Greek Information at Recruitment

No doubt, the potential new members will have heard the gossip, know the stereotypes of fraternities, sororities and Greek life, and will enter recruitment with a slightly biased opinion. Your Greek community and fraternity or sorority chapter can combat this bias head-on by providing information about Greek life all throughout recruitment. Not only should this information go to the potential new members, but also to their parents and families. When potential new members register for formal recruitment, have them provide their parents’ mailing address or email so recruitment information can be sent (both from your governing body such as IFC or Panhellenic and the individual chapters). Information should include the formal recruitment process, the participating fraternity and sorority chapters, and a glossary of terms (i.e. what a “bid” is).

Additionally, fraternity and sorority members can do their part to disprove the image by acting appropriately throughout recruitment. Sororities who bad-mouth other chapters and fraternities who host illegal parties with alcohol and drugs do nothing to improve the image of the Greek community.

Chapter Information throughout Student’s Pledge Process

Once your potential new members receive and accept their bids, the majority of the responsibility to stay in contact with parents falls on the individual chapters. While the Greek governing bodies should still send out information to parents to keep them up to date, once new members accept their bids, parents usually want specific information about their student’s chapter. Most national fraternities and sororities send out welcome and introduction letters to parents that include general information about the organization and additional resources. Before you send out information to the parents of your new members, be sure to talk with your nationals to see what they already send out.

Since your nationals sends out general information to parents, most information you send out should be specific to your chapter and the new member (pledge) process. Include information such as what the chapter is doing, what the new members are doing, and how the new member process works. Also, if you have a chapter newsletter (sent out to parents of active members), consider sending this to parents of new members as well.

Parents Newsletters

Although your new members have now made it through the new member process, been initiated, and become a vital brother or sister of the chapter, it doesn’t mean that their parents will automatically change their views on the Greek system. Unfortunately, you may never be able to completely change a parent’s perspective of fraternities and sororities or their idea of what it is to be “Greek”, but that doesn’t mean you should stop trying. As their student is now an active member of the chapter, parents should still be kept up to date about what’s going on. Send out a parents newsletter at least twice a year (once per quarter or semester is ideal) with information about the chapter and what’s going on. Here are some ideas of what to include:

• Newly elected executive members
• Philanthropic activities
• Current athletics and results from previous sports (championships, etc.)
• Chapter awards and recognitions (from the university, from your nationals, etc.)
• Upcoming events that parents can attend (philanthropy, parents’ night, etc.)

Parents Day

Although sending out newsletters and chapter updates are effective ways of keeping parents in the loop, sometimes the best way to change a stereotype is face to face. Many chapters host a parents’ day, night, or weekend in which any parents of an active member can visit the chapter’s house, meet the active members, and see what the chapter does. Tailor your parents’ event to the needs and abilities of the chapter and its members as well as the general abilities of the parents. Don’t try hosting your parents’ day during Finals or Midterm week, and if your chapter can only host a two-hour event, don’t try to stretch your budget and host an entire weekend. Likewise, if many of your members are from out-of-state, plan the event ahead of time and tell the parents far enough in advance so they can make travel plans and change their schedule if need be. As you plan your parents’ day, make sure to schedule events that both allow people to meet and mingle, and that are tailored to parents and members. Also, remember to provide snacks for a short event, and lunch or dinner if the event goes over three or four hours.

Local Active and Alumni Chapters

Fraternity and sorority chapters should be aware of how their actions affect the public’s perceptions of Greeks. Not only do members’ behavior reflect the chapter and the national fraternity or sorority, but they also reflect the Greek community as a whole. Additionally, Greek alumni chapters and associations reflect the Greek community and contribute to the overall image of fraternities and sororities. Even if the issue of anti-Greek parents hasn’t come up in your chapter, consider how your chapter’s actions and behavior will positively or negatively affect the stereotype. Because, chances are, the issue will eventually affect one or more of your members.

This post was generously provided by ChapterBoard.

The post Dealing with Anti-Greek Parents and The “Greek” Stereotype appeared first on The Campus Companion Chapter Life.

Recruitment is one of the most important aspects for any Greek chapter, thus, there’s always a lot of pressure on those running recruitment. While this time can be stressful and make you want to rip your hair out, don’t forget the one great resource of your chapter: alumni. Chapter alumni, or even regional alumni (alumni who are part of your organization but not your specific chapter) are a great addition to the recruitment team. Alumni can answer recruitment questions, help members practice, suggest strategies that were successful in the past, and also lend an extra hand around the house. If you plan on incorporating alumni support into your upcoming recruitment (and we all at ChapterTalk strongly suggest you do), here are some tips to help you avoid alumni disaster and get a leg up on the competition.

Tell Alumni Early and Keep Them Informed

Although your chapter may know the recruitment schedule months in advance, don’t assume that your alumni will as well. Remember to inform your alumni about recruitment as soon as possible, and keep them up to date on any changes to the schedule. Unlike active members, most alumni are working full time and have other obligations (work, vacations, family, significant other, children, etc.). By giving alumni advance notice so they can clear their work schedule, hire a nanny, or get some time off, you’ll guarantee a higher attendance rate and a lower chance of last minute cancellations.

Keep Alumni Active

Once you get alumni to the recruitment events, remember to keep them busy. As stated before, alumni have different lives, responsibilities and priorities than active members. While active members have an obligation to be at recruitment events, alumni do not (you can’t fine an alum for missing recruitment). Thus, value your alumni’s time and make the best use of it. Like everything else, this also takes planning. If alumni are scheduled to help at a recruitment retreat, make a schedule for them as well (i.e. when they’re not “mock recruiting” with active members, what do they do? how long do they need to stay?). If they’re helping out at the actual recruitment events, plan their schedule as well. Remember: being prepared to keep the alumni busy and active will not only make you look organized, but it will also ensure your alumni are happy and ready to volunteer the next time you ask.

Say ‘Thank You’… Again and Again and AGAIN!

Too many times have we heard about alumni who, after helping out at recruitment, were never properly thanked by the chapter. Although to some this may seem like the most trivial part of recruitment, it is actually a much bigger deal. When alumni volunteer, they usually have to make sacrifices in other parts of their lives: taking vacation days at work, paying someone else to watch their kids, or missing quality time with their partner. While many alumni are happy to make the sacrifice in order to help the chapter, few are ever inclined to do so again if they feel their time and work were unappreciated. As alumni support can improve your chapter’s recruitment, be sure to remember those two magic words, “thank you”, and use them as often as possible. At the end of a recruitment event or retreat, have the entire chapter come together and thank the alumni (an applause isn’t entirely out of the question). And if you want to go above and beyond, leave a little extra room in your recruitment budget for thank you cards (sent out in a timely fashion once recruitment is done). Remembering to thank your alumni is not just about manners and being polite; it’s also about acknowledging the hard work of the alumni, expressing your appreciation for their time, and encouraging them to volunteer again.

Avoid Alumni Drama

Finally, although alumni are older than active members (and hopefully more mature), remind yourself that drama can happen. Alumni drama isn’t necessarily like chapter drama (“she stole my boyfriend”, “he hit on my girl”, etc.), but unchecked, it can be just as messy and stressful. Many times during recruitment, chapters will find that they have an, to put it nicely, “over-zealous” alum who wants to be involved in everything. While alumni interest is much appreciated, these types of alumni can cause problems with other alumni. Mainly, the over-zealous alum will usually appoint themselves “alumni leader”, and then alumni responsibilities like cleaning up after each party will turn into orders (“you alumni, clean this up!”). Situations like this make other alumni uncomfortable, resentful, and less likely to volunteer in the future. To avoid these problems, make sure there is an active member directing the alumni or working closely with your alumni board (if the board organized the alumni in the first place). Also, if any alum gets out of line, be sure to take care of the situation before it blows out of proportion.

This post was generously provided by ChapterBoard.

The post Alumni: The Best Kept Recruitment Secret appeared first on The Campus Companion Chapter Life.

10) University Orientation & Welcome Events

For the very social and outgoing Greeks, campus-wide events are great places to meet freshmen students. Many universities have a welcome event or orientation in which new students can get to know the campus, learn about the various activities, and, hopefully, meet other students. Encourage your chapter members to attend these events in small groups (no more than four), wear their letters, and socialize with as many people as possible. Remember: as these events are usually held to help orient students to the campus, being helpful to a new student is a great conversation starter.

9) Campus Jobs

Working on campus is a great way to meet new people and earn some extra money. If your members have jobs on campus, remind them to not only socialize with their co-workers but with their customers as well. For example, if your fraternity brother works in the campus computer store, encourage him to talk up the freshman student who comes in looking for hard drive help. Also, stress the importance of remembering the name and face of every person they meet. That way, even if they only speak for 30 seconds, your member can recognize the freshman later and strike up a conversation.

8) Lower Division Courses

As freshman students usually won’t be in any upper division courses, encourage your members to keep a look out in any of their lower division classes. While we’re not encouraging you to put off taking Chemistry 1A or Writing 99 until your junior year, we do encourage being aware of who else is in your class. Especially if that someone else is a freshman who knows her microbiology… not just a good study partner but a good addition to your sorority!

7) Facebook

No, we do not mean Facebook stalking! Please don’t do stalk students on Facebook as it’s creepy and will probably do more harm than good. Rather, join Facebook groups that may attract freshmen students like cultural clubs, sport clubs, or campus issues. Be sure to join groups that you have some interest in or knowledge of; that way, when you speak with a group member you won’t be lying your way through the ideas of Ayn Rand or the offensive strategies of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Additionally, remember to be proactive within the Facebook group by hosting meetups for people in the group, sharing related news articles or websites, and prompting conversations.

6) Intramural Teams (Co-Ed or Same Sex)

If you have a love for a sport, or even just a slight inkling to learn the game, join an intramural team on campus (or start your own!). Intramural sports are a great way to meet freshmen and bond over a shared interest. You also don’t need to be alone in your athletic endeavors. Ask around the chapter to see if there are other members who’d like to join the team. And as intramural teams are usually just for fun, you don’t need to worry about overly competitive players or bad sportsmanship (but you may want to remind your members just in case).

5) Non-Greek Campus Clubs

Not surprisingly, many Greek students are also members of other non-Greek campus clubs. These clubs range from purely social to pre-professional and cultural heritage. While there may be other Greeks in these clubs as well, campus clubs are a great opportunity to meet freshmen students. Whether you’re just a member of the club, or have a prominent leadership position, meeting freshmen students in a non-Greek setting can ease the situation and take the pressures of recruitment off your shoulders.

4) Student Government

Working in student government can be a wonderful way to learn more about the university and meet new students. Additionally, leaders within student government, such as student body president or vice president, usually have the opportunity to hire interns and volunteers. If your chapter has a member in student government, encourage them to meet the new students, socialize, and introduce them to other members of the chapter as the opportunity arises. Good places for easy introductions include university athletic games, before or after classes, or even at a Saturday afternoon barbecue.

3) Club Sports

Club sports are different from intramural sports as they are highly competitive. Club sport players are usually people who played the sport competitively in high school but didn’t end up playing on the NCAAteam for some reason or another. If you play a club sport, look to see who the new freshmen talent is. Not only is the sport team an ideal setting for getting to know the freshmen and bonding, but it’s also a great opportunity to find some fresh athletic talent for your chapter.

2) Food Court

During the first few weeks of the new school year, encourage your members to peruse the food court, sit down, and meet new people. Although the food may not be the best, campus dining facilities always have new students looking to meet new people and find their niche. Additionally, as this can sometimes be awkward or difficult, encourage your members to go in pairs or small groups (again, four at most). That way, your members can carry the conversation together, and talk to multiple freshmen at once so no one feels left out or ignored.

1) Freshman Move In

One of the best ways to meet freshmen is to help out at dorm move in. There’s no better way to give mom and dad a good impression of Greeks and Greek life than by unloading their car, guiding them around the dorm, and answering any questions they might have. Plus, your chapter will get additional exposure as the resident advisers* and dorm staff will see your fraternity brothers or sorority sisters helping out on campus. Just be sure to meet with your chapter first and go over appropriate manners and conversation topics. Telling a parent about the annual Greek pantie run during finals week is probably not the impression you want to make.

*While we considered putting “be a resident adviser” on this list, we feel it may not be the best choice for some students. While we completely support Greeks being resident advisers or dorm staff members, we encourage them to do so because they want to be advisers not because they want to recruit freshmen. There are many other responsibilities that come with being an adviser and a bad Greek resident adviser reflects poorly on both their respective chapter and the entire Greek community.

This post was generously provided by ChapterBoard.

The post 10 Ways To Meet a Freshman appeared first on The Campus Companion Chapter Life.

Whether you already have your retreat venue or are still deciding, it’s never too early to plan out your retreat schedule. Just like the actual recruitment events, planning and scheduling each day of your retreat will make things run smoothly, more efficiently, and give you less stress and grief in the end.

Major Events Come First

Plan out your major events first as these are the most important and will most strongly dictate the schedule. For example, if you have alumni coming to help with mock recruitment at 1:00pm on Saturday, don’t plan Saturday’s lunch break at 12:45pm. Additionally, make sure to give enough time to all the major events. While you may be a seasoned veteran at recruitment, some of your newer members may have little to no recruitment experience. Plan extra time for questions, longer explanations, and extra practice to ensure your members know exactly what they need to do.

Give Plenty of Breaks

Although recruitment retreat isn’t as hard as the LSATs, remember that your members will need breaks. Give them plenty! Breaks can be brief five or 10 minute slots in between activities, or longer time periods if needed. While you might want to get through things as fast as possible, your members will be more willing to learn and practice if they get a few minutes every now and then to relax. Keep in mind that your recruitment retreat should be a marathon, not a sprint: a slower pace will get you and your chapter to the final goal faster, and in a better mood, than a fast one.

Keep ‘Time-Fillers’ on Hand

While you may plan your retreat down to the minute, it’s inevitable that you’ll find times when your members have nothing to do. Maybe they finish something early or things take longer to set up. Whatever the case, make sure you have something for your members to do if this happens. For sororities, a great standby is to practice songs. Although you may have scheduled “song time” later in the day, practicing songs is something everyone can do and benefit from. For fraternities, brushing up on chapter history is a great time filler. Hand out information about the fraternity and your chapter at the beginning of recruitment retreat, and, if there’s extra time, have your brothers quiz each other (this is also a great exercise for sororities).

Plan For The Unexpected

While yes, planning for the unexpected is hard to do, it’s not impossible. Once you have all your major events planned out, think of alternatives to each event. If your alumni don’t show up for mock recruitment, if the food isn’t delivered on time, if the venue is locked when you show up, what will you do? Planning for these improbable but not impossible problems will help you deal with the situation if it does occur. It will also remind you of things you might otherwise have forgotten (i.e. having the catering company on speed dial), and think of things you might otherwise have forgot about (i.e. confirm dates and times with alumni).

Have Help… Lots of Help!

One of the easiest ways to stress yourself out and cripple the recruitment retreat is to not have help. While your chapter may have put you in charge of organizing and running the retreat, nothing says you can’t have an assistant, or even two… so don’t be afraid to ask! Make sure to have your assistants chosen before the actual retreat, and make sure they are involved in every step of the planning process. That way, if you forget something, or need something, they know what it is, where to get it, and who to call if necessary. Assistants are also key if (knock of wood!) you get sick, have a family emergency, or something happens that stops you from attending retreat. Just remember: your assistants are also your fraternity brothers or sorority sisters. Treat them with respect, acknowledge their good work, and listen to their ideas. Don’t get a big head about having people to boss around, otherwise, you’ll soon find yourself with too much to do and no one to help you do it.

This post was generously provided by ChapterBoard.

The post Planning Your Recruitment Retreat Schedule appeared first on The Campus Companion Chapter Life.

As new members…
As with the other sisters of your sorority, the key to keeping new members involved is keeping them interested. This is why the new member process and education is so important. During the new member process, not only should your new members be learning about the sorority, but the sorority should also be learning about the new members. Its one thing to know someone’s year in school, major and if she has a boyfriend (anyone can find that out in five minutes). Its quite another thing to know what someone’s passion is, what they do in their spare time, what their ambitions are, and what they expect from the sorority. During the new member process, make sure your active sisters learn the nitty gritty about their new members. This might require more time spent with new members and making more of an effort, but just remember: these girls are the future of your chapter. If they don’t feel connected to the sisterhood by initiation, what will motivate them as active members to get involved?

As active members…

The work doesn’t stop at initiation. After initiation is when your sisters need to rally together and involve your newly initiated sisters. Some will be easier than others: some girls will jump right in, no holds barred, and volunteer for committees or run for elected positions. Others will need more coaxing, and possible a gentle push in the right direction. For these members, capitalize on their interests. A computer-genius sister? Have her work on the chapter’s website. A very social sister? Assign her to fundraiser for the chapter’s philanthropy. An introverted, book-smart sister? Chapter historian has her name written all over it. If you don’t know your new members well, I suggest the following (besides from getting to know the new members yourself):

• Ask your new member educator. This sister usually spends the most time with new members and has a unique experience with all the new members
• Ask the new member’s big sister. Big sisters are chosen for the new member because they have a special bond with the member
• Ask other new members in the same initiation class. Many times, new members bond with the members of their class before bonding with active members of the sorority. Just because they are new members, don’t think they won’t know something about another new member
• Ask active members. Sometimes, active members end up spending hours with new members without even realizing it (class, athletics, etc.). And, more times than not, they get to know the new member

Always remember: there are always aspects of the sorority that could use an extra hand or another head, and for every sister, there is a place and responsibility to be filled. By keeping the newly initiated sisters busy with and interested in the chapter, you’ll make them feel connected to their sisters and to the sisterhood. And when sisters feel that they belong, there’s little chance they’ll choose to leave.

This post was generously provided by ChapterBoard.

The post Post Initiation Blues… appeared first on The Campus Companion Chapter Life.

In order to prepare for recruitment, many chapters host a retreat for their active members. This is a great opportunity to get members away from their busy lives (and other distractions), keep them focused on the upcoming recruitment, and give them time to reconnect and bond. It’s also the perfect opportunity to reunite your members after their summer holidays and get everyone on the same page again. Recruitment retreats are held at various venues, depending on the chapter. Some chapters host weekend excursions in a neighboring city while others lock their members in the chapter house for eight hours a day. While other venue options may sound fun, remember that you need to tailor your retreat to your chapter’s needs. You also need to plan ahead to ensure that your venue, and more importantly, your members are available. Here are some examples of retreat venues and how they can benefit your chapter’s recruitment.

Secluded Venue

A secluded venue, such as a cabin or rental house on a big lot, is great for a recruitment retreat as it gives your chapter complete and utter privacy. Your members will spend all day and all night together as there is literally no one else around. This is a good option for chapters who want to build their brother/sisterhood, or who have members who are easily distracted. The one downside to this venue is that, because of the seclusion, it’s not easy to leave and come back. This could present a problem for members who have other obligations (work, etc.), need to come late, or need to leave early. Additionally, hosting a retreat at a secluded venue also requires a lot of advanced planning, especially for food. If you choose a secluded venue for your retreat, make sure you overestimate the amount of food and drinks you’ll need as you don’t want your retreat turning into a Greek version of the Donner party.

Beach House/Lake House

Renting a beach or lake house for your recruitment retreat is, let’s be honest, a great way to get your members to show up. Sororities have found the beach house extremely successful as many sisters are more willing to practice songs, learn chapter history, and mock recruit while getting a tan. A lake house can also be great for a fraternity or sorority as members (or the chapter if you’re feeling generous) can rent jet skis, go boating, or see who can jump the furthest from the dock. A beach or lake house is great for a chapter who has a hard time getting members to come out. Whether your members are busy with work, taking summer school or just back at home, hosting a beachfront or lakeside recruitment retreat is sure to entice your members back. The downside to a beach or lake house is the cost and the room. Most chapters don’t budget for a full-on rental house, so be sure to plan ahead for the extra cost if necessary. Also, make sure the house you rent can fit your entire chapter. Beach and lake houses are probably not the best option for 100+ member chapters… however, if your mind is set, look for side-by-side rentals (two neighboring houses, rented together).

University Rooms

An easy option for recruitment retreat is renting out classrooms on campus. Most universities don’t charge fraternities or sororities, so this is a great way to keep your costs down. Additionally, if the majority of your chapter is living on or around campus, the university venue is easy and convenient, giving your members few reasons to not show up. The down side to this venue is that, well, it’s just classrooms. No wilderness like the secluded cabin, option of tanning like the beach house, and definitely no 24-hour retreat as the university probably won’t let you sleep in the classrooms. With the university venue, your recruitment retreat will end up being more serious than with other venues simply because your members will want to learn everything and get out (who wants to spend their last days of a summer in a classroom?). This is a downside because your members might not bond as much as at another venue. However, the upside is that you can set a more serious tone at your retreat which is a great thing for chapters who have a hard time keeping their members’ attention.

Chapter House

Another cost-effective venue option is your chapter house. If your house is big enough to accommodate your members (remember, you need more space than just a regular chapter meeting), hosting retreat at the chapter house can be beneficial in more ways than one. First, members who don’t live in the house will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves. Second, since your house is private (after all, you do perform ritual in it), you’ll have no problem with outside distractions. Finally, as many chapters use their houses for the actual recruitment events, your members will be able to practice in the real venue. Like the university venue, hosting the recruitment retreat at your chapter house is a good option for chapters whose members are in town and around campus. It’s also good for chapters whose members can’t commit to an all weekend event as you probably don’t want the entire chapter sleeping in the house.

Combined Retreat (Other University or College)

If your chapter has good relations with another chapter of your fraternity or sorority, consider combining your recruitment retreats. This is beneficial to both chapters as your members not only get to meet members of another chapter, but they also get to practice recruiting with people they don’t know (making your members more likely to take things seriously). Combined recruitment retreats only really work for chapters who are located in close proximity. If you want to have a retreat with a chapter that’s 200 miles away, you might want to rethink things. Remember to consider travel time as well as lodging if the other chapter’s house is far away. If your chapter is new (recently chartered or re-chartered) or has little recruitment experience, a combined retreat may be ideal as your chapter can learn from experienced members of the same organization.

Location: Home or Away

Finally, when planning your retreat consider where your members are. While many older members may be living around campus (for summer school, work, etc.) many younger members have probably gone home for the summer. If your recruitment retreat is planned for the end of summer, before the majority of your members return, consider having your retreat in the most convenient place possible. If the majority of your members are around campus, have your retreat in town. If the majority of your members live near X city, consider having retreat there instead. The most important part about the recruitment retreat is member attendance. No matter where you plan your retreat or how well you schedule each day, nothing will matter if your members don’t show up.

This post was generously provided by ChapterBoard.

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