The Panhellenic Council is encouraging all sorority chapters to get new recruits and fill their maximum membership.
Large numbers of women come out every fall to participate in fall formal recruitment. In fact, this year, recruitment numbers were at an all-time high. With so many women trying to get into chapters, and only 10 chapters able to take new members, some women are left without a new place to call home.
Panhellenic Vice President of Recruitment Josie Roberts said that this year’s fall formal recruitment registration was forced to close before school even started, leaving many interested women unable to participate.
“We’re missing out on some really amazing women who didn’t get the chance to do it,” Roberts said.
Because of this issue, Panhellenic is pushing chapters to participate in informal winter or spring continuous open bidding, to allow as many women as possible to be a part of a chapter.
Naturally, throughout the year, spots in a chapter will open up and will leave room for new members. Mallory Wehage, assistant director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, said that chapters can potentially take a maximum of 200 members. Chapters less than 200 members are encouraged to participate in COB.
Corrin Moffat was a result of this process, and became a new member of Alpha Phi in winter term. Moffatt initially wanted to go through fall formal recruitment, but too many women registered.
Because more chapters participated in COB she was able to find a home that she loved.
“I missed out on fall recruitment, so I was so excited that I got to rush in the spring,” Moffatt said. “I’m happy with the spring process because it allowed me to get to know the girls easier and really helped me understand if I wanted to be in the house.”
Moffatt is one of nine women who were added to Alpha Phi.
Continuing this open bidding process, Panhellenic is hosting a “Spring Sorority Showcase” on April 8 to relay new information on sorority life.
Wehage said this event will allow women to know which chapters are participating in spring bidding, as well as learn about all of the chapters recruitment in the fall. The event will also include Sigma Kappa, Oregon’s newest sorority, which will begin recruiting in the fall.
Since winter term, Wehage said that 30 women have accepted bids to chapters, and this spring more are expected to join.