My friend's roommate went through recruitment and stepped into Pref Party at a house and declared... "UGH! It smells like FISH in here." (When she came back and told us that, my jaw dropped and I figured she was done!)

...And she got a bid and accepted it!

To that sorority?

Yup. She had been (from what she told my friend and I) pleasant and polite the rest of the week. It's just that comment was incredibly rude and something that I would generally see a girl getting cut for, especially when it's the first thing you say to your rusher as you enter the house for pref.

She must have really made up for it later!

Yes. I would rather that chapters showed a video about their philanthropy or talked about it, or even had someone from the organization they support there to say something. Fill the rest of the time with normal chit-chat as in the other days of recruitment.

Thanks to everyone for the explanation. I can say I learned something on GC today. :D

I imagine everyone in a national/international organization has some experience with the "looked good on paper" phenomenon. I would think if I were a PNM/rushee, what I'd be interested in philanthropy-wise is why this GLO chose this philanthropy, how the GLO supports the philanthropy nationally, how the chapter supports the philanthropy (or, "what would I be expected to do"), and maybe what it has meant to one or two chapter members to be connected to the philanthropy.

I went through rush last year as a pnm. we have formal rush during 2nd semester, so it is extremely cold (one day it felt like below zero). To make matters worse, the houses are all pretty spread apart. To accomodate, girls would generally bring comfy shoes such as uggs to wear while walking to the next house. When we get to the house we are supposed to be at, the rho gammas give us a 5 minute warning and we all change into our nice clothes. Well, I was standing outside my designated house and the rho gammas gave us their 5 minute call when I hear a girl behind me yell "oh shit". turns out she left her heels at another house (which was too far away to get the heels in time) and would have to go to this house in a nice formal dress and pink fuzzy slippers. The rho gammas just told her it was a conversation starter.

At my friends school its the same deal (rush is 2nd semester, its cold, people wear uggs in between houses). Well she had finished up at her party and came outside to put on her uggs when lo and behold, someone pooped in her uggs! I still cant fathom how it could have happened

General hijack questions.

Under current NPC recruitment rules, is that possible? As in have a non sorority member (if no member was part of the organization) there to talk? Or even if they were a member of the sorority and part of the organization, I would guess they might be an alumnae. Again, I thought that the NPC did not allow alumnae to directly recruit. So would having an alumnae talk (either in person or on tape) about the sorority's philanthropy be considered participating in the recruiting process?

Personally, I think it would be a great idea to allow it. Perhaps if it isn't now, then something the NPC might consider down the line.

One other issue regarding philanthropy round. Regarding videos, if there is a narrative, who is allowed to do the voice over? Is it restricted to current members? Or may alumnae - either from the current or other chapters - allowed to narrate it? Can a non member do the voice over? Also, do any of the NPCs HQs produce a video that in turn may be distributed to any of their chapters for use during recruitment?

End of hijack questions.

I don't think she meant talking to the girls personally, but making a presentation about the philanthropy and perhaps taking a few questions afterward. I'm certain this is allowed at my campus because my chapter was going to do it, but the representative was unable to make it at the last minute.

Good to know. Thanks.

And to be clear, I did not mean talk *with* the girls, but talk *at* them. As in what you suggested (presentation and perhaps some questions).

Given all the restrictions and regulations that govern NPC recruitment - and the whole "no frills concept" - I could see where the NPC might not allow it.

NPC doesn't disallow alums to directly recruit - that is up to the chapter/sorority/school. We had a recolonization attempt at my alma mater where the chapter alums had parties the same as all the other groups rushing.

You might have to disclose the cost of a video if you have it specially made for your chapters, but if James Earl Jones wants to narrate it for free, I don't think that would be a problem. After all, the people being helped by the philanthropy who are in the video aren't members either.

I'll be the jerk.
 

I think it's a little goofy to emphasize philanthropy at campuses that have a rather lackadaisical approach to philanthropy during the year.

If your chapter isn't spending a 1/4 of its time overall on philanthropy projects, why make it a 1/4 of rush?

It just seems lame to me because it's so clearly image over substance.

Some of the FSU rush videos available on Youtube have attractive young men in them, talking about how great the XYZs are.

That seems to violate the spirit of the no-men-at-rush rule, if not the letter.
________

This isn't really a rush story, but when I was an active we had an active sister who was 32. Wierd.

Ummm, your chapter must not have thought it was too WEIRD or they wouldn't have given her a bid.