What’s the backup plan for recruitment in August?

[BBH]

Finally got the high level plan for Iowa State. Check in on the 7th and get their information. Initial Round on the 8th which will be all virtual. Round 2 will be the 9th & 10th and again be all virtual. Round 3 will be the 11th and will be virtual house tours and financials. Round 4 is Pref round on the 12th and planned to be in person and Bid day on the 13th and also planned to be in person. Bid day is more an individual in person and not a big group reveal. The 13th is also when they start their Destination Iowa State activities so they will be very busy up to the start of classes.

No word on how many people have signed up to go through Primary Recruitment and it will be interesting for someone like my D whose roommate is not going through recruitment since they will be doing the virtual rounds from their dorm rooms.

[ChioLu]

When you talk about recruitment as being virtual, what does that actually mean? Is it one on one, like a FaceTime call with a member and a PNM? Is it like a zoom meeting, with the PNM‘s watching the chapter do you what would normally happen on that actual party day?

[BBH]

Originally Posted by ChioLu

When you talk about recruitment as being virtual, what does that actually mean? Is it one on one, like a FaceTime call with a member and a PNM? Is it like a zoom meeting, with the PNM‘s watching the chapter do you what would normally happen on that actual party day?

For my D, they said the girls would be in their own dorm room and be on a Zoom or WebEx type call. The first round is more watching videos about the chapters and at the end they rank their top choices. The next round the again are on a call to learn about chapter values. I’m assuming they will have virtual breakout rooms where it’s one on one talks. Again, you rank and then advance to the next round. That round is virtually house tours so not sure if that is just watching a video and then discussing.

Pref in person is still with social distancing. Masks required and temperature checks. They said some visits could be outside. Bid day is individual so no big group reveals and running to your new home.

My D’s roommate is not rushing so that is her main worry. It’s the first weekend of them meeting and living together and she’s going to be sitting there on video calls.

[jolene]

I'm trying to catch up, but I wonder if they will do recruitment in January like many private unis? I don't want to see our beloved sororities and fraternities suffer (I'm married to a fraternity man). I'd love my own daughter to join a sorority in college. As a high schooler, it's already weird for her.

[shadokat]

Just an FYI, decided on Friday, University of Alabama is doing a completely virtual recruitment. My friend's daughter is going through, so I'll let you know when I hear something how it is. I feel so badly for her, and I honestly have no idea how you do recruitment with 2000 PNMs and 400 actives per chapter virtually.

[shadokat]

And I don't know what these are, but because of the "nature" of primary recruitment, they are pleased to offer PNMs the chance to submit optional introduction videos so that chapters can get to know PNMs prior to recruitment week. WHAT?!?!

[ForrestGrump]

My alma mater is still scheduled to do a part virtual/part in-person recruitment. Every chapter will film a "virtual Open House" video for viewing by new students and parents. It's essentially an introduction to the Chapter and a house tour. Panhellenic is also doing an Orientation video with the Pi Chi's and Panhellenic Officers. That video will be available for all new students to view during a three-day period (the University is staggering move-in dates over several days).

Round 1 is split into two parts -- Part 1 are Introduction to the Chapters videos that will be accessible on Thursday and Friday for everyone who has registered for recruitment. On Friday evening, after everyone has moved in, will be Round 1, Part 2, an evening of "virtual break-out sessions" where potential new members get to talk with members of each chapter. PNM's then rank the houses and chapters make their first round of cuts. Round 2 (Saturday) is in-person and will be a combined Sisterhood/Service round. The number of parties held that day has been increased because the university is strictly limiting the number of PNM's who may be inside the chapter residences (they're university-owned). Round 3 is Sunday (Preference) and is also in-person. Again the number of parties scheduled for that day will be increased. Bid Day will be Monday, after the first day of classes.

It's going to be quite an adjustment, and I'll be very interested to hear how the virtual break-out sessions go. I suspect that recruitment enrollment numbers are lower than usual. Registration was free through the end of July, but Panhellenic just announced that it will now remain free for the duration of recruitment. I'm wondering if some women are going to take a wait and see approach -- either do informal recruitment in January, or wait until Fall 2021.

[Sen's Revenge]

Not sorority recruitment, but maybe of interest:

My APO chapter carried over their Spring pledge class in hopes that they would be able to complete the final portion of pledging in person in the fall, and then begin fall recruitment and pledging immediately after.

In the interim, the school rolled out an all-freshmen/select upperclassmen plan, where all freshmen would be welcome to campus, sleeping in single dorm rooms, while the majority of the upperclassmen would be expected to be fully online from home. Around 500 upperclassmen would be allowed to live on campus (international students, ROTC, people taking labs, etc).

The chapter decided that not enough students would be on campus to conduct either the in-person make-up pledge process, or a brand new pledge class, so they have made the make-up portion virtual and have canceled pledging for the fall.

In 60+ years, we have only missed a pledge period in 1994.

[FSUZeta]

Fl State is all virtual as of two days ago.

[msbeta]

I've written 7 recs for young ladies who will be attending 3 different universities. Two of these are completely virtual although at least one university is offering the opportunity to meet the recruitment group leaders in person. And, it seems that bid day will offer an opportunity to go to the houses in small groups after receiving bids via e-mail.

[PiPhiERDoc]

Is anyone else looking at these work week move in pics on Instagram and just cringing? I hope my paranoia is displaced but I can’t see how at least one of these big southern chapters aren’t going to end up with a huge outbreak. Crossing my fingers...

[trymeplease]

Who is the first large southern school to start recruitment?

[FSUZeta]

Usually it's Auburn and Ok State.

[OldFLDDD]

South Carolina starts virtual round 1 on Monday, August 10.

[Cookiez17]

I will say this. The recruitment threads this year are gonna be extremely interesting. I'm going to make one for Bama soon since it's in about a week.