Across the country this month and next, new students arrive on
campuses eagerly anticipating the launch of their college experiences. A
significant number of those female students -- 158,566 in
2015-16 -- will participate in sorority membership recruitment. Sorority
chapters are afforded the opportunity and privilege to engage with
these women during recruitment. With privilege comes the responsibility
of providing an experience grounded in the shared values of the 26 National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) member organizations.
In fall 2015, NPC reaffirmed a collective commitment to
values-based membership recruiting. What is values-based recruitment? It
starts with the rich words found in the NPC creed: "We, as fraternity
women, stand for service through the development of character inspired
by the close contact and deep friendship of individual fraternity and
Panhellenic life. The opportunity for wide and wise human service,
through mutual respect and helpfulness, is the tenet by which we strive
to live."
Centering the recruitment process for both the sorority member and the potential new member on the rich core values of each inter/national women's organization helps ensure a rich experience for all who participate.
How recruitment looks and how it is executed varies from campus to
campus. Panhellenic communities are challenged to visit old practices
and reshape how the process of recruitment benefits all involved.
Reflecting on personal values and key values of an organization, and
wrapping those around the benefits of sorority membership, should shape
conversations during recruitment. These types of conversations give a
young woman seeking sorority membership the opportunity to assess her
own values and determine whether they're congruent with an
organization's. And likewise, this offers sorority chapters the same
opportunity of assessment through the mutual selection process.
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University of Georgia discusses
removal of skit round
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As a College Panhellenic community navigates through creating
positive change and a better understanding of why and how a values-based
recruitment experience impacts the community both internally and
externally, NPC offers resources: Resolved to Educate and three values and ethics workshops.
In addition, numerous volunteers and campus-based professionals will
devote countless hours to providing assistance to Panhellenic
communities this academic year as they execute the membership
recruitment process. NPC says "thank you" for your gift of time, support
and commitment to advancing the sorority experience.
Interfraternally,
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Donna C. King
Chairman 2015-17