her bid.

I think it's just a numbers game at that point though. If you've known 40 PNMs and 1/8 to 1/4 of them get a bid to a WRC, or even the weakest RC, then honestly that sounds about right to me. Even if the other Pref parties they went to weren't other WRCs. Just like I would expect 1/8 to 1/4 of them to get SRCs or even the strongest RC, even if they had only the SRC and two WRC for Pref.


Do PNMs preffing SRCs tend to pref other SRCs? Sure. However I've noticed now that RFM has been going on a while, there is a lot more cross-preffing between SRCs and just-okay RCs, and even WRCs.


As for your last sentence, I'm sure you would agree that's more of a campus environment thing than anything else. RFM isn't going to help that much in that situation.

[carnation]

I've already talked with several PNMs this year who've been in or are in this situation. "How should I gamble? That I list all 3 and hope for A or B? Or should I only list A and B and hope I don't get the call?"

Had we had this situation when I was rushing, I would've been a basket case!

[SoCalGirl]

Originally Posted by AlphaXi_Husky

I've seen a couple different names for RFM on here, so before anyone gets confused - Release Figure Methodology.


NPC has a 2015 handout with more details for anyone who's curious:
https://www.npcwomen.org/resources/pdf/RFM%20Update.pdf


And carnation, I'm not exactly sure what you're getting at. Are you asking if a PNM who has two stronger recruiting chapters (A & B) and one weaker recruiting chapter (C) at Pref is less likely to wind up in A or B than a PNM who has all strong recruiting chapters (A, B, & D) at Pref?


While I'm not an RFM specialist, based on what I've seen since RFM was started that isn't the case. It just all depends on where each girl is on each chapter's bid list.

Thank you for the link. There are so many things in it that make me happy and make me want to scream.

This one is a screamer: "Also, when determining chapter total on a campus with one chapter that is significantly below total, a Panhellenic may want to choose MCS, or use ACS but remove that chapter’s number from its calculation."

Am I wrong in thinking that removing the weaker chapter from the equation makes total higher, putting them even more behind?

Also, I know that it says that RFM started as a pilot in 2003 but I know that retention figures were used going into Pref to determine number of invites when I was in school. It stands out in my mind because we had an advisor who got the call with our number excitedly tell us that we needed to cut more girls. We freaked because we were not as strong of a recruiting chapter as we had once been. She tried to reassure us but our bid numbers were low that year.

Finally, does RFM have any mechanism in place to override or adjust figures? I'm thinking of the situation where a historically SRC has some drama go down that "poisons the well". They would normally have to cut more women but suddenly they're the WRC and need a bigger pool to try to hit quota.

[AZ-AlphaXi]

Originally Posted by SoCalGirl

......

Finally, does RFM have any mechanism in place to override or adjust figures? I'm thinking of the situation where a historically SRC has some drama go down that "poisons the well". They would normally have to cut more women but suddenly they're the WRC and need a bigger pool to try to hit quota.

That's what the flex lists, plus and minus, are for. If a chapter has unexpectedly strong returns then the minus list is used to cut more PNMs. If a chapter has a weaker than expected return number then the plus list is used to add invitations.