Greek life is very present on the University of Georgia campus, and sorority recruitment week is one of the opportunities that shows just how strong that presence is.
Panhellenic sorority recruitment, colloquially known as the “rush,” is a staple of the beginning of the academic year, even if you’re not a member of a Greek sorority. The Tate Student Center and Milledge Avenue see days filled with women dressing up, all hoping to find a spot in one of UGA’s 20 Panhellenic sororities. The week culminates with Bid Day, when each house is decorated for a party to welcome the recruits who will be inducted at a later date.
Gamma Chis
While the majority of sorority members play a role in the recruitment process, a select few have a special role. Gamma Chis are active sorority members who temporarily separate from their chapters to guide potential new members through the recruitment process. According to an email from the Panhellenic Executive Board, each Gamma Chi has a group of PNMs that they work with, act as a resource for, and provide logistical support.
The recruitment process
For PNMS who wanted to participate in the Rush program, the process began back in May when registration opened. Registration ended in July, and the first round began before the PNMs had even set foot on campus.
Each round is designed to highlight a specific aspect of fraternity life such as philanthropy, service, sisterhood and involvement on campus and in the community. Each round includes conversations between PNMs and current fraternity members so that members and chapters can gain deeper insights about each other as the rounds progress, the Panhellenic Executive Board said.
In the first round, PNMs watched videos from each sorority explaining who they are, what their philanthropy is, and other introductory information. PNMs also had to submit a short video of themselves introducing themselves to the chapters.
The first round used to be conducted in person like the rest of the recruitment, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the switch was made to virtual interview rounds.
PNMs who live on campus—which is usually the majority, since most women enter as freshmen—must move into their dorms on the first move-in day, this year on August 9. That evening, they attend orientation at the Tate Student Center, which serves as the freshman headquarters throughout the process.
The second round will be held August 10-11. This will be the first time that the chapters and PNMs will meet in person. PNMs will visit the chapters and talk with the initiated members to get to know each other better beyond the videos from the first round.
Round three, house tours, will take place August 12-13. During this round, PNMs will be able to see more of the houses of the chapters they are interested in. Additionally, this round is longer than round two, allowing for longer conversations between PNMs and initiated members.
After the third round, PNMs take a break from the stress for the first three days of class. Then, on August 17, PNMs take part in the final round: the Preference Round, also called Pref. Normally, PNMs only visit two chapters during this round. This round is the longest and is designed to allow for the most in-depth conversations.
On August 18th, the day that all PNMs and all established members of the sorority have been waiting for has finally arrived: Bid Day.
Mutual selection
Panhellenic uses a mutual selection process throughout recruitment to narrow down the chapters a PNM can join. At the end of each round, PNMs submit a list of the chapters they would most like to rejoin in the next round, sorted by the chapters they are most to least interested in.
Similarly, chapters list which PNMs they would like to see again. Both parties can suggest a limited number of people they are interested in. This process gives both the PNMs and the chapters input into the outcome of the recruitment process, the Panhellenic Executive Council said.
Bidding day
On Bid Day, sororities extend an offer to PNMs, essentially an invitation to join. PNMs fill Tate Grand Hall to open their envelopes and see which chapter they will call home for the next four years.
Each chapter chooses a Bid Day theme to celebrate the occasion. They decorate their homes, wear themed outfits, and organize fun activities for the new recruits to enjoy.
Continuous open bidding
Bid Day also marks the beginning of Panhellenic’s other, less formal recruitment process, Continuous Open Bidding, or COB. COB takes place throughout the academic year and is conducted by individual chapters rather than the entire Panhellenic Council.
Chapters may contact PNMs who have expressed interest in joining a chapter. Chapters may make offers to PNMs at any time during the COB, according to the Panhellenic Executive Board.
