UCSB Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment 101

Sorority Recruitment 101 A Guide for Potential New Members

Welcome to the University of California, Santa Barbara!

It is our pleasure to introduce you to the 2018 Fall Formal Recruitment process! For many of you, this is your first introduction to Greek life. For all of you, this week begins a lifetime of friendship and sisterhood! The Formal Recruitment process not only acquaints you with the many aspects of Greek life, but it also introduces you to nine chapters who represent the National Panhellenic Conference. It is our hope that you will take the time to evaluate each sorority on its own merit, as well as your level of comfort in each chapter’s setting.

Throughout this week, it is our hope that you discover the benefits offered by each chapter, and reach your own personal conclusion about how these benefits may fit into your collegiate experience. We encourage you to keep an open mind and a positive attitude. Take advantage of this opportunity, and get to know the incredible women of the National Panhellenic Conference. They are delighted to meet you and excited to share how they have found their home away from home.

We wish you all the very best of luck during this week’s Formal Recruitment activities!

Kacie Cunningham, CPC President

The Panhellenic Executive Board

Kacie Cunningham CPC President

Joy Schorr VP Recruitment

Rory Tank VP Judicial Affairs

Lindsay Wolfe VP Membership Ed.

Ariana Marmolejo VP Programming

Sierra Garrido VP Marketing

Alison Sir VP Finance

Sophie Wilson CPC Advisor

OUR CHAPTERS ALPHA CHI OMEGA http://www.ucsbalphachiomega.com/

GAMMA PHI BETA http://www.ucsbgammaphibeta.com/

ALPHA DELTA PI https://www.adpiucsb.com/

KAPPA ALPHA THETA http://www.ucsbkappaalphatheta.com/

ALPHA PHI https://www.ucsbalphaphi.org/

KAPPA KAPPA GAMMA http://ucsb.kappa.org/

DELTA DELTA DELTA http://ucsb.tridelta.org/#

PI BETA PHI https://ucsb.pibetaphi.org/

DELTA GAMMA http://ucsb.deltagamma.org/

PHI SIGMA RHO* http://ucsantabarbara.phisigmarho.org/

*Please note: Phi Sigma Rho sorority does not participate in Panhellenic sorority recruitment. Please contact the chapter directly if you are interested in learning about how to join!

Photos taken by Kenneth Song

The Greek Dictionary THE GREEK ALPHABET

PNM: (Potential New Member) Any man or woman going through a formal recruitment process in interest of joining a sorority or fraternity.

Active: An initiated, dues-paying member who is enrolled in the university.

Alumni/Alumnae: A member of the organization that has graduated from college and continues to stay active with the organization by way of a graduate or alumni chapter.

Bid: A formal invitation to join a fraternity or sorority.

Big: Nickname for big sister or brother, a mentor assigned to a new member.

Chapter: The local collegiate branch of a national fraternity or sorority. Every Panhellenic sorority at UCSB also maintains a chapter house with residential and dining facilities for members.

Class or “New Member Class�: A term used to name new members of a Panhellenic Council or Interfraternity Council organization who all joinedduring the same semester.

College Panhellenic Council: A council for all of the National Panhellenic Conference sorority chapters on a campus. This council serves as the governing body for all NPC chapters on campus and organizes the recruitment process. Each chapter chooses a delegate to sit on its College Panhellenic council.

Continuous Open Bidding (COB): An opportunity for chapters that do not reach quota during primary recruitment to bid to total and/or quota. The continuous open bidding process is less formal, and not all chapters will participate in continuous open bidding.

Infraction: Infractions can be given to any Panhellenic or IFC organization that violates the rules of the recruitment or rush process.

Initiation: A traditional ceremony that brings a new member into full membership of a sorority or fraternity. Once you are initiated into an NPC sorority, you are ineligible for membership in any other.

Legacy: To be a legacy means that you have an older family member (brother, sister, mother, father, grandmother, or grandfather) who was a member of a Greek organization.

Letters: The first Greek letter of each Greek word that makes up the motto of a particular fraternity or sorority; these are generally displayed on clothing and other Greek paraphernalia.

Letter of Recommendation: A statement or letter from an alumnus/alumna or an active member of a fraternity/sorority, which recommends a prospective member for membership. Please note: letters of recommendation are NOT required for Potential New Members going through recruitment at UC Santa Barbara.

MRABA: The Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement. This is a one-year binding agreement signed by a potential new member when ranking chapters after preference round. A PNM agrees to accept a bid from any chapter she lists on her MRABA. If a PNM receives a bid to a chapter she lists and declines it, she is bound to it for one year or until the next primary recruitment period, meaning she cannot accept a bid to any other organization. If a PNM signs an MRABA and does not receive a bid, she is eligible for continuous open bidding or snap bidding.

Philanthropy: Philanthropy is a term used to describe charitable events performed by Greek organizations.

Rho Gamma or Recruitment Counselor: A sorority member who is disassociated from her sorority to serve as a recruitment guide. Each PNM will be assigned a rho gam during formal recruitment. Check out our Rho Gams here.

Recruitment Registration Checklist

HOW DO I SIGN UP? 1. Register for Fall 2018 Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment online at https://ucsbpanhellenic. org/ no later than Saturday, September 22nd at 11:59pm.

2. Pay the $75 registration fee. Not sure if you made your payment? Please don’t fill out another registration form. Simply email CPC Advisor, Sophie Wilson at sophiewilson@ucsb.edu to confirm your registration was received.

3. Complete the PNM Orientation online by Saturday, September 22nd at 11:59pm. Please note: you will not be permitted to participate in the recruitment process if you have not completed the online orientation by the end of the registration period.

4. Discuss the financial and time commitment with your family and friends to make sure it’s something you are ready for. Joining a sorority is more than four years - it’s for life! This is a big decision and something you should consider seriously before signing your Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement on Preference Night.

Recruitment Schedule ROUND ONE: Unity Days (Monday, September 24th and Tuesday, September 25th, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM each day) Meeting time and location: PNMs will meet their Rho Gamma groups at 8am on the Lot 22 Lawn in front of the Student Resource Building.

During this round, PNMs will be introduced to Panhellenic Life at UCSB. Every PNM will visit each participating chapter for 25 minutes each and Rho Gamma groups will travel together from house to house. On Monday when parties are complete, PNMs who are new UCSB students will walk with their Rho Gammas to attend the UCSB New Student Convocation at 3pm. After this round ends on Tuesday afternoon, PNMs will preference their seven favorite chapters and rank their two least favorite.

ROUND TWO: House Tours (Wednesday, September 26th, 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM)

Meeting time and location: PNMs will meet their Rho Gamma groups at 8am on the Lot 22 Lawn in front of the Student Resource Building.

PNMs will have up to seven chapters to visit during House Tours round. Chapters will give PNMs tours of their homes, sharing what it is like to live in their sorority house. During this round, PNMs should ask chapter members about the financial commitments of membership and if they have a requirement to live in the chapter house (some chapters require members to live in for at least one year of membership). House Tours is a long day and a lunch and dinner break will be scheduled for you. Please plan to bring money to purchase food during these breaks, or bring something from home. After this round, PNMs will preference their five favorite chapters and rank their two least favorite.

ROUND THREE: Philanthropy Night (Friday, September 28th, 5:00PM - 11:00 PM)

Meeting time and location: PNMs will meet their Rho Gamma groups at 4pm on the Lot 22 Lawn in front of the Student Resource Building.

PNMs will have up to five chapters to visit during Philanthropy round. Each chapter will present their philanthropy to PNMs, highlighting their on-campus events and community activities. These parties will be longer, so PNMs will have more time to learn about individual members and discuss the chapter’s values with active members.

After this round, PNMs will preference their two favorite chapters and rank their three least favorite.

ROUND FOUR: Preference Night (Saturday, September 29th, 5:00PM - 10:00 PM)

Meeting time and location: PNMs will meet their Rho Gamma groups at 4pm on the Lot 22 Lawn in front of the Student Resource Building.

PNMs will have up to two chapters to visit during Preference round. Preference Night focuses on the deepest aspects of sorority life: sisterhood and ritual. Preference parties are the longest parties of recruitment, and chapters will invite PNMs to participate in a ceremony that offers a glimpse of their ritual. After this round, PNMs will preference the chapters they attend and sign the Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement (MRABA) , which will be explained to them during preferencing.

BID DAY: Sunday, September 30th, 10:30AM Meeting time and location: PNMs will meet their Rho Gamma groups at 10:30am at HSSB. Room assignments TBA. On Bid Day, PNMs who have maximized their options and preference all chapters they visited on Preference Night will meet their Rho Gammas to receive their bid. A bid is an invitation of membership to join a Panhellenic sorority. PNMs will open bid cards at HSSB with their Rho Gammas and then report to Storke Plaza for Rho Gamma reveal and to meet their new chapter sisters! All chapters plan their own Bid Day activities to celebrate with new members. We recommend that you dress comfortably and casually as PNMs receiving bids will also get a new t-shirt to wear for Bid Day from their new sorority.

Financial Information FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS OF MEMBERSHIP As you consider membership in one of UC Santa Barbara’s Panhellenic sororities, please make sure to discuss the financial commitment with friends and family first. Joining a sorority is not just four years - it’s for life! Keeping up with required fees and payments is a requirement for membership in each of our chapters. Keep in mind that membership dues are most expensive during your first quarter of membership as a New Member because there are many one time fees. Fees are assessed quarterly at UCSB and each chapter charges slightly different amounts for New Member dues, active member dues, and dues for those members who live in the sorority house.

Another thing to keep in mind is that sororities often require members to live in their chapter house for at least one year of membership (even upperclassmen who join will be held to this requirement). This is a good thing to ask about during House Tours Round. Living in the house is an exceptional value as the average cost of living (including room/board, dues & meals) can be less than living in UCSB residence halls and Isla Vista!

There are also some “extras” that you may choose to purchase as a member of a sorority, including t-shirts and other merchandise. Some of these items are included in the chapter’s quarterly fees, and others will be offered a la carte so you can choose if you’d like to purchase them when an order is placed.

For a complete overview of chapter fees, please visit our website: https://ucsbpanhellenic.org/for-parents

AVERAGE MEMBERSHIP FEES FOR THE 2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR Below you will find the average calculated annual fees for sorority membership at UC Santa Barbara. Please keep in mind that our chapters collect dues on a quarterly basis and chapter fees differ by chapter, and occasionally by quarter depending on the requirements for each. This breakdown is meant to give students and parents an idea of the annual financial commitment for sorority members.

“New Member” fees are collected only in the first year of membership. These fees generally include one-time costs such as the initation fee, sorority badge fee, etc. Initiated members living outside of the house (usually older members who have already satisfied their live-in requirement) are charged the least for sorority dues. These dues pay for special chapter events, upkeep on the house, leadership development programs, at least one meal per week in the chapter facility, start-up fees for philanthropic events, and more. Initiated members living in the sorority house (“live-in” members) pay the most in dues, but these fees include everything for which out-of-house members pay, as well as room and board for all quarters.

If you have questions about the financial commitment of joining a Panhellenic sorority, please contact the VP Finance for the Panhellenic Executive Council at vpfinance@ucsbpanhellenic.org.

AVERAGE ANNUAL FEE FOR NEW MEMBER (first year of membership): $3,049.13 AVERAGE ANNUAL FEE FOR MEMBER LIVING OUT OF HOUSE: $2,630.22 AVERAGE ANNUAL FEE FOR MEMBER LIVING IN SORORITY HOUSE: $10,578.77

Policies and Procedures

Signing the Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement: The preferential bidding system is a method in which Potential New Members’ preferences are matched to sororities’ preference lists. Following your last Preference Night event, you will meet your Rho Gamma to sign a Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement (MRABA). On your MRABA you will be asked to list, in order of preference, the sorority/sororities you wish to join. and you will sign your MRABA with the understanding that you are willing to accept a bid from any of the group(s) listed on the agreement. If a bid is extended to you from one of your choices and you decide not to accept it, you will not be eligible to participate in Continuous Open Bidding (COB) or any form of informal/Spring recruitment hosted by a Panhellenic chapter for one calendar year.

PNM CODE of ETHICS Being part of UC Santa Barbara’s sorority recruitment is not only a great opportunity but a great privilege. Each of the sororities on campus has worked hard for the past year in preparation for your visit to their home. As a guest, you are expected to act in accordance to the following rules, which apply to both the active sorority members as well as Rho Gammas. Failure to do so may result in your removal from the recruitment process.

As a Potential New Member of a UCSB Panhellenic Chapter I will attend ALL events to which I receive an invitation.

FORMAL RECRUITMENT RULES Recruitment Rules have been established to help sorority women and Potential New Members uphold the highest standards of conduct during the formal recruitment process. This process is designed to (1) give the Potential New Member every opportunity to become acquainted with as many sororities as possible so she may make an informed and unbiased decision concerning her membership in one of these groups, and (2) to ensure that sororities have equal opportunities in recruiting PNMs and conducting membership selection through this process.

All sorority members and Potential New Members will be expected to conform to the highest standard of conduct. Mentioning subjects such as sorority reputations, stereotypes, or generalizations, Potential New Member reputations or promising bids for membership violates the spirit of Panhellenic membership and our process. If you experience any such behavior, please contact your Rho Gamma or a member of the Panhellenic Exec team (email: vpjudicial@ucsbpanhellenic.org).

I will behave respectfully towards myself, other potential new members, chapter members, recruitment counselors, and university staff at all times.

I will act respectfully and politely when attending all events.

I will not discuss my opinion of any sorority participating in recruitment with other potential new members.

I will not discuss or reveal a known affiliation of any Rho Gamma or Panhellenic Exec member with other potential new members.

I understand that if I am matched with a sorority and receive a bid, I am bound to that group and am therefore considered ineligible for an invitation for membership from any other sorority until the next formal recruitment.

FAQ How do I know if my registration was received?

You will know your registration was received when you are automatically directed to our payment site and prompted to pay the $75 fee. If you are concerned that your payment or registration did not go through, please DO NOT submit another registration form. Simply email CPC Advisor, Sophie Wilson, at sophiewilson@ucsb.edu to confirm your registration and payment were received.

Remember: you won’t be completely done with registration until you finish the PNM Orientation through LaunchPoint.

Do I have to attend an Orientation?

To allow you time to settle in to your new dorm or living situation on Sunday, September 23rd, Panhellenic will no longer be requiring PNMs to attend an in-person orientation prior to recruitment.You will be required to complete the LaunchPoint PNM Orientation during the registration process for Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment.

This orientation program will allow you to learn about the sorority recruitment process and sorority experience at your own pace. If you need to check on your completion status for the orientation, please contact CPC Advisor, Sophie Wilson at sophiewilson@ucsb.edu.

When will I meet my Rho Gamma?

After recruitment registration closes on September 22nd, Panhellenic will assign you to a Rho Gamma who will help you through the recruitment process.You won’t meet this woman in person until Monday morning at 8am when you check in for the first day of Unity Days, However, you can expect an email and text message from your Rho Gamma on Sunday with more information about meeting times and last minute reminders!

Am I eligible to participate?

I am an international student: Yes! As long as you are a fully enrolled, regularly matriculated student at UCSB, you are eligible to participate in Panhellenic recruitment.

I identify as LGBTQ+: If you identify as female, yes!

I’m a non-traditional undergraduate student: If you are a regularly matriculated undergraduate student granted full-time status, yes!

I’m a transfer student or upperclassman: Yes! We welcome all regularly matriculated, full-time undergraduates (including transfers and upperclassmen!).

I am a UCSB Extension or graduate student: Unfortunately, only women or female-identifying students who are regularly matriculated undergraduate students granted full -time status at UCSB are eligible.

I’m an SBCC student (and interested in transferring to UCSB): No. Only women or female-identifying students who are currently matriculating at UCSB are eligible.

Do I need a letter of recommendation?

At UCSB, letters of recommendation are NOT required to participate in Panhellenic recruitment. Letters of rec are used by sorority alumnae to introduce PNMs to their sorority at UCSB. Many students do not submit these letters. If you do have a reference or sorority alumna who wants to submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf, she should submit that letter directly to the chapter/ organization. All Panhellenic sororities provide information about how to submit a letter of recommendation for a PNM on their chapter or (inter)national websites. To reiterate - recommendations can be helpful for PNMs, but it will not hurt your chances if you do not have a letter of recommendation from a sorority alumna!

*Fun Fact: there is more information and FAQ on ucsbpanhellenic.org!

FAQ Will I be required to live in the house?

What if I have to miss part of recruitment?

UCSB sororities often require members to live in for at least one year of their membership. Living in the house is an amazing opportunity to meet more of the chapter members and create lifelong memories! Live in fees are also generally more reasonable than the cost of housing in UCSB residence halls and Isla Vista properties. Each chapter has different live-in requirements for members, but it should be noted that all members (including transfer students and upperclassmen) who join a sorority at UCSB may be required to sign a housing contract and live in sorority house for at least one year of their undergraduate membership.

Please let us know ASAP! Send an email to our CPC VP Recruitment at vprecruitment@ucsbpanhellenic.org. We will work with PNMs and their schedules for class /academic conflicts, religious holidays, university athletic conflicts and “once in a lifetime” events. Please email us about potential conflicts no later than Saturday, September 22nd at 11:59PM to ensure that we have time to make accommodations for you.

What is the time commitment like?

Making a commitment to joining a sorority at UCSB might seem like all fun and games, but remember that you are making a life-long commitment to this organization too!

All chapters have different requirements when it comes to time commitment, but we generally recommend that you set aside at least four hours per week for sorority activities and events. Chapter Meetings take place each week (usually on Monday nights) and are required for all members.

Other activities and events (such as sisterhood programs, chapter retreats, philanthropy events, and OSL education workshops) will also be required for you to attend. At the start of each term, the chapter will provide you with a calendar of events for the upcoming quarter. This will allow you to dedicate time on specific days and weekends for events you will be required to attend and optional events you’d like to participate in. Remember - you will get more out of this experience if you are an active and engaged member of the chapter! Not all members have to run for a leadership position, but the experience is made more meaningful when you are able to attend events and get to know your chapter sisters.

Being involved in a Panhellenic chapter is also a great way to develop time management skills!

What should I wear?

The recruitment dress code is casual for Unity Days and gets a little more dressy every round until Preference Night, when members and PNMs generally wear cocktail attire. There are two key ingredients to a great recruitment outfit: (1) be yourself and (2) comfort is key! Remember that you will be wearing this outfit (and shoes) for hours at a time, and you will want to make sure you are cool and comfortable as September in Santa Barbara can get toasty! For more suggestions on what to wear, check out the CPC Pinterest board: https://www. pinterest.com/ucsbpanhellenicsororities/

Is there a GPA requirement?

Academic excellence is very important to our collegiate chapters at UCSB. The average GPA for our Panhellenic sororities usually hovers around a 3.35. Panhellenic does not require a certain GPA to participate in recruitment, but most chapters do have a minimum GPA requirement for initiation, which varies by chapter. This is a great question to ask during Unity Days or House Tour rounds.

Still have questions?

Send us an email at vprecruitment@ucsbpanhellenic.org!

Stay connected to the UCSB Greek Community using Guidebook!

UCSB FRATERNITY & SORORITY LIFE GUIDE Our digital fraternity and sorority life guide is your lifeline for all things Greek and recruitment! We recommend that all Potential New Members download this digital guide to stay up-to-date with recruitment announcements, access a virtual map of the sorority houses in Isla Vista, maintain their individualized recruitment schedule, access FAQ, and Rho Gamma/Panhellenic contact info for the week of formal recruitment. Throughout the year, you will use the UCSB Fraternity & Sorority Life Guide to access important information about community events, Standards of Excellence education requirements for fraternity and sorority members.

You can download our UCSB Fraternity & Sorority Life Guide in two easy steps:

1.

2.

Use your smartphone to download the Guidebook app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Search for “UCSB Greeks” to find our guide in the Guidebook app and download it to the “My Guides” section of your Guidebook app. You will now be able to access the guide any time you need it! Guidebook will automatically update information in your guide when CPC or the Office of Student Life makes changes to the guide.

OR Use this link to visit Guidebook online and text yourself a link to download our guide: https://guidebook.com/g/ucsbgreeks/

To download the UCSB Fraternity & Sorority Life guide, visit https://guidebook.com/g/ucsbgreeks/