Recruitment Information
Fall 2012 Recruitment Schedule
Sororities
***Sorority Preview Night @ 8:30pm Village 3 Townhouses and Quad, Wednesday, September 12, 2012***
September 13 - September 16, 2016
- Info Night Thursday, September 13, 2012 - 1/3rd Boyd 9:30pm
- First Rounds of Recruitment Friday, September 14, 2012 (evening)
- Second Rounds of Recruitment Saturday, September 15, 2012 (morning)
- Pref Night Saturday, September 15, 2012 (evening)
- BID DAY Sunday, September 16, 2012
Fraternities
September 2- September 9, 2012
- Fraternity Info Session is Sunday, September 2
- Fraternity Draft Day is September 9, 2012
- Be on the look out for individual fraternity rush flyers on campus!
Frequently Asked Recruitment Questions
What Is It?
Recruitment is a two-way process by which members of a fraternity/sorority chapter decide who they would best like to join their organization. At the same time, you, the potential new member decides which chapter interests you the most. The recruitment process is a great opportunity to meet active members, to hear their activities, values, and ideals. However, participation in recruitment does not obligate you to join.
How Do I Decide?
Each person looks for different aspects in a particular fraternity/sorority. While all chapters place emphasis on academics, some chapters are also known for a focus on athletics, community service, or friendship. Most chapters encourage a well-rounded approach. The choice is up to you. Look at all the chapters and evaluate which best meets your needs and interest.
How Should I Act During Recruitment?
Rule number one is to be yourself. You want to know what the chapter is like and they want to know the real you. Therefore, be yourself and do not put up a "front."
Before I Join, What Do I Need To Know?
Joining a fraternity/sorority carries certain responsibilities. Make sure you know the entire financial obligation that is required. Costs will vary from chapter to chapter, but expenses will generally include quarterly, local and national dues as well as one time new member and initiation fees. Furthermore, you should understand all the aspects of membership that are required for initiation into the chapter. Do not hesitate to ask questions. Active members will be more than willing to help you out.
What Happens When I Become A New Member?
A potential new member becomes a new member when he/she accepts a bid to become a member. As a new member you will partake in an education period during which you are prepared for active membership. The length of the new member period varies. During this time you are involved in a variety of activities, all designed to enable the new members to become a part of the brotherhood/sisterhood. Such activities include becoming acquainted with your chapter's history, its goals, how it functions, and your key to its future. As each new member brings new life into the chapter, each chapter will bring something new into the life of each of you who join. Once you become an initiated member of a national fraternity and sorority, you are ineligible for membership in any other fraternity/sorority. Being a new member is a time to learn about college, your chapter, and especially yourself. However, requiring new member to engage in any type of prank or hazing activity is prohibited.
Greek Terms
ACTIVE - an initiated member of a Greek organization who is currently still enrolled as an undergraduate
ALUMNA - a sorority member who is no longer a student- The plural is Alumnae.
ALUMNUS ("Alum") - a fraternity member who is no longer a student- The plural is Alumni.
BID - an invitation to join a fraternity or sorority
BID MATCHING - a system for matching the choice of the potential member with the choice of the chapter
BROTHER - an initiated member of a fraternity
CHAPTER - the campus group of a national organization- Within each organization, chapters are usually referenced via a Greek-letter order. For example, the founding chapter would be the "Alpha Chapter," and the second chapter is usually the "Beta Chapter."
CHAPTER ADVISOR - an alumnus/alumna who establishes and maintains a close advisory relationship with a chapter and serves as a teacher, counselor and friend
COB - (Continuous Open Bidding) a continuous, open recruitment period with no specific, scheduled, system-wide activities Bids may be extended and accepted at any time
COLONY - an approved student organization working toward recognition as a chartered chapter of a Greek-letter organization
DEPLEDGE/DEACTIVATE - the termination of a new member's or initiated member's relationship with a Greek-letter organization
DRY RECRUITMENT - Alcohol is forbidden from all events associated with introducing the fraternity/sorority to new members.
FORMAL RECRUITMENT - the primary selection period of the year for first year students- Specific scheduled events for entertaining and selecting new members is known as "Recruitment Week".
FRATERNITY - the name informally applied to a Greek-letter men's organization
GREENBOOK - (Manual of Information) the informal name for the handbook containing procedural, instructional and practical information about NPC, college and alumnae Panhellenics- The handbook has green covers.
GREEK / GREEKS - a term applied to students affiliated with Greek-letter social fraternities and sororities
HAZING - any willful act or practice by a member or associate member, directed against a member or associate member, which, with or without intent, is likely to: cause bodily harm or danger, offensive punishment, or disturbing pain, compromise the person's dignity; cause embarrassment or shame in public; cause the person to be the object of malicious amusement or ridicule; cause psychological harm or substantial emotional strain; and impair academic efforts. In addition, hazing is any requirement by a member or new member, which compels a member or associate member to participate in any activity which is illegal, is contrary to a member's or associate member's moral or religious beliefs, or is contrary to the rules and regulations of the fraternity, institution of learning, and civil authorities.
INACTIVE MEMBER - An individual is still a member of the organization, but is denoted as "inactive" to designate that they no longer participate in the day-to-day activities of the fraternity or sorority. This status usually has a time limit of 1 academic year or less.
INITIATION - a formal ceremony by which new members become initiated members
INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL (IFC) - the governing council made up of all fraternities on a campus
LEGACY - the child, sibling or grandchild (or in some cases other relative) of an initiated fraternity or sorority member
LOCAL FRATERNITY - "Local" - a Greek-letter group which exists on a campus but has no affiliation with a national Greek organization
MULTI-CULTURAL GREEK COUNCIL - the council made up of sororities that focuses on multi-cultural issues
NATIONAL PAN-HELLENIC COUNCIL (NPHC) - the governing council made up of historically African-American Chapters.
NEW MEMBER - a member of a greek organization who has not yet been initiated
NPC - National Panhellenic Conference is a group composed of delegates from each of 26 national women's fraternities who meet together periodically to discuss and rule on issues of common interest and concern.
PANHELLENIC - the governing council of all sororities on a campus which are chapters of any of the 26 National Panhellenic organizations- The word Panhellenic means all-greek.
PHILANTHROPY - an active effort, project or service to promote human welfare or the raising of funds to be donated for that purpose
PINNING - designates the start of a new member process- The New Member wears a fraternity/sorority pin and at the moment of pinning, officially becomes a new member.
POTENTIAL MEMBER - a non-member, with a possible interest in affiliating with one organization, who is eligible to participate in the fraternity or sorority recruitment events
QUOTA - the number of new members that Panhellenic sororities may accept during formal recruitment- This is determined by the College Panhellenic based on the number of potential members participating in a given recruitment period.
RECRUITMENT - a series of events offering members and potential members the opportunity to get to know each other
ROTATION - a recommended method for College Panhellenic officer selection which is based on the date of installation of collegiate chapters on that campus
SISTER - an initiated member of a sorority
SNAP BIDDING - an option available to chapters not filling quota by bid matching during Formal Recruitment- This option extends only until matched bids are distributed.
SOVEREIGN RIGHTS - the basic rights of fraternities and sororities as private voluntary organizations which cannot be precluded by other agents or entities, for example, the right to be single gender organizations
TOTAL - the allowable chapter size as determined by the College Panhellenic
UNANIMOUS AGREEMENTS - statements binding on all members of NPC organizations that express the fair play essential to interfraternity activity and that set forth the expectations and the rights of women's
