Welcome to Bama Bound!
Family Discussion We encourage you to have a meaningful discussion with your daughter prior to registering to participate in Greek Life at UA. Having a family discussion will help you understand the type of commitment she is about to make. Below are some helpful questions to get you started. Why join a sorority? Can you financially manage being in a sorority? Do you think you can balance your course work and sorority membership?
Being Greek at UA is manageable, but students and parents need to be aware of the commitments prior to receiving a bid for membership.
What is Panhellenic?
• The Panhellenic Council at UA is the local governing body of National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sororities recognized on UA’s campus • The council plans and coordinates Recruitment, Preview Weekend, philanthropy and community service events, Junior Panhellenic and the GAMMA Peer Educator program • Each sorority sends a Panhellenic delegate and junior delegate to biweekly council meetings. • The council consists of these delegates, the ten executive officers, and the council advisors • Seventeen NPC sororities and one local Christian sorority comprise the Panhellenic Council at the Capstone.
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What is Panhellenic?
• The Panhellenic Council at UA is the local governing body of National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sororities recognized on UA’s campus • The council plans and coordinates Recruitment, Preview Weekend, philanthropy and community service events, Junior Panhellenic and the GAMMA Peer Educator program • Each sorority sends a Panhellenic delegate and junior delegate to biweekly council meetings. • The council consists of these delegates, the ten executive officers, and the council advisors • Seventeen NPC sororities and one local Christian sorority comprise the Panhellenic Council at the Capstone.
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Scholarship/Academics
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While there is no minimum grade point average to participate in sorority recruitment, it is HIGHLY recommended that you have at or above a 3.0 cumulative high school or college grade point average.
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The UA Panhellenic endowed three $1,000 scholarships in spring 2012, to benefit women in the UA Panhellenic community.
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Academics are a top priority for every sorority and as such, in order to remain an active member you will be required to must maintain your grades during your four years of membership.
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Each sorority implements programs to assist their members in their academic pursuits - Many sororities offer in-house tutoring, study hall, incentives and scholarships
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Since 1927, the All-Sorority GPA has been above the All- Women’s (Fall 2012) – All Sorority GPA 3.32 (4,732) – All-Panhellenic GPA 3.32 (4,663) – All-Women’s GPA 3.20 (14,927) – All-Independent Women’s GPA 3.14 (10,195) – All-Greek 3.17 (7,538) – All- University 3.06 (27,820)
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What Is Recruitment?
Recruitment, which begins on August 9th with Convocation and ends on August 17th with Bid Day, is a nine day process that allows prospective members to meet women in the UA Panhellenic community, visit their homes, hear about their philanthropic endeavors, and learn what being a member of sorority means to them.
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Recruitment will give you a chance to meet as many Greek women as possible and investigate each sorority as well as Greek life as a whole.
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It is important to know that participation in Formal Recruitment does not guarantee you an invitation to membership in a sorority, nor does it obligate a woman to join.
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Recruitment is a process of mutual selection • Just as you will narrow down your choices of which houses you would like to return to, the sororities will also be required to narrow down the number of Potential New Members they can invite back.
Freshmen Quota & Upperclassman Quota •
UA utilizes a separate quota for freshman and upper-classman, and a PNM’s classification is by their year of high school graduation.
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To be considered a freshman, you must have graduated in spring 2013 or December 2012. Any PNM graduating prior to this date, will be classified as an upperclassman.
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An Upperclassmen Quota is a separate Quota that is used to specifically place Upperclassmen Potential New Members. Its purpose is to give upperclassmen and transfer students a greater opportunity to pledge during Formal Recruitment.
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An Upperclassmen will be identified by the letter “U” after their last name. - Example: Jane Doe (U)
How Do You Register for Recruitment? •
Even though you attended Preview Day, you still need to register for recruitment, as this is a separate application than that which you filled out for Preview Day as well as the Recruitment Interest Database.
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Links to Registration can be found online at www.uapanhellenic.com or www.greekaffairs.ua.edu.
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Online registration opens on May 1, 2013 • Regular Registration: $150.00 (May 1st – July 15th, 2013) • Late Registration: $200.00 (July 16th – August 8th, 2013) • Onsite Registration: $250 (August 9th) *Please note that all registration fees are non-refundable, no exceptions.
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Once registration is complete, payment needs to be made with a credit card through GreekBill.
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The registration fee covers the cost of Preview Weekend, Recruitment Publications, use of facilities and computer labs, transportation during recruitment and two t-shirts
Sigma Rho Chi s
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Recruitment counselors, referred to as Sigma Rho Chis, are undergraduate women at UA who have disaffiliated from their chapters—you will be assigned to a Sigma Rho Chi group and will have meetings with her throughout the process
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Sigma Rho Chis have been through extensive semester long training program to help potential members have a successful recruitment process
Guide Aide Counselor Friend Helper Mentor
Helper Friend Mentor Aide Guide Counselor
Convocation •On August 9th, Potential New Members, participating in Fall Formal Recruitment, will attend Panhellenic Convocation, which is tentatively scheduled at 7:00 pm in Coleman Coliseum. •Members of the Alabama Panhellenic Executive Council will give a brief description of the day-by-day schedule and assign each Potential New Member to a Sigma Rho Chi group. •At Convocation, you will join your assigned Sigma Rho Chi group and meet your leaders for the week. Each PNM will also receive both Philanthropy Day t-shirts at Convocation. •Please note that this is the last day to register for Fall Formal Recruitment, and that on-site registration is $250. •What to wear: Dress is casual. We understand that many of you will be moving in on this day, so please come as you are. T-shirt and shorts are appropriate.
Open House/Ice Water Teas
•You will visit all 17 chapters during first the two days of Open House and each of the parties are 20 minutes in length.
•Alpha Delta Chi (Christian Sorority) does not participate in formal recruitment, but they will hold open recruitment events immediate following. Sigma
Delta Tau will only participate in the Open House Round and then will host open recruitment events immediately following the conclusion of formal recruitment. •Open House is meant to introduce you to every chapter before you begin to make decisions •After this round is over, Potential New Members will meet to select the 12 sororities they would like to return to for Philanthropy Day. •What to wear: Sundress and flats or flip flops
Saturday, August 10 & Sunday, August 11
Philanthropy Day
•Events are 30 minutes long and you may visit up to 12 sororities, although most women will have less than the maximum. •During Philanthropy, the sorority members will give you about their philanthropic endeavors and give you a glimpse into the importance of community service.
•After this round is over, Potential New Members will meet to select up to 8 sororities they would like to return to during Skit Day. •What to wear: Recruitment t-shirt, shorts, and tennis shoes or sandals. Skirts and short shorts are not recommended!
Monday, August 12 & Tuesday, August 13th
Skit Day •
You may visit up to 8 sororities on Skit Day and each of the parties are 45 minutes in length.
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On Skit Day, you will get to see the true personality of each sorority through their skit and conversations with their members.
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After this round is over, Potential New Members meet to select the chapters they would like to return to for Preference. Please note, that you can only select up up to 3 sororities.
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What to wear: Dress or skirt set and comfortable heels. Bring flip flops for use in between parties.
Wednesday, August 14th & Thursday, August 15th
Preference Day
•You may visit up to 3 sororities on Preference Day and parties are 50 minutes in length. •Preference is the most serious round of recruitment. Sorority members will likely present a ceremony explaining what it means to be a sister and what their organization has to offer. •You should be prepared to make your final decision about which sorority you most prefer during this round. •After Preference events, Potential New Members will meet to rank their choices of which sororities they would be willing to accept a bid for membership. •What to wear: Nice dress and comfortable heels. Bring flip flops for use in between parties.
Friday, August 16th
Bid Day •
Bids will be distributed on Saturday, August 17th at 10:00 am in BryantDenny Stadium. Parents are invited and encouraged to attend.
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Bid distribution is followed by a lunch at the sorority houses for new members and their parents.
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Each new member will receive a Bid Day bag with goodies.
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New Member retreats will be held either on Saturday or Sunday night following Bid Day.
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What to wear: shorts and tank top with tennis shoes or flip flops
Saturday, August 17th
What To Expect
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Your first semester as a new member will be the busiest due to new member meetings, chapter meetings, study hours, socials, etc. - this can provide structure and help with time management skills to help you adjust to college
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New members are given a Big Sister to serve as a mentor and offer guidance and help them acclimate to their first semester of college life
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does It Cost?
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Sorority members pay dues each semester. Many groups use Greek Resource Services (GRS) or another financial management company, which offers online access and monthly payment plans.
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Membership is most expensive when you first join due to many one-time fees and we suggest you anticipate the total fees using the higher projections.
In-House (per semester): • •
High: $7500.00 Average: $5933.82
Out-of-House (per semester): • •
High: $4000.00 Average: $3300.25
New Member Fees: • • •
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*includes one-time fees, i.e. Initiation
High: $913.50 Low: $165.00 Average: $472.00
You can find out more about individual sorority financial costs by visiting the Chapter Profiles at www.uapanhellenic.com.
What Are Letters of Recommendation? •
A Recommendation/Reference (also called a RIF or REC) serves as your introduction to the sorority, so their members can get to know her in advance of formal recruitment in the fall.
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These official forms are unique to each individual sorority and that the UA Panhellenic does not have access to individual sorority Recommendation/Reference Forms.
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Only an alumna of a sorority or a current collegian should make direct contact with a sorority regarding recs. - The alumna or collegian should include her sorority’s form if possible (can usually be found on sorority’s website or in the national magazine) - It is also recommended that you provide the alumna with a professional headshot, transcript and resume
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A list of mailing addresses and email addresses to facilitate the recommendation process can be found on the UA Panhellenic website and in the Greek Chic Recruitment Handbook.
Letters of Recommendation Continued… •If you are looking for an alumna to write you a recommendation, think
about family members, teachers, friends, coworkers, members of your religious/spiritual affiliation, etc. - You can also contact a local Alumnae Panhellenic in your area. NPC has an updated list located on their website at www.npcwomen.org/alumnaepanhellenics/directory.aspx. •If you want to seek out Letters of Rec, you are only encouraged to secure one to two recommendations per chapter. Please note that additional “Letters of Support” are not required or recognized at The University of Alabama. •It is ultimately not the PNM’s obligation to secure recs – so if you can’t find a letter for every sorority, don’t worry! If you can’t secure a rec, you can send the chapter a copy of your resume, transcript and headshot to the address provided on the Chapter Profile page. This will notify the chapter that you were unable to secure a recommendation.
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Recap About Letters of Recommendations Only an alumna or current sorority member can write a letter of rec to her sorority.
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Recs are like extra credit…it’s great if you can get them and we suggest at least trying, but they are not required by all chapters. Some chapters may have policies that require PNM’s to have at least one Recommendation/Reference on the sororities official recommendation form in order to be eligible for membership.
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If a sorority really wants to pledge someone, they will find a recommendation for her. They won’t let her get away just because she can’t find someone to write her a recommendation.
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We encourage you to mail all letters of recs or a copy of resume, transcript and headshot by July 15th to ensure they arrive before the start of recruitment.
What If I Am A Legacy?
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If your mother or sister was/is a member of a sorority, you are considered a legacy to that sorority. - Some sororities also consider granddaughters
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Please note that Panhellenic does not have any policies regarding legacies.
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Every sorority has its own policy regarding legacies and it is up to the discretion of each individual chapter as to whether they are interested in offering membership to a legacy.
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Sororities want to know who their legacies are, so there is a place on the online recruitment registration form for you to indicate if you are a legacy to a sorority.
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Legacy Information No Potential New Continued… Member has to choose the sorority to which she is a legacy.
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Likewise, no sorority is required to choose any legacy - each Potential New Member is considered on an individual basis. - Some sororities will have more than 200 legacies coming through Recruitment - that is twice the average pledge class size!
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You should consider her own compatibility with the sorority and not feel obligated to an organization because of family members - It is important to note that sororities are change over time and vary greatly between campuses. - Please keep an open mind so as to not limit yourself!
Recruitment 2012 Recap •
1,993 women registered for fall forma recruitment and 1950 participated in the the Open House Round.
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Of the 1,950 women in the Open House Pool (OHP), 86% (1,687) women completed the recruitment process and received a bid.
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Of the 1687 women receiving a bid, 90% (1442) matched to their first choice, 12% (193) ) matched to their second choice, and 3% (41) ) matched to their third choice.
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Of the 14% (282) not completing the recruitment process, 8% (159) withdrew, 5% (105) were released, and less than 1% (18) participated in bid matching and did not receive a bid.
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States with highest number of new members: Georgia (201), Texas (158), Florida (126), Tennessee (88), California (57), and Illinois (46)
In-State vs. Out-ofState
Myth: It is tougher for women from out-of-state to pledge a sorority at The University of Alabama.
Fact: Four of the ten Panhellenic Executive Board members are from out of state (Texas, Florida, Kentucky, & Virginia). Fact: In Fall 2012, UA had an 86% overall placement rate & 83% of out-of-state women received a bid. Fact:
In 2012, 66% of women participating in Fall Formal Recruitment were from out-of-state.
Fact:
Women representing 44 states were placed in 2012
The University of Alabama Sorority New Member Demographics Fall 2012 1
0
2
1
0
0
0
0 1
2
3
0
1
1
19
16
14
15
5
20
28
46
4 2
26 2 28 0
12 14
1
43
39
88
158
In-State: 586 Out-of-State: 1098 Out-of-Country: 3 Grand Total: 1687
2
4 2
20
4 4
57
2
4
1 0
4
201
21
586
126
Playing By The Rules
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Sororities cannot have any contact with potential new members after May 1st. This limit of contact excludes any normal contact that occurs on a daily basis between sorority members and potential new members who already have a previous relationship.
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Sororities cannot have gatherings which include potential new members after the May 1st cut-off.
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Potential new members cannot stay with sorority members or have any contact with sorority members during summer orientation.
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Sororities may not “promise a bid” to a potential new member before or during the recruitment process. If this happens to you, please report this to Panhellenic as this is a very serious recruitment violation.
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Potential new members or their family members may not send money or gifts to a sorority member/chapter or an alumna for the purpose of securing membership, preferential treatment or in payment for writing letters of recommendation.
University of Alabama Panhellenic Association 343 Ferguson Center Box 11055 Tuscaloosa, Al 35486 (205) 348-2693 www.uapanhellenic.com alabamapanhellenic@gmail.com alabamarecruitment@gmail.com