What’s the backup plan for recruitment in August?

[BBH]

So Indiana just came out with their school plan and an hour later Ball State did. Similar to Purdue they plan to eliminate fall break and after Thanksgiving they will go online. For Spring, start out online then resume in person February 7th. With IU rush being in the Spring wonder how that will work. Classes will already be underway before everyone would be back on campus.

My younger D will start college in the Fall at Iowa State. She signed up for Primary Recruitment but haven’t seen anything about a virtual rush. So far it appears they are planning as normal but I’m sure will be subject to change. I’m sure she’ll do okay if it’s virtual but it just seems like both the chapters and the PNMs will be at such a disadvantage.

[Sister Havana]

Here’s the information on IU’s plan for next year. Dorms will be open, but all rooms will be single rooms. This is going to make for even more of a housing crunch, since temporary overflow housing in floor lounges is going to be out of the question. McNutt and Foster, two of the larger dorms, are reopening after being closed for extensive remodeling this year, so that should help. (Although Collins will be closed for remodeling and those residents are going to be housed in Foster next school year.) I wonder if they will temporarily waive the requirement for all freshmen to live on campus because of this.

I haven’t seen what the Greek houses are going to do besides (I would guess) having a lot less people living in. Many of the sororities and a few of the fraternities have cold dorms, so I wonder how that’s going to work.

[Sciencewoman]

MJ Insurance put out diagrams and guidelines for bed placement for fall, including cold rooms and bunk beds, and what to do if you can and can't put beds 6 ft. apart. There's a lot of alternating heads and feet with residents in bunks and beds near each other.

[shirley1929]

Arkansas Panhellenic requiring a one minute video and a 200 word essay as part of your registration. https://uagreeks.uark.edu/panhelleni...l/recruitment/
(scroll down to points 8 & 9).

[SweetHomeStL]

Originally Posted by shirley1929

Arkansas Panhellenic requiring a one minute video and a 200 word essay as part of your registration. https://uagreeks.uark.edu/panhelleni...l/recruitment/
(scroll down to points 8 & 9).

WOW!!! My daughter is an active chapter member at UArk & didn’t know about this....I think that definitely points to the first round (or two?) being virtual.

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by SweetHomeStL

WOW!!! My daughter is an active chapter member at UArk & didn’t know about this....I think that definitely points to the first round (or two?) being virtual.

Agreed, and it makes my head hurt thinking of parents actually thinking they should hire in hair, makeup, videographer, video editor, college essay editor, etc... to make this part of it perfect. I have already heard of people talking this way - it's going to be a mess and not at all what they are intending.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by shirley1929

Agreed, and it makes my head hurt thinking of parents actually thinking they should hire in hair, makeup, videographer, video editor, college essay editor, etc... to make this part of it perfect. I have already heard of people talking this way - it's going to be a mess and not at all what they are intending.

I have heard this too. I can't imagine how many girls will do all this hoping for the "bid of their dreams" and actually, so much at Arkansas is related to connections. And then after Bid Day, people will complain and freak out because they'll say the sororities pre-chose their pledge classes.

[*winter*]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

MJ Insurance put out diagrams and guidelines for bed placement for fall, including cold rooms and bunk beds, and what to do if you can and can't put beds 6 ft. apart. There's a lot of alternating heads and feet with residents in bunks and beds near each other.

That’s what they do in the military. Head to feet sleeping.

[Cookiez17]

Most PNM registration dates are set (and extended in some cases) and bama reached 1000 PNM's already.

[AZTheta]

well this is interesting. Arizona plans a fully virtual recruitment. I haven't read all the details.

Reaching out to my Arizona Panhellenic friends today *waving at zbxo*. No idea how housing will work; many of the Arizona sorority facilities have sleeping porches.

[Titchou]

MJ insurance is recommending alternating head to toe on sleeping porches.

[chi-o_cat]

Are the videos a trend that might have been coming anyway, with or without the virus? I have a friend who recently applied for a teaching job and instead of a cover letter, had to submit an introductory video.

It seems like even with a traditional recruitment, the videos would helpful. Every member doesn't get a chance to meet every PNM during the rounds.

[shirley1929]

University of Colorado, Boulder has announced "Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no in-person recruitment and a fully structured recruitment will be hosted virtually."
https://www.colorado.edu/greeks/panhellenic-recruitment


According to IrishPipes thread, quota in 2018 was 116: http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...r+listing+2020

[zTaalum]

From a friend with a daughter at Alabama. She saw this in a moms group a she belongs to and it was written by an advisor at one of the chapters. My friend is saying she is hearing that first two rounds could be virtual. Sisterhood and Pref would be in person and spread out over a few days. Bid day would also be done in person. I am not part of the group but she said she would update me.

"There is a vote in the recommendations later today. Your daughters will be notified of the plans by their leadership likely later today. The University and Panhellenic has spent countless hours doing their best to provide a way forward to provide a recruitment experience while prioritizing safety of our members, PNMs, and Advisors. There will be contingency plans should the situation change in the next few weeks. The most important thing your daughters (and the Moms and Alumnae) can do is be INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE of the decisions that are being made and of their individual sororities leaders, who are working tirelessly to change already carefully crafted plans to meet safety standards. None of us would have chosen this path, but I believe when you see what the proposal is, you will understand the reasons behind the decisions."

[zTaalum]

Look for an announcement to be made today by UA Panhellenic. My friend shared the details with me but I don't want to share until all affected by this are made aware of changes.

Honestly it is not that bad of a plan and Alabama's panhellenic council and the chapters have really come up with a wonderful solution for such a time of uncertainty.