Guide to Sorority Recruitment 2014 Information for Potential New Members
Guide to Sorority Recruitment 2014 Information for Potential New Members Table of Contents Letter from the Directors of Recruitment ....................................................................2 Recruitment Schedule ...............................................................................................3 Schedule Conflicts .....................................................................................................5 Frequently Asked Questions .......................................................................................8 Check-In and Move-In Procedures ........................................................................... 10 How Selection Works .............................................................................................. 11 Letters of Recommendation ..................................................................................... 12 What to Bring and Where to Park............................................................................. 13 What to Wear ......................................................................................................... 14 Tips for a Successful Recruitment ............................................................................ 17 Expectations & Guidelines ....................................................................................... 19 Potential New Member Bill of Rights ......................................................................... 20 Panhellenic Recruitment Vocabulary ......................................................................... 20 Financial Information .............................................................................................. 21 Legacy Information ................................................................................................. 22 We, the women of the Kansas State University Panhellenic Council, will work collaboratively to strive for unity, excellence and service to others by upholding our commitment to the fraternal values upon which our organizations were founded. We will live up to these standards by fostering opportunities for exceptional scholarship and leadership development, while building life-long bonds of sisterhood. - Panhellenic Council Mission Statement 1 Letter from the Directors of Recruitment Dear Potential New Member, Thank you for joining us for Formal Membership Recruitment 2014! We are thrilled to not only have you at Kansas State University but to have your interest in our Greek community. We cannot begin to express how excited we are for you to begin your journey here! At K-State, you will find women who are committed to service, philanthropy, scholarship, leadership, and so much more. Becoming a member of a sorority will help foster these things in you as well. It is a great way to develop tools and skills that will help you enhance not only your college life, but also your life after college. During the recruitment process, you will meet women from all of our 12 NPC chapters. We encourage you to go into each day with an open mind and a positive attitude. Take it all in and enjoy yourself, and try not to stress too much! Each and every chapter on campus is exceptional. Think about what is important to YOU, and look for that in your sorority home. We want this to be one of the most positive experiences of your college career. Joining a sorority is a special experience that will possibly change your life. We wish you the absolute best luck at K-State and in Panhellenic Recruitment! Sincerely, Nicole Wasserman and Chelsey Ast Panhellenic Directors of Recruitment 2 Recruitment Schedule Sunday, Aug. 17: Move-In and Orientation On Sunday, you will check in for Formal Membership Recruitment, move into your assigned residence hall, and participate in the opening convocation. Your parents or family members will also have the opportunity to attend a parent/family orientation session. Opening Convocation will be held on campus Sunday evening. Panhellenic officers will review recruitment week activities and logistics and answer any questions. You will meet your Recruitment Guide, as well as the group of women who will be going through the recruitment process with you. 1:00-5:30 p.m. Participant check-in (Derby Dining Center) 1:00 p.m. Residence Halls open for move-in 3:00 p.m. Sorority Recruitment Orientation Session 1 for Parents & Families (Derby Dining Center) 3:30 p.m. Sorority Recruitment Orientation Session 2 for Parents & Families (Derby Dining Center) 4:00 p.m. Sorority Recruitment Orientation Session 3 for Parents & Families (Derby Dining Center) 6:00-9:00 p.m. Formal Membership Recruitment Convocation & Dinner (Union) Monday, Aug. 18 & Tuesday, Aug. 19: Round 1 - Open House This will be your first opportunity to interact personally with the members of our Panhellenic sororities. You will visit all 12 of the NPC sororities at K-State. Your conversations will be one-on-one with current members and focus on topics such as your high school involvement, summer activities and what you want to get out of a sorority and K-State experience. Events during Open House will be scheduled over two days. You will travel with your recruitment group. Please follow the direction of your recruitment guide to ensure you arrive at all events on time. You will have at least 3 breaks during this round. Events will last 30 minutes with 20 minutes allotted for travel between the chapter homes. Monday, August 18 7-8:30 a.m. Breakfast 10 -11:20 a.m. Round 1 events 11:20 a.m.-12:50 p.m. Lunch 1:10-5 p.m. Round 1 events continue 5-6:30 p.m. Dinner Tuesday, August 19 7-8:30 a.m. Breakfast 9:30-11:40 a.m. Round 1 events continue 11:40 a.m.-1:10 p.m. Lunch 1:20-5:10 p.m. Round 1 events continue 5-6:30 p.m. Dinner 4-7:30 p.m. Participants submit preferences in Union Wednesday, Aug. 20: Round 2 – Philanthropy & Community Service You will receive a schedule inviting you to up to nine events for the day, as a result of the mutual selection process. You will learn more about how the sororities give back to the community. Chapters will give a brief presentation about the philanthropic organization they support, events they do to raise money, service projects they complete, and may ask you to participate in a short philanthropy project. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, as you learn more about each sorority! Events will last 35 minutes with 20 minutes allotted for travel between the chapter homes. 3 7-8:30 a.m. Breakfast 7:45 a.m.-8:30 a.m. Recruitment Convocation 8:30 a.m.-11:50 p.m. Round 2 events Noon-1:00 p.m. Lunch 2:00-5:20 p.m. Round 2 events continue 5:30-7:00 p.m. Dinner 7:30-9:00 p.m. Round 2 events continue Participants will go to Union following their events to submit preferences Thursday, Aug. 21: Round 3 - Sisterhood and House Tours You will receive a schedule inviting you to up to six events for the day, as a result of the mutual selection process. During this day, you will receive information concerning each chapter’s member expectations, including financial, housing, community service and scholastic obligations. You will also take a brief tour of the chapter home. In addition, each sorority will emphasize the unique bonds of sisterhood within its chapter and their values. Events will last 50 minutes with 15 minutes allotted for travel between the chapter homes. 7:00-8:30 a.m. Breakfast 7:45-8:30 a.m. Recruitment Convocation 8:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Round 3 events 11:30-1:00 p.m. Lunch 1:30-5:35 p.m. Round 3 events continue Participants will go to Union following their events to submit preferences 5:30 –7:00 p.m. Dinner Friday, Aug. 22: Round 4 - Preference and Bid Day During this round, you will visit up to three chapters. You will talk more in-depth with members about their sorority experience and why their chapter is important to them. You will take part in a special ceremony that is unique to each chapter. Some women may be emotional during this round as they consider the bonds of sisterhood they have formed with women during their time with the chapter. Events will last one hour with 15 minutes allotted for travel between the chapter homes. 7:00-8:30 a.m. Breakfast 7:45-8:30 a.m. Formal Membership Recruitment Convocation 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Round 4 events 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Participants submit preferences online Noon-1:40 p.m. Lunch 5-6:30 p.m. Dinner 7:00 p.m. Bid Day Celebration at Union Following the community celebration, you will travel to your new chapter homes for the evening. Friday, Aug. 22 & Saturday, Aug. 23 - Bid Day New members will go to evening events at their new sorority. Following the end of these activities, new members will return to their residence hall room for the night. The following day, chapters may serve breakfast and lunch and will conclude all activities by 2 p.m. on Saturday. 4 Schedule Conflicts The following section will outline recruitment schedule conflicts and will include information that pertains to: Band/Classy Cat Camp Cheerleading Camp Orientation and Enrollment Band/Classy Cat Camp Each year the Greek Affairs staff works with Dr. Tracz, the director of bands, and his team to accommodate women wishing to do both band/Classy Cats camp and Sorority Formal Membership Recruitment. The Greek Affairs staff has spoken with Dr. Tracz and the following should be taken into consideration by students attending both programs: Recruitment Round 1 (Open House): Monday, August 18th and Tuesday, August 19th - There will be a mandatory meeting for band/Classy Cats on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. Based on schedules, students may have to miss events at 10:20 a.m. (Event #9) and 11:10 a.m. (Event #10). Sororities will be informed of the reason for a student’s absence from their event. It is at the discretion of the hosting sorority to extend a courtesy invitation to women who are excused from their events. Recruitment Round 2 (Philanthropy): Wednesday, August 20th - Band/Classy Cats participants will be required to attend the evening rehearsal beginning at 6:30 p.m. Women who are invited to events at eight or nine sororities may have to miss events at 7:30 p.m. (Event #9) and 8:25 PM (Event #10). The sorority will be informed of the reason for a student’s absence from their event. It is at the discretion of the hosting sorority to extend a courtesy invitation to women who are excused from their events. Recruitment Round 3 (Sisterhood & House Tours): Thursday, August 21st - Band/Classy Cats participants will be required to attend the evening band rehearsal beginning at 1:30 p.m. Women attending more than four events may have to miss events at 1:30 p.m. (Event #4), 2:35 p.m. (Event #5), 3:40 p.m. (Event #6) and 4:45 p.m. (Event #7). The sorority will be informed of the reason for a student’s absence from their event. It is at the discretion of the hosting chapter to extend a courtesy invitation to women who are excused from their events. Recruitment Round 4 (Preference): Friday, August 22nd - Four events are planned for this date at 8:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 1:30 p.m., each lasting an hour. Women will be invited to attend a maximum of 3 events. Women attending band/Classy Cat camp will be scheduled for the 8:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. events meaning they will be finished by noon at the latest. Should they be invited to attend one or two events, they will be finished earlier. Women invited to attend three events will need to work with Dr. Tracz’s staff to seek approval to be late to morning rehearsal. (No guarantees can be made that students will be approved to be tardy or to miss the morning portion of the camps.) Bid Night: Friday, August 22nd – The Bid Night program begins at 7:00 p.m. Women need to work with Dr. Tracz’s staff to seek approval to be late or absent from any rehearsals that conflict with this event. (No guarantees can be made that students will be approved to be tardy or to miss this portion of camp.) If you are unable to attend this program, accommodations will be made to notify you of which sorority you have been invited to join. Bid Day: Saturday, August 23rd - No conflicts are presented by the Sorority Formal Membership Recruitment schedule on Saturday; however, this portion of the schedule is developed by the individual sororities. Sororities are encouraged and willing to allow women to attend band/Classy Cats camp as needed on Saturday. 5 All women attending both band/Classy Cats camp and Panhellenic Sorority Formal Membership Recruitment should understand they will have an extremely busy week. It can be done, but each student must own the situation and be respectful and responsible for expectations established by both the Panhellenic Council/Greek Affairs staff and band/Classy Cats leadership. Leaders of both programs have schedules for the congruent camp and understand the schedules and expectations of their peer program. The same refund policy exists for women attending both band/Classy Cats camp and Sorority Formal Membership Recruitment. No refunds of the registration fee are allowed after August 1st, regardless of situation. All women attending both band/Classy Cats Camp and Sorority Formal Membership Recruitment should inform both the band/Classy Cats staff and Panhellenic Council/Greek Affairs staff at [email protected] no later than August 1, 2014. Cheerleading Camp conflicts The Greek Affairs staff works with Coach Ruoff, the Cheerleading Coach, to accommodate women wishing to take part in both Cheerleading camp and Sorority Formal Membership Recruitment. The Greek Affairs staff has spoken with Coach Ruoff and the following should be taken into consideration by students attending both programs: Recruitment Round 1 (Open House): Monday, August 18th and Tuesday, August 19th - There will be no conflicts in the mandatory Cheerleading Camp and Sorority Formal Membership Recruitment schedules. Recruitment Round 2 (Philanthropoy): Wednesday, August 20th - Cheerleading Camp participants will be required to attend a team meeting at 8:00 p.m. Recruitment Round 3 (Sisterhood & House Tours): Thursday, August 21st- Cheerleading Camp participants have Boot Camp from 10:00 AM until 7:00 PM. Recruitment round 4 (Preference) and Bid Night: Friday, August 22nd – Cheerleading Camp participants have Boot Camp from 10:00 AM until 7:00 PM. Bid Day: Saturday, August 23rd – This portion of the schedule is developed by the individual chapter. Chapters are encouraged to release women attending camps as needed on Saturday. All women attending both Cheerleading camp and Panhellenic Sorority Formal Membership Recruitment should understand they will have an extremely busy week. It can be done, but each student must own the situation and be respectful and responsible for expectations established by both the Panhellenic Council/Greek Affairs staff and Coach Ruoff. Leaders of both programs have schedules for the congruent camp and understand the schedules and expectations of their peer program. The same refund policy exists for women attending both Cheerleading camp and Sorority Formal Membership Recruitment. No refunds of the registration fee are allowed after August 1st, regardless of situation. All women attending Cheerleading Camp and Sorority Formal Membership Recruitment should inform both Coach Ruoff and Panhellenic Council/Greek Affairs staff at [email protected] no later than August 1, 2014. Orientation and Enrollment If you are scheduled for Orientation and Enrollment during recruitment, Thursday, August 21 (transfer students) or Friday, August 22 (freshmen), contact John Lantz, Coordinator of New Student Services Orientation Programs, to review your orientation schedule. He can be reached via email at jclantz@k6 state.edu. Please also contact Greek Affairs staff at [email protected] no later than August 1, 2014. It is the expectation of Greek Affairs and New Student Services that you are attending all mandatory orientation programs to ensure you get important university information and are enrolled in courses for the Fall 2014 semester. For students attending orientation on Thursday, August 21st, there are mandatory orientation events during the morning. Students invited to more than three events may have to miss events at 8:30 a.m. (Event #1), 9:35 a.m. (Event #2) and 10:50 a.m. (Event #3) based on schedules. The sorority will be informed of the reason for the student’s absence from the event. It is at the discretion of the hosting chapter to extending a courtesy invitation to women who are excused from their events. For students attending orientation on Friday, August 22nd, there are mandatory orientation events during the morning. Students attending events on this day will have to miss events scheduled at 8:30 a.m. (Event #1), 9:45 a.m. (Event #2), 11:00 a.m. (Event #3) and 12:15 p.m. (Event #4). Students with this conflict will be contacted and given further information on how to complete the recruitment process on this date. Other University Events Only official university events and illness/emergency are considered excused absences. Women with other university commitments during recruitment should email Greek Affairs staff at [email protected] no later than August 1, 2014 with details, so that arrangements can be made 7 Frequently Asked Questions What is the refund policy? You may cancel your registration until 11:59 PM, Wednesday, August 1, 2014 by email only. Email your first, middle, last name and home address to [email protected] with "FMR Cancellation" in the subject line. Anyone cancelling a registration after its submission but prior to the cancellation deadline will receive a refund of $55 ($80 minus a $25 processing fee). Absolutely no refunds will be given for any circumstance after the cancellation deadline. Cancellation must be made via email only and be received by the cancellation time and date. Cancellations cannot be accepted by phone. What are the academic standards? It is important that all participants understand the role academic marks play in the recruitment process. Sororities perform very well academically at K-State and the chapters expect their members to be a part of this high level of academic achievement. Please note the following: Panhellenic highly recommends that a woman wishing to go through recruitment has a 3.0 GPA in High School or 2.8 GPA in College. Academics are extremely important to our Greek community, as shown by the All Sorority GPA average of 3.34. Each sorority chapter has academic standards for membership and only in very rare instances are exceptions made by chapters to the minimum standards. We share this information to show all women interested in participating in recruitment the importance of meeting the suggested GPAs stated above in order to maximize your potential success. Are transcripts required? In order to verify your application for recruitment, we require a copy of your final high school transcript, including your last semester. Please DO NOT send a copy of your transcript to Greek Affairs as we will obtain a copy via K-State’s student information system. You will need to ensure your high school sends a final copy of your transcript to the K-State Admissions Office. If you are an upperclassman and have college credit, we will require a copy of any applicable college transcripts and acquire the information from your K-State student records. Can I live off campus during the week of recruitment? The majority of formal membership recruitment participants will have K-State Housing and Dining contracts and be living on campus. Though taking part in formal membership recruitment while living off campus is not a major challenge, it is important to note there are increased expectations of personal responsibility. You need to visit Sorority Formal Membership Recruitment Check-in in the Derby Dining Complex between 1:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 17th. You will then need to be at the Union by 6:00 p.m. for the opening program. What about meals? 8 We hope you'll join us on-campus for meals during the week of recruitment. Participants without a KState Dining plan may purchase a dining card through Greek Affairs at recruitment check-in that will entitle the holder to breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday, August 18th, through Friday, August 22nd (a total of 15 meals at the Derby Dining Center). Meal cards must be paid for by cash or check (no credit or debit cards) at the time of recruitment participant check-in. Meal times are listed on the schedule. They are not flexible, so please be on time. The days can be very long – you should take care of yourself and eat appropriately. Can I live in the sorority house as a new member? Chapters are only able to reserve bed spaces for women who are current members. The majority of the chapters do not have bed space available for this fall’s new members. Occasionally there will be vacancies, but we do not encourage potential members to rely on this as a housing option. 9 Check-In and Move-In Procedures Check-in will take place on Sunday, August 17th, from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. on the first floor of the Derby Dining Complex. Optional parent and family orientation sessions are hosted at 3:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. in the Derby Academic Resource Center. These sessions last about 30 minutes in length. All participants will gather in the K-State Union Ballroom at 6:00 p.m. This opening event is only for recruitment participants, so you will need to say your goodbyes to parents and family members traveling with you prior to this time. In August, a few days prior to recruitment, please check your e-mail for updates and more information on check-in procedures. Living on campus If you are living on campus, you will be able to begin moving into your actual residence hall room on Sunday, August 17th, beginning at 1:00 p.m. A $35/day fee will be assessed from Housing & Dining for the week. This will be posted to your account in iSIS. It does not matter in what order you accomplish tasks. However all participants must be checkedin for sorority recruitment and moved into their residence hall by 6:00 p.m. and at the Union for the opening program The residence hall staff will be available to help you get situated into your room. For more information on moving in to the residence halls, visit the K-State Housing and Dining website. The residence hall staff will be prepared for you. A resident advisor will be on the floor. No student will be alone on her residence floor during the week of recruitment. Some participants will find that their roommates will not be taking part in the sorority formal membership recruitment process and therefore may not be moving into the residence hall quite as early. It is advised you make contact with your new roommate prior to moving in to make any necessary plans. Living off campus If you are living off campus, you should plan to visit Sorority Formal Membership Recruitment check-in, Sunday, August 17th, from 1:00 to 5:30 p.m. on the first floor of the Derby Dining Complex and be prepared to attend the opening program at 6:00 p.m. at the Union. 10 How Selection Works Recruitment is a mutual selection process. After each round of recruitment, you will enter into a computer system your preference of chapters you would like to attend in the next round. You should make this decision based on your feelings and knowledge of the chapters you visited and be careful not to base your decision on the opinion of others. In the same manner, chapter members will decide who they would like to invite back to the next round. Prior to each round, you will receive a schedule of chapters you have been matched with for visits. After attending your last event of preference round you will enter a computer lab to make your final preference choices. Each potential new member will list in rank order the chapters whose preference events you attended. By ranking the chapters and submitting your preferences after your last preference round, you are agreeing to accept an invitation to membership from any NPC fraternity/sorority that you have listed. Once the acceptance agreement has been submitted, it cannot be altered or changed. After the agreement is submitted, you are bound by the National Panhellenic Conference one calendar year rule. This rule states that if you receive an invitation to membership from a group that you have listed and then do not accept it, you are not eligible to be pledged to any other NPC member sorority (fraternity) on this campus until Formal Recruitment in Fall 2014. Most of the time potential members receive their first preference. If the potential new member does not receive an invitation from her first preference, she may receive an invitation from her second or third preference. Once a potential new member receives an invitation to pledge a chapter, she becomes a new member of that sorority. There will be a pledging ceremony, in which chapters ask their new members to pledge themselves to the ideals of the sorority. Pledging occurs on the evening of bid day or at the first chapter meeting. Pledging ceremonies may be formal or informal, depending on the chapter. 11 Letters of Recommendation What is a recommendation? A recommendation is a personal letter of reference provided by an alumna of a sorority to her sorority’s chapter at K-State. When an alumna asks to write a recommendation on your behalf, you may help by offering a resume complete with high school academic and involvement information, as well as community service involvement information. Alumnae should follow their headquarters' policy regarding letters of recommendation. Some chapters require that recommendations be submitted on a special form. These forms may be accessed by alumnae on their national organization’s website, in their organization’s magazine or by contacting the sorority’s inter/national headquarters. Is a recommendation necessary? Letters of recommendation are not required by the K-State Panhellenic Council. When and where should they be mailed? Letters should be mailed before the start of recruitment. Letters of recommendation are to be sent to each individual chapter house (c/o Reference Chair). All addresses are located in Manhattan, KS 66502. Alpha Chi Omega 1835 Todd Road Delta Delta Delta 1834 Laramie Street Kappa Kappa Gamma 517 Fairchild Terrace Alpha Delta Pi 518 Sunset Avenue Gamma Phi Beta 1807 Todd Road Pi Beta Phi 1819 Todd Road Alpha Xi Delta 601 Fairchild Terrace Kappa Alpha Theta 1517 McCain Lane Sigma Kappa 1525 Denison Avenue Chi Omega 1516 McCain Lane Kappa Delta 1220 Centennial Drive Zeta Tau Alpha 508 Sunset Avenue 12 What to Bring and Where to Park If you’re living on campus, you'll be moving into your residence hall room, so bring those possessions you'll need for the semester. Here are some obvious, but important items to pack... Sheets, pillow, pillowcases, blankets, and towels. Toiletries. You should bring all shower supplies and personal toiletry items with you. It may be helpful to bring along a shower caddy and shower shoes. A wrap, robe, or cover-up to wear when walking to and from the bathrooms. Swimsuit - some chapters might take a trip to the lake as a sisterhood activity on Bid Day. Tennis shoes and comfortable clothes for exercise if time allows. Parking If you are planning on bringing a car to campus, it is important that you purchase a K-State parking permit through K-State Parking Services on-line. If you live on-campus, your permit will be available at your residence hall when you arrive Sunday, August 17th. All parking permits are good beginning Sunday, August 17th. Parking on campus during the week of recruitment is no different that parking during the school year - all parking regulations must be followed. If you live off-campus and purchase a parking permit, your permit will be available at Parking Services. Order your parking permit online by logging into your ISIS account. Enter your eid and your password. Select the marketplace option and then student parking permits. To order, you need to know if you will live in the residence halls or off-campus, not an exact address or room number. It is important to understand that you will not need a car during the week of recruitment. All participants walk or are bused to all recruitment events. No participants are permitted to drive to any of the recruitment events. Though we feel parking is safe and secure, neither the Panhellenic Council nor Greek Affairs can guarantee the security of vehicles and materials left in participant vehicles. 13 What to Wear In an effort to ensure you are comfortable, the Panhellenic Council offers the following suggestions of proper attire for formal membership recruitment. When determining attire, you should understand you will be doing a lot of walking, it's always hot during recruitment, and you may be expected to sit on the floor at the chapter houses. Attire becomes dressier as the rounds continue, but please dress comfortably. Light weight clothing and comfortable shoes are highly recommended! Monday and Tuesday – Round 1: Open Houses Dress comfortably in your favorite K-State t-shirt and a casual skirt, shorts or capris. Please consider that during events at sororities you may have to sit on the floor. Comfortable shoes and sandals are appropriate – remember that you'll be visiting all 12 chapters the first two days during this round. Wednesday - Round 2: House Tours Round 2 is dressier than Round 1 and most potential new members choose to wear a nice shirt and casual skirt, capris or a comfortable sundress. Again, you may have to sit on the floor during conversation periods. 14 Thursday - Round 3: Sisterhood and Philanthropy Round 3 is dressier than Rounds 1 and 2. Attire is similar to what you would wear to church, or a nice dinner. Appropriate clothing would be a dresser skirt or sundress. When choosing shoes, remember to stay comfortable! If you want to wear heels, we suggest bringing a pair of flats or sandals to use between parties. Friday - Round 4: Preference This is the most formal day of recruitment. You should consider wearing what you’d wear to a summer wedding or to an important ceremony. Most potential new members choose to wear heels, but bring sandals or flats to wear between parties. Friday night through Saturday - Bid Day 15 Be comfortable! Shorts or jeans and tennis shoes or flip flops are appropriate. 16 Tips for a Successful Recruitment Traveling between chapter homes Breaks are quick! You should ensure you are on time to events by traveling quickly between events. Recruitment guides will offer instruction to help you find your way. Always wear your nametag You should always wear your nametag visibly. Consider carrying as little as possible during the day You will be unable to carry a bag/purse into the chapter home and instead will be asked to leave your bag with a recruitment guide assigned to the chapter as a host. Anything you should need, a recruitment guide will likely have. Don't carry a cell phone You are asked to not carry cell phones during scheduled events. You should leave your cell phones in your residence hall room, or in your tote bag that will kept outside (and watched by recruitment guides) while events are going on. All recruitment guides have phones in case you are lost or encounter an emergency. Keep an open mind Participants who do the best during the recruitment process keep an open mind about what they are experiencing. The week may be stressful, and some women may experience disappointment at one time or another. Participants who use the recruitment process to learn as much as they can about all 12 chapters at K-State—and appreciate each for what they can offer—enjoy the recruitment experience more. Recruitment conversation tips During recruitment, you will need to be able to talk about yourself and your interests. Because you will visit all 12 chapters on the first two days, sometimes these conversations may become somewhat repetitive. Below are some common topics discussed to better prepare for conversation during recruitment. Remember that the key to recruitment conversation is to have fun and be yourself! Academics During the first two days of recruitment, you can expect to talk about your major, why you came to K-State, and what made you select your major. Education is the primary reason students are at K-State, so you should be prepared to discuss it. Summer You will be asked about summer jobs, vacations, and any interesting things you did over the summer. Sharing fun stories about traveling, working, movies you have seen, or concerts you have attended will make the conversation much more interesting and fun! High school activities High school activities give sorority members a good picture of who you are and what types of things interest you. You may spend some time thinking about what you enjoyed participating in during high school: sports, volunteering, clubs, or any other hobbies and interests. Leadership opportunities and involvement at K-State You may also wish to talk about any goals you have for your college career or if there are any organizations you would like to get involved in. You may meet someone with the same interests 17 who can tell you more about it. If you are interested in leadership positions within a sorority, they may ask questions about those opportunities. What you want to gain from being a sorority woman You should be sure and spend some time thinking about the qualities you would like in a sorority. Here are some examples of what to ask about: Academics Community service Leadership opportunities Sisterhood Social activities Time commitment Remember that recruitment is a mutual selection process, so you should identify the qualities you are looking for in a sorority and ask questions to find the best fit! 18 Expectations & Guidelines The Panhellenic Council has adopted the following regulations so that recruitment may be as fair as possible to all persons concerned. All women participating in recruitment are responsible for observing these guidelines and should become familiar with them. If serious infringements of panhellenic guidelines occur, penalties may be imposed including dismissal from the recruitment process. The following, taken from the Kansas State University Panhellenic Council Membership Recruitment Code of Ethics, applies to potential new members. General Guidelines and Expectations for Potential New Members 1. Prospective members must be enrolled, full-time students at Kansas State University to be eligible for recruitment. Full-time is defined as taking 12 hours at Kansas State University. 2. To participate in recruitment, interested women must not be or must not have been an initiated member of a National Panhellenic Council (NPC) organization and must not have signed a membership recruitment acceptance agreement at Kansas State University in the last calendar year. 3. Panhellenic highly recommends that a woman wishing to go through recruitment has a 3.0 GPA in High School or 2.8 GPA in College. Academics are extremely important to our Greek community, as shown by the All Sorority GPA average of 3.34.Each sorority chapter has academic standards for membership and only in very rare instances are exceptions made by chapters to the minimum standards. We share this information to show all women interested in participating in recruitment the importance ofmeeting the suggested GPAs stated above in order to maximize your potential success. 4. Each potential member should be aware that individual chapters will be following grade requirement guidelines set forth by their individual organizations. 5. Prospective members must register with Panhellenic and pay the established fee to participate in recruitment. 6. Each prospective member is expected to accept the maximum number of invitations for each round in order to maximize her chances of pledging, expect in the case of illness or emergency. Failure to do so will result in being withdrawn from further recruitment activities. 7. Legacies are recruited the same as any other prospective member. 8. Prospective members who sign preference cards and receive bids at the end of the formal recruitment period are bound to that sorority for one calendar year at Kansas State University. While they are not obligated to pledge that sorority, they may not pledge another NPC sorority at Kansas State within that year. 9. Prospective members may not use alcohol or illegal substances from the time they move into recruitment housing until the close of bid day. Prospective members must contact the Directors of Recruitment or Greek Affairs should they wish to withdraw from the formal membership recruitment process to complete necessary paperwork. 19 Potential New Member Bill of Rights The right to be treated as an individual The right to be fully informed about the recruitment process The right to ask questions and receive true and objective answers from recruitment counselors and members The right to be treated with respect The right to be treated as a capable and mature person without being patronized The right to ask how and why and receive straight answers The right to have and express opinions to recruitment counselors The right to have inviolable confidentiality when sharing information with recruitment counselors The right to make informed choices without undue pressure from others The right to be fully informed about the binding agreements implicit in the membership acceptance signing The right to make one’s own choice and decision and accept full responsibility for the results of that decision The right to have a positive, safe and enriching recruitment and new member experience Panhellenic Recruitment Vocabulary Alumna (feminine): A women’s fraternity or sorority member who is no longer a member of a collegiate chapter. Alumnae (feminine): The plural of alumna. Bid- An invitation to membership in a chapter. Chapter- A local group of a national organization, designated by its own Greek letter name. House Director/Mother- A woman who lives in the sorority house and cares for all of the women living in the sorority house. She manages the house. Interfraternity Council (IFC)- An umbrella organization that presides over men’s fraternities, each of which is autonomous as a social, Greek letter society of college men, undergraduate and alumnae. Legacy- See page 21 for specific legacy information. NPC- National Panhellenic Conference; a conference body composed of delegates from the 26 women’s national sororities, each of which is autonomous as a social, Greek letter society of college women, undergraduate and alumnae. New Member- A woman or man who has accepted a bid but is not yet an initiated member. Panhellenic Association- The local governing body of the women’s fraternities on K-State’s campus. Pledge- A promise made by a new member to an organization. Potential New Member- A woman who is participating in the Recruitment process and wishes to explore the possibilities of sorority membership. Recruitment- A period of time during the school year in which events are held by each sorority for the purpose of selecting new members. The recruitment period is organized and implemented by the College Panhellenic. No longer referred to as rush. Recruitment Guide- A Panhellenic representative who has no contact with her own chapter during membership recruitment and is available to guide women through the recruitment process and answer questions. 20 Financial Information Each woman joining a sorority should be aware of the dues, fees and other expenses that are involved and should consider these when making financial plans to attend college. During Formal Recruitment, a potential member should ask sorority members about financial obligations and payment options. Each sorority sets its own fees and housing costs as well as payment schedules. The average cost the first year of joining a sorority is $1,614 a year. This first year has a higher level of costs due to one-time expenses and fees. The average annual cost of sorority membership for a member who lives in the sorority chapter house is $5,707 a year. This cost includes all membership fees as well as room and board. For comparison, the cost of living in a residence hall double room with a 15 meal dining plan is $7660. Chapter First Year In-House Out-Of-House Alpha Chi Omega $1,357 $3,190 $938 Alpha Delta Pi $1,612 $5,944 $1,334 Alpha Xi Delta $1,710 $5,455 $1,375 Chi Omega $2,080 $6,660 $1,400 Delta Delta Delta $1,345 $3,025 $890 Gamma Phi Beta $1,900 $5,400 $1,350 Kappa Alpha Theta $2,210 $4,925 $2,210 Kappa Delta $2,067 $7,084 $1,712 Kappa Kappa Gamma $1,970 $6,612 $1,286 $991 $7,311 $951 Sigma Kappa $1,880 $5,880 $1,770 Zeta Tau Alpha $1,870 $7,000 $951 Chapter Averages $1,614 $5,707 $1,347 Pi Beta Phi *Note: All costs are estimated. These numbers may be subject to change. Information about financial obligations will be shared throughout the recruitment process and should be reviewed and understood, as this is an important expectation of membership. 21 Legacy Information A legacy is a potential new member who is the sister, daughter, or granddaughter of an alumnae sorority member. Being a legacy does NOT guarantee membership into a sorority. Legacy status can be indicated when registering online. Please have the alumnae member send a legacy introduction form and letter of recommendation directly to her sorority, as sororities will need to verify the information you list. The following is what each sorority considers a legacy: Alpha Chi Omega: Sister, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother Alpha Delta Pi: Sister, Mother, Grandmother Alpha Xi Delta: Sister, Mother, Grandmother, Aunt, Step Relatives Chi Omega: Sister, Mother Delta Delta Delta: Sister, Mother, Grandmother, Stepsister, Stepmother Gamma Phi Beta: Sister, Mother, Grandmother, Stepsister, Stepmother Kappa Alpha Theta: Sister, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother Kappa Delta: Sister, Mother, Grandmother, Stepsister, Stepmother, Half Relatives Kappa Kappa Gamma: Sister, Mother, Grandmother Pi Beta Phi: Sister, Mother, Grandmother Sigma Kappa: Sister, Mother, Grandmother, Aunt, Step-Relatives Zeta Tau Alpha: Sister, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Aunt, Step Relatives 22
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