Rushing at the University of Alabama

[Jill1228]

Registration is SO underway!

This article was in Today's Crimson White...

Greeks gear up for Rush


Rule bars sororities from contacting possible recruits in summer
By Brittani Tingle
Staff Reporter
July 14, 2005



While some greek organizations are making changes for fall Rush recruitment next month, others are expecting more compliance to changes that have already been made.

Divya Patel, Alabama Panhellenic Association's recruitment chairwoman, said that between 1,050 to 1,200 could participate in fall sorority Rush activities next month. She said 812 had registered as of last Friday. The final day to sign up is Aug. 12.

Panhellenic Rush will run Aug. 15 to 21.

The number of participants is expected to be larger than previous years because of increased freshman enrollment, Patel said.

While no major changes have been made to the recruitment rules for the Panhellenic sororities since last year, Panhellenic President Elizabeth Thompson is expecting more compliance to a rule prohibiting summer contact between sorority members and potential recruits.

The rule was adopted at a Panhellenic Association summit in November 2004.

The rule says that, excluding normal contact, no sorority members or alumnae may contact potential new members or their parents after the last day of spring classes. The Panhellenic Association defines normal contact as contact between relatives, friends, neighbors and co-workers and asks that each sorority turn in a list of these circumstances in advance, Thompson said.

The rule also says there cannot be an organized attempt to influence potential new members through letters, phone calls, summer recruitment parties, alumnae teas or beach retreats. Sorority members are also prohibited from asking any fraternity to invite potential new members to summer parties.

Thompson said the Panhellenic Association adopted the rule because they wanted to ensure the safety of potential new members and sorority members. She said that it had also become expensive for sorority members who had to plan and pay for summer events to entertain potential new members.

Summer contact was also difficult for the potential new members who spent most of their weekends during the summer in Tuscaloosa, Thompson said.

"I just believe it takes a little bit away from their senior summer," said Thompson. "It wears everybody out."

Recruitment rules and aspects of "dirty rushing" were major talking points among the chapter presidents, Panhellenic delegates and national organization officials who attended the summit, Thompson said. The adoption of the summer contact rule was the biggest change that came from the discussion.

"We wanted to sit down and look at what was actually in the rules, what it meant, what we were following and what we weren't," Thompson said.

Thompson said that last year some of the sororities were confused by new rules, so this year Panhellenic representatives went to each house to individually explain the rules to them and answer questions.

"It's taken a couple of years for everyone to understand them and put them into action," Thompson said.

The meeting last November was not spurred by complaints from sororities or new recruits, said Jennifer Gray, Panhellenic judicial board chairwoman. Panhellenic officials wanted to ensure they were closely following national guidelines because to their knowledge, Gray said, the Capstone was one of the few universities that still allowed summer contact between sororities and potential new members.

Thompson said so far everyone has been following the rules this year "but we can't control what's not reported."

Unlike the formal sorority Rush, much of the Interfraternity Council recruitment takes place during the summer, said IFC Vice President of Recruitment Lucas Hayes.

It is very informal and usually involves incoming freshmen visiting the fraternities of their high school friends, Hayes said.

"This process is convenient for students from Alabama, but it puts some of the out-of-state students at a disadvantage because they can't spend as much time during the summer in Tuscaloosa," Hayes said.

Formal recruitment begins on Aug. 31 for IFC fraternities and ends Sept. 9. About 500 students sign up for recruitment, and those that don't get pledge pins during the summer participate in the formal recruitment process. The IFC is hoping for 150 students to go through formal recruitment, Hayes said.

To help out-of-state students find the fraternity that is right for them, Hayes said the IFC is changing the formal recruitment process and trying to make it more coordinated.

The fraternity house visits, during which Rush participants get to see each fraternity house for five to 10 minutes, will all be on one day, Hayes said.

"In the past, it has been a two-day event and by the second day, participation and enthusiasm has diminished," Hayes said.

Cookouts at the individual fraternity houses will also be apart of the formal recruitment process. Five to six fraternities will host cookouts each evening from Sept. 5 to 7, and Rush participants will be able to walk among them, Hayes said.

National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities and sororities will hold a recruitment convocation on Aug. 31.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by sigmaK619
The way you make this sound (whether or not it was intended) makes the girl who is excited about rush feel not welcome on GC. I am frankly tired of people saying "don't ruffle feathers or people on GC will get mad." Let the girl say what she wants to say, she is just looking for advice and for someone to say "you'll make it through recruitment, I know how you feel." Lighten up everyone.

Girls at Alabama HAVE BEEN CUT over what has been said on GC. No lies.

[adpiucf]

GP, good point. Is it possible for the Rush Mods to send a welcome PM to all PNMs advising them about discretion and posts? You have a great Please Read with all the rules listed, but I'd be willing to bet that not all the newcomers visit that thread...

[Jill1228]

Hell they have been cut almost everywhere because stuff that they had said on GC. The internet can be a small world

Didn't I say DISCRETION WAS THE KEY!?!

I have sent a few "honey, what the hell are you thinking?" PMs

Originally posted by GeekyPenguin
Girls at Alabama HAVE BEEN CUT over what has been said on GC. No lies.

[kddani]

Originally posted by adpiucf
GP, good point. Is it possible for the Rush Mods to send a welcome PM to all PNMs advising them about discretion and posts? You have a great Please Read with all the rules listed, but I'd be willing to bet that not all the newcomers visit that thread...

I think that's a hugely unfair/unreasonable responsibility for the rush forum mods.

Some of the PNMs understand discretion, and those that appear not to are usually quickly advised of it by GCers.

[ilovebama]

I totally understand that "discretion is key." I wasn't planning on posting my thoughts on any particular GLO's or telling all about my recruitment experience. I am, however, planning to go through rush completely open minded and just have a good time. Thanks for all the good advice and tips. It is greatly appreciated.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by ilovebama
I totally understand that "discretion is key." I wasn't planning on posting my thoughts on any particular GLO's or telling all about my recruitment experience. I am, however, planning to go through rush completely open minded and just have a good time. Thanks for all the good advice and tips. It is greatly appreciated.

And that's great! While we all love rush stories, I think it's more important for you to have a positive rush experience than it is for us to read about it as it's happening! Bama has a lot of excellent sororities and I think you'll enjoy your recruitment experience.

[bamabelle99]

Good Luck during rush! Follow your heart and ROLL TIDE!!!!!

[Zillini]

Originally posted by Jill1228
This article was in Today's Crimson White...

"The rule was adopted at a Panhellenic Association summit in November 2004."

Actually the Summit was in January of 2004. It bugs me when reporters don't check their facts. Ok, I'm being a little nit-picky and this has nothing to do with this thread.

Sorry. /tangent

[AchtungBaby80]

Who says going into rush clueless is such a bad thing? I know we're talking about 'Bama and all, but I knew very little about the way things worked when I rushed and I still had a full party schedule every round and got my first choice. In my case, I know I was able to relax a lot more because I didn't know all the stuff that goes on so I wasn't worrying about it. As long as you understand the basic no-no's, like saying potentially offensive things to chapter members, I think the most important thing is that you act just like you normally do. And for me, being "clueless" helped me do that.

[Zillini]

I agree with your point to extent that a PNM can benefit from not being aware of the specifics of Recruitment. However I've often heard and read stories from a lot of folks who were completely overwhelmed by the whole process since they didn't know what to expect.

For example, "They opened the doors and all these girls came spilling out singing, clapping, whooping and hollering. I was completely freaked out! By the 2nd or 3rd house I realized that's what everybody did and calmed down." or "This girl started talking to me like we'd been best friends forever. I've never met her in my life and she knew everything about me. It gave me the heebie jeebies!"

[FSUZeta]

and pnm's: please understand that even though the crimson white article states that pnms and current collegiate members or alumnae are not to fraternize, it does not mean that you cannot seek out and obtain recommendations. what they mean is that an alum or collegiate should not take you over to the chapter house, invite you to a sorority party or do anything that might sway you toward their sorority during the summer.

[AchtungBaby80]

Originally posted by Zillini
For example, "They opened the doors and all these girls came spilling out singing, clapping, whooping and hollering. I was completely freaked out! By the 2nd or 3rd house I realized that's what everybody did and calmed down." or "This girl started talking to me like we'd been best friends forever. I've never met her in my life and she knew everything about me. It gave me the heebie jeebies!"

Yeah, that happened to me. I was really freaked when a girl just grabbed my arm at the door of the first house and started leading me around, because no one had told me that that's what happens. But I just went with it. I think not knowing what was going to happen was good for me in the long run because I didn't have a chance to "rehearse" everything mentally and then get all flustered if it didn't go exactly as I'd planned. I don't know; that's just me. My point was that not posting so much on GC during rush is probably a good idea, even though the rushee might be a little more "clueless" because of it.

[33girl]

Originally posted by AchtungBaby80
My point was that not posting so much on GC during rush is probably a good idea, even though the rushee might be a little more "clueless" because of it.

You can always read and not post.

[UKDaisy]

Yay another SEC rush story!!

Good luck girl!! Don't get discouraged, stay alert and keep an open mind! And if you are second guessing rush, or what you wanna do - come here and seek advice! Had I not seeked out from a "wise GC"er" I would have never gone greek.