Yet to be Themed Re-recruitment Story

[1964Alum]

Originally Posted by 33girl

A rec was required for a bid to be given, not to invite the girl back to parties which is what I think robinseggblue meant.

The girls at the OP's school have no idea if recs were sent in for them without their knowledge. If the school is near larger flagship schools where recs are de rigueur and sorority alumnae are writing lots of them, I think it would be likely.

I can assure you that at some schools in some chapters a rec is required and received in hand before recruitment even starts in order to be invited back after round one. The "heavy cuts" after round one we read about here are not always about cuts for grades.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by thetalady

Christ Almighty.... how many times and in how many ways do we have to say this?

NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. NO. If the policy of a sorority states that a rec is required, it is required on ALL CAMPUSES, no matter what the "culture" might be.

The campus culture mention reminded me -- I have been meaning to ask about some wording I saw on Belmont University's site:

Do I need letters of recommendation?

Though it is common practice across the country that for membership in Panhellenic Association (PA) or Interfraternity Council (IFC) organizations students are required or encouraged to seek out recommendation letters from current members in those groups, Belmont’s PA and IFC groups made the intentional decision to not support this practice in an effort to be inclusive so that all students have an equal opportunity to join. Though we allow our students to set their own high standards for membership (GPA requirements, service requirements, personal conduct requirements…etc.), it is the goal of Belmont that any student who wants to be a member of a fraternity or sorority has the opportunity to do so. Due to the personal nature of membership intake into a National Pan-Hellenic Council organization, recommendation letters may be requested for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. http://www.belmont.edu/organizations/greek/faq.html

Yet on 3 of the 4 Belmont chapters' websites (AGD, Theta, and Phi Mu) instructions/addresses for sending recs for PNMs are included.
Gotta wonder about that "campus culture" statement on the Belmont Greek Life site, as well as how much PA agreement or commitment there is regarding not supporting this "practice."

It seems like erring on the side of caution (obtaining recs in advance) might be a good idea.

[33girl]

That sounds like yet another chapter in the "jeans are ok for rush per the website (but if you wear them you get cut)" novel.

ETA: there are more than a few things on that Greek Life website that I really wonder if the people who they pertain to were actually consulted.

[TexanHootie]

My younger sister and a few other family members have gone through rush at schools were recs are rarely written, and sign up for recruitment ends literally HOURS before the first parties start. It isn't uncommon for my chapter at the school to have alumna on hand to go and greet a girl mid conversation just so they can get a feel and write that rec nationals requires if one isn't secured somehow beforehand.

[Happy Alum]

Originally Posted by TexanHootie

My younger sister and a few other family members have gone through rush at schools were recs are rarely written, and sign up for recruitment ends literally HOURS before the first parties start. It isn't uncommon for my chapter at the school to have alumna on hand to go and greet a girl mid conversation just so they can get a feel and write that rec nationals requires if one isn't secured somehow beforehand.

Bingo!

[BlueCarnation]

Originally Posted by TexanHootie

My younger sister and a few other family members have gone through rush at schools were recs are rarely written, and sign up for recruitment ends literally HOURS before the first parties start. It isn't uncommon for my chapter at the school to have alumna on hand to go and greet a girl mid conversation just so they can get a feel and write that rec nationals requires if one isn't secured somehow beforehand.

The alum comes out into the rush party and starts talking to the PNM? Really? I didn't know you could do that.

I've learned a lot on this thread. KC 96, really, please come back!

[BGKdLady]

Originally Posted by robinseggblue

It does still depend on campus culture though doesn't it? If it didn't, how would BGKdLady's post be true? At my campus...if you didn't have recs you'd be cut completely. Not so true at other campuses...

And again, this was WAY back (not trying to date myself) in non-competitive midwest. At that time and place, it was a novelty to have a rec. I know I didn't have any going through except where I was a legacy. That said, I would in no way encourage the OP to go through a second time w/o them with how recruitment works today.

[honeychile]

I'll throw another spice into the pot. What if a PNM has thoroughly ticked off an alumna, somehow, somewhere? What's to stop that alumna from writing what we called a "no rec" on the PNM involved? Yes, I did have to handle more than one of those when I was Rec Chair. In one case, the PNM in question did not have any other recs to help her out - she was not invited back. In another, the PNM in question did have other recs - which meant that there was a call to the writer of the "no rec" and much other alumna discussion. That's as much as I feel comfortable saying, though. "No recs" are taken very seriously, and at least one other rec needs to exist to further the cause of the PNM.

[Pinecone]

If you all haven't chased her away on this thread I would be surprised. Darn it.

Ps I was in a good house at a school like the op's and if we had been shown refs for a sophomore going through rush we would have thought the person was a weirdo. At a small school you already know all the sophomores going through and some random alum's letter would have seemed like the oddest thing ever to throw in the mix. If a letter was needed later (I have no idea if it was) it would have been better to wait.

Pps there is something antiquated about letters. They seem like a white-glove way to ensure the person being considered is the "right kind" of person.

[irishpipes]

Rho Gammas can be wonderful resources, but they can only speak with knowledge about the membership policies of their own sorority. (And some can't even do that.) Maybe your Rho Gamma's sorority doesn't require recs. I'm sure she means well, but she is not giving you good advice. In the south, recs will never hurt you and the lack of recs could sink you. Please do what you can to secure recs. Please.

[1964Alum]

Robionseggblue, I'm not going to argue with you. None of us here has intimate knowledge of membership selection for any but our own sorority. And that is confidential for each sorority. For mine, the National policy is for EVERY chapter regardless of individual campus.

PNMs don't know if a rec has been written for them or not. I've never seen mine! Nor do I know what information was in it! Going out and asking for a rec is not the only way of getting one. Back in the day when I pledged, it was considered very bad form to ask for one. It is actually easier now for a PNM as she can ask for consideration for one. This is especially important for a PNM who might otherwise go unnoticed in the crazy world of sorority recruitment.

Please bear in mind that a PNM is NOT going to change the rules of the game! It's each sorority that gives out invitations, not the other way around.

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by 1964Alum

Robionseggblue, I'm not going to argue with you. None of us here has intimate knowledge of membership selection for any but our own sorority. And that is confidential for each sorority. For mine, the National policy is for EVERY chapter regardless of individual campus.

PNMs don't know if a rec has been written for them or not. I've never seen mine! Nor do I know what information was in it! Going out and asking for a rec is not the only way of getting one. Back in the day when I pledged, it was considered very bad form to ask for one. It is actually easier now for a PNM as she can ask for consideration for one. This is especially important for a PNM who might otherwise go unnoticed in the crazy world of sorority recruitment.

Please bear in mind that a PNM is NOT going to change the rules of the game! It's each sorority that gives out invitations, not the other way around.

This. ZTA requires a rec for each woman pledged. University of State campus tradition will not trump that requirement. There may be a lone alum feverishly writing recs in a back room for those PNMs the chapter wants to pledge who do not have recs, but if it is a national requirement, there must be a rec.

[1964Alum]

^^^ Yes! Statements such as these can be such a disservice to young ladies going through recruitment. In this instance, a collegiate panhellenic doesn't have the authority to change any participating sorority's selection process no matter how many votes they make take about it. And of course many GLOs don't accept recs from active members. Why they would want to mislead PNMs is quite beyond me.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by 1964Alum

^^^ Yes! Statements such as these can be such a disservice to young ladies going through recruitment. In this instance, a collegiate panhellenic doesn't have the authority to change any participating sorority's selection process no matter how many votes they make take about it. And of course many GLOs don't accept recs from active members. Why they would want to mislead PNMs is quite beyond me.

Wow, I didn't catch the part about current members the first time around. It makes it sound like they have to get them from chapter members at the school. Who on earth wrote this??!? I googled the Greek life director, it's not like she went to a school without NPCs.

[KillarneyRose]

My sorority requires recs. Period. Fini. End of story. Don't care what campus culture says.

At a school like my alma mater with relatively small pledge classes, we will procure the rec for a PNM we want. At a southern-type school or any other school with a huge rush, it IS possible that our sorority would go through the trouble of procuring recs for a PNM but it is highly unlikely since there are so many others who checked all the boxes, so to speak.

That said, I truly wish you the best of luck in recruitment. You sound like you've done an impressive job in making the most of the last year!