UIW Recruitment

[lifesaver]

So tonight was the first night of Formal Recruitment ar UIW. They are on deferred recruitment and its an interesting setup.

Background:

3 Sororities; DPhiE, ASA and a local, DSD.

2 Fraternities: Chi Phi and Lambda Chi Alpha
(I am the advisor for Lambda Chi)

Undergraduate population: 4,000 students,
Private Catholic Univeristy

First greek group: 1985
First NPC group: 1999
First NAIC group: 2002


The entire system is structured on the NPC model, even for guys, with rounds and parties and pref parties, mandatory applications and the such. Thank god I was pretty familiar with the NPC way of doign things from my time as an undergrad. It will be really wierd to see it done like that for the fraternities.

Tonight was the informational meeting where the PNM's were told how the process goes down, what to wear and the breakdown on the hazing laws. It was really wierd to see guys and girls together recruiting. A new experience for me to say the least.

After the Greek Life Office gave their presentation, and then chapter members picked at random by the GL office (wierd, right) came up and spoke about their orgs, the PNM'S were allowed the opportunity to move around the room and visit different groups. After a half an hour, the Actives had to leave the room so the PNM's could ask questions w/out the actives being in the room. Then the PNM's, and actives mingeled again, but the GL office wanted everyone to mingle, the male PNM's to visit the sororities, and vice versa. Definately a twist on how I'd ever seen things done.

Tomorrow is (god help me being in a fraternity and having to say this) Round One. They cant do anything off campus, and the weather sucks, so its indoors for 2 parties at 45 mins each.

Wednseday is Rushee Pref, where they can go visit which ever groups they want to.

Thursday is the traditional pref parties.

Friday is Bid day.

Fortunately, the undergrads are allowed to do an informal recruitment week after formal is over. The guys I advise are a bit rusty (cause they've never done recruitment before) but overall, they just needed a bit of proding to keep them from, talking to each other instead of the PNM's. I did find myself being the only one remembering to ask PNM's to come out to the next day of recruitment.

I felt bad because the other fraternity didnt have a big showing of actives and didnt really have anybody at their table talking to them. Their group and the group I advise have very different personalities and wouldn't recruit the same people. So I wish they would have been more agressive in talking to the PNM's. Their display and table was very nice looking and their guys were very sharply dressed in blue shirts and red ties. The guys I advise just wanted to come casual and in letters.

With all that, I still had 2 PNM's ask me the following questions: 1) How come no one was talking to the other group and 2) What was wrong with them. I just told the PNM's that 1) They will have an opportunity to meet all rushees and all rushees will have an opportunity to meet all groups. and 2) Nothing is wrong with the other group. Each group has its own successes and things that it does better than everyone else. The important thing to remember is that there is a group for everyone and its critical to check out each and every group for a fit.

The other group even paid our group a HUGE compliment during his speech. He said his brothers were the nicest guys on campus, besides the Lambda Chi's. Wow, huh?

I wont get to be there for the pref parties and bid day because I will be in Florida for a conference. There were about 7 girls to one guy, there are only about 8 guys total to choose from. One guy wont qualify right off, because he has a 1.23 GPA. I am guessing right now they will bid and sign 5 or 6 during formal recruitment. Their recruitment goal is 15, so they will need to sign another 9 or 10 during informal recruitment. I am confident they can do it.

Anyway, I'll keep ya'll up to date with what I know.

* Edited to add that I am not hating on the NPC model for recruitment of women. I learned that lesson on GC a long time ago. I understand it has its place. I just dont think it has its place in fraternity recruitment. If anything, I am kinda supprised that the gals havent taken the initaitive and set up a local Panhellenic. They do have two NPC groups there. I just think it would be better suited to have recruitment independent of each other since our traditional recruitment methods are so different.

While it might not be a technical violation of NPC policy to have men present at the informational sessions, at the beginning of each night and at the joint bid day, I do think it violates the spirit of the rule (no guys allowed) because its a distraction. Guys shouldnt need women to recruit and vice versa. Your org should stand on its own two feet. But those are just my thoughts....