Have recent changes to Greek recruitment been positive?

Phi Mu sisters yell and laugh when they see their new sisters. Photo by Katie Atkinson.
August 27, 2016
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This will be my second year going through recruitment as a member of a Greek organization. I have enjoyed every moment with my sisters — from being recruited to doing the recruiting. But over the last three years of my Greek life participation, recruitment has definitely changed.
Since I was a freshman going through as a potential new member, there are a number of things that have been changed or done away with completely. Skit night — which has since been changed to philanthropy night — was fun and it allowed the potential new members to see the humor of the sisters in each sorority as well as their creativity.
While philanthropy is important and valuable, I also believe that seeing each sorority’s character and how they interact with their sisters is just as important. Philanthropy night is also important and adds another layer to recruitment that I think is essential. It shows how much the sisters actually care about what they are doing, and what they are raising money for.
My biggest reservation with recruitment is (I’ve never asked the rules about this) that each night you drop a sorority. I’ve always wished that there was an additional night (yes, I know, another night) where women could walk down Greek Row at their own leisure and enjoy conversations at each house.
It would be more casual and less stressful. The extra day would be like dipping your toe in the water before jumping all the way in for the next night of recruitment. It would be like an actual open house.
I think both nights are important to show women who are going through recruitment the different layers to being in a sorority, and to show them that we are not the stereotypical women in letters. Nobody on our Greek Row falls into that category.
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