Sudden changes in Fall Recruitment leaves sororities scrambling

The schedule for University of Mississippi sorority Fall Recruitment (Rush) is changing the 2014 process, leaving sororities practicing new rounds and trying to accommodate the changes. 

The 2013 pledge class of Pi Beta Phi practices their "door stack" during a Rush practice. Door stacks are part of the process of Fall Recruitment and typically occur during Philanthropy round, but the new schedule changes may alter this plan. 

The Panhellenic Council at Ole Miss has decided to change the Fall Recruitment process for sororities in a major way. This is in reaction to the addition of new chapter Alpha Delta Pi this past year, and the prospect of new chapters in the near future. These changes have the potential to help sororities and new hopefuls alike. 

In past years, Rush has consisted of several rounds: Water Parties, Philanthropy, Skit and Preference ("Pref") rounds. Each round is designed to let the active sorority members meet the Potential New Members (PNMs) registered for Rush.

In general, Recruitment is designed to introduce PNMs to which organizations they may be interested in joining. Jenell Bukky Lanski, the Coordinator of Greek Affairs at Ole Miss, said "The focus of formal recruitment is creating an environment where potential new members can interact and engage with active members to learn more about their sorority, its values, and benefits and responsibilities, such as academics and finances, of sorority membership."

After each round, girls rank the chapters based on what they liked best, determining where they may go the next day. Sororities can also dismiss girls from their consideration based on factors such as grades, etc.

This Fall, however, the schedule is changing to the "10-8-5-2" system, which modifies how girls and sororities rank and dismiss from the process. The system is self-explanatory: girls will go to 10 houses for the first round, eight the second, and so on. 

"Panhellenic formal recruitment is evaluated each year to assess if the program and structure meets the needs of students and community, National Panhellenic Conference guidelines and policies, and goals of the Panhellenic community." Lanski explained in regards to the new changes. 

The Rush week will be held in September rather than October, leaving sororities with much less time to practice. "It's hard, because it's not giving us as much time to prepare," said Maddie Todd, a freshman in Alpha Omicron Pi. "We all will have a lot of homework...it's going to take a toll and there will be a lot more practicing."

With approximately 1700 girls expected to come through Recruitment this Fall, the process marks one of the largest groups Ole Miss has ever had for Rush. The active members of each sorority, especially the newest Pledge Class, are hard at work preparing for the process to come.

For many new members, the practices mark the beginning of a new perspective on their organization. "[Most of] of the stuff we are learning now I didn't know as a PNM, so it's interesting to see this side of it" said Kelly Loggins, also an active Alpha Omicron Pi freshman. 

Official registration for PNMs will be available in late Spring. In the meantime, active members are practicing and modifying their process to make way for new changes and new members.