Unofficial Fall Recruitment - Ideas for 'recruitment' events?

echilling · #1 06-24-2010, 12:35 PM

Hi! I'm the recruitment officer (I was for the spring, and now this fall) of the recently chartered Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity in a small school in IL. My problem is that since we only have two fraternities on campus, we do not have an official rush for the fall, and thus we are not allowed to have official 'recruitment events'. Moreover, freshmen are not allowed to rush until spring.

Do you have any suggestions or ideas of what types of events we can still have/do?Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

33girl · #2 06-24-2010, 01:32 PM

Talk to freshmen in your classes, at the cafeteria, and wherever else you meet them.

Invite them to hang out with your friends. I'm guessing that many of your friends are your brothers.

When spring comes, ask them to your official events, and then ask them to join.

Trying to hold "events" under the table can get you in trouble with the school, and is a complete waste of money and time.

echilling · #3 06-24-2010, 03:38 PM

Firstly, thanks for the advice! However, the thing is we want to get a small class of upper-classmen in the fall. Last year we got 3 members in the fall. Do you know what we can do, besides I guess projecting our good image, to recruit these guys? We have 3 weeks until the Fall semester Associate Membership ceremony.

33girl · #4 06-24-2010, 03:45 PM

Three weeks? As in, July? Huh? You might get more members if you waited until, um, they were there at the school while it was in session.

But anyway, as for how to get upperclassmen:

Talk to upperclassmen in your classes, at the cafeteria, and wherever else you meet them.

Invite them to hang out with your friends. I'm guessing that many of your friends are your brothers.

When you feel you know them well enough, ask them to your official events, and then ask them to join.

Trying to hold "events" under the table can get you in trouble with the school, and is a complete waste of money and time.

echilling · #5 06-24-2010, 03:46 PM

Sorry I should've clarified ---> August 28 till Mid September.

echilling · #6 06-24-2010, 03:47 PM

And no, I know that holding events under the table is no good.

agzg · #7 06-24-2010, 04:44 PM

Nevermind. 33 stole my clever response. That's what I get for not reading the whole thread.

Magirt1234 · #8 06-25-2010, 01:20 AM

Talk to your ELC, they probably have good ideas that other chapters are using or have used in the past. Or, try and contact other officers from chapters near your own. Other than that, your chapter could send out letters to incoming freshman which will get your name out there. This doesn't really answer your question up front, but may be benificial down the road.

Best of luck,
Magirt

Drolefille · #9 06-25-2010, 01:39 AM

Why not just do weekly things like cookouts, movie nights, or whatever guys do these days that doesn't involve alcohol (unless that would be ok for a 'unofficial recruitment event). Then, you ask your brothers to invite anyone they know who they think would be interested or be a good brother. No one has to know it's a recruitment event unless you offer the guy a bid.

It shouldn't be something you have to make a lot of effort for, just the stuff that you guys do already, since you know, you're trying to show them what you guys do together. IF you're allowed to bid upperclassmen in the fall, that's the way I'd do it.

/swerves back/

Psi U MC Vito · #10 06-25-2010, 07:28 AM

Yeah you don't need events if you are focusing on upperclassmen. Just when ever a couple of brothers are getting together just call up people you know and ask them if they want to join. That's how my chapter got a few of our better recruits.

echilling · #11 06-25-2010, 10:51 AM

Brilliant Advice! Thank you so much!

ASTalumna06 · #12 06-25-2010, 11:05 AM

Question... (and maybe I'm crazy and not understanding this situation, but..)

If you can give out bids in the fall, why are you not allowed to have recruitment events?

echilling · #13 06-25-2010, 11:14 AM

Because since we are so small (we're only 2 fraternities) the school won't let us have an official rush in the fall -> meaning the school won't allow us to hold events labeled as recruitment. BUT, they do let us give out bids. The irony :S. But that's what it is. Legitimate question though.

lucgreek · #14 06-26-2010, 02:39 AM

I was going to suggest to ask for help from the closest chapter, but I don't think they would be of much help, since the schools are very different with Greek Life. Coming from a smaller fraternity-life school (30 total accepted bids last fall), you need to make your presence known on campus. Talk to people in classes, actively participate in other organizations and do community service. With no official rush, it sounds like you either have no Greek advisor or you guys are being neglected by the head of student organizations.

Making your presence known on campus is the first step towards successful recruitment. See if you can get funding for a cook-out on campus. Since your school lacks a real rush period, your guys need to be very social and outgoing.

Personally, I'd work with the administration to promote Greek Life and get more people involved. Chances are, 80% of the student body has no idea fraternities are at your school.

echilling · #15 06-30-2010, 11:40 AM

Our Greek life actually is pretty known on campus. It's just that were small; the whole campus consists of less than 2,000 students! We do have a somewhat structured rush in the spring, but nothing for the fall (keep in mind we cannot give out bids to freshmen in the fall).

Thanks for the advice, though!