Women’s Recruitment Begins

by Melissa True
Staff

It’s that time of year again. Forrer Hall is cloaked in banners. Three-fourths of the people on campus dress for class like they’re going on job interviews and the rest wonder if they missed the memo.

During the time between classes campus becomes a sea of pink, red, gold, yellow and blue. Soon the sounds of the chanting and the singing and the clapping will fill the air, and the guys will just be rolling their eyes.

Yes it’s that time again. It’s time for sorority recruitment.

The events begin today and will continue throughout the weekend, ending with Women’s Bid Day on Monday.

This year however, the recruitment process will be marked by the beginning of a few changes to the usual protocol.

According to panhellenic officials, preference night ceremonies this year will take place on campus. Traditionally newly recruited sorority members would run out from Old Morrison to greet their sorority as sisters for the first time.

This year this practice will be omitted. Instead, each sorority will randomly draw from a selection of four locations across campus where the new members will be brought out in individual groups to meet their new sorority in a more private manner.

The new members will then sing one of the sorority’s songs as taught to them by their Rho Gammas who will act as their advisers and guides throughout recruitment.

These changes have been made to better coincide Transylvania’s Panhellenic with National Panhellenic Council rules and requirements.

“I am very excited about the changes, and think they will only make the recruitment process go smoother,” said this year’s Panhellenic president, Ravon Radmard.

During the first round of women’s recruitment, potential new members are invited to visit the dormitory halls of each sorority and introduce themselves to members of each.

On the second night, potential recruits will be brought in upon invitation and sorority members will talk to them about their chapter’s community involvement both on and off campus.

“Each chapter works diligently to give back in various ways, and this is not only a chance for them to show PNM’s how philanthropic they are but also to show that with time management, school, work and being involved in Greek Life as well as athletics, drama productions, and academic honoraries is very much do-able,” said Radmard.

The final round of recruitment includes preference night ceremonies, which will take place on Sunday night. Potential new members will be invited by the chapters, based upon their preferences, to a maximum of two different chapter’s preference ceremonies.

Preference night will include a more formal and intimate setting, in the hopes that they will learn more about the chapters, and can better get to know active members.

Radmard outlined some things that she thinks potential new members should keep in mind while undergoing the recruitment process. “Keep an open mind. Having this position has afforded me the opportunity to get to know each chapter on a deeper level and every woman has the potential to find the right place for her. Don’t let friends or men influence you. It’s important for the women to make their own decisions, because ultimately it is their lifelong commitment.”

“The most valuable things a woman can take away from having been in a sorority are confidence, leadership, an opportunity to give back to the Transy (and beyond) community, lifelong friendships, time management and teamwork skills, extensive networking, and of course, sisterhood,” said Radmard.

Next it’s the men’s turn. Men’s recruitment, which is much more informal than women’s, will begin Sept. 30 and will last through the weekend, culminating in Men’s Bid Day on October 5. It’s time to get the costumes ready.

Attempts to talk to Troylyn Leforge, assistant director of student activities and coordinator of Greek affairs, to talk about women’s recruitment were unsuccessful.