For WSU students and incoming new Cougars, the recruitment process for joining sorority houses has just gotten more efficient and less expensive.
Changes to bylaws and recruitment strategies for the Panhellenic community (branches of social sororities run/overseen by the National Panhellenic Council) were implemented for the upcoming recruitment process for the 2023–24 school year said Lindsey McFee, WSU’s Panhellenic vice president of membership recruitment.
“Some of the changes we made for the upcoming school year started with the registration, as we opened it a month early and made it a lot easier. It only takes like 10 minutes to fill out now. It’s a lot more discounted now, too, as we dropped it [the cost] to the bare minimum we could while still getting funds from it,” said McFee. The cost for formal IFC recruitment now costs $50, dropping from it’s original cost of $100 in past years.
The Greek presence at ‘experience’ events such as the New Coug Experience or New Coug Orientation has also increased to market the Panhellenic sororities on campus McFee said. The use of social media marketing on apps such as Instagram and Snapchat has also expanded, with the intention of reaching a larger audience for recruitment.
Panhellenic has made bylaw changes which includes anyone in the Greek community now having the ability to reach out to potential new members for recruitment purposes. There are also new revisions to laws about being in an IFC [Interfraternity Council] chapter, so people can still stay in the Greek community even if they are somewhere else.
“We got rid of some of the dated bylaws, things such as closing windows or zero contact with men. Overall, I just think all these things will lead to a greater recruitment experience, not just for the people joining our community, but for the people who are here already as well,” McFee said.
As for individual chapters, there seems to be a shift in the focus of this year’s recruitment.
“I think recruitment this year will focus on breaking the stereotypes that are associated with sororities,” said Sara Burres, WSU Junior Gamma Phi Beta Membership vice president.
There has been a lot of discussion about inclusivity around the upcoming recruitment process.
“My goal as membership VP for my chapter has been to make everyone feel loved and accepted for all the little things that make them unique,” said Burres.
As recruitment numbers have fallen since the pandemic, there’s been concern among the Greek community that some chapters might be in danger of losing their physical houses if they fail to meet certain number requirements. However, there is no cause for great concern, said McFee.
For WSU’s Panhellenic chapters, although the average number of people in each chapter has been on a decline, there are no chapters that are in danger of losing their houses in the immediate future, said McFee.
As for recruitment numbers post-pandemic, numbers are beginning to improve, looking better than last year. Currently, the Panhellenic Council for WSU expects a little under 600 new recruits for the 2023–24 school year, with the number at the 593 mark.
“I think about 520 would be a really healthy goal for this year, but we’ll see,” said McFee.
For chapter leaders like Burres, the changes in the upcoming recruitment process is aiming to diversify and improve the process of getting new Panhellenic chapter members, Burres said.
“I want everyone who goes through recruitment to know that we are here to build strong individuals that feel confident themselves, said Burres.
