H.C.P.A. Recruitment Rules

 

I.                   General Rules

a.      The fall Recruitment Period shall begin the first Monday after the Recruitment Rules Workshop has taken place. It shall conclude at 8 a.m. on the first Monday after Bid Day.

b.      All members, alumnae, new members, patronesses and agents are responsible for understanding and following the H.C.P.A. Recruitment Rules and Policies. All persons are eligible for consequences if the rules are not strictly adhered to during Recruitment preparation, the Formal Recruitment process, and Bid Day activities.

c.       RR Workshop

d.      All N.P.C. Unanimous Agreements shall be upheld (including, but not limited to):

                                                               i.      The use of alcoholic beverages in Recruitment and Bid Day activities shall be prohibited.

                                                             ii.      The participation of men in Recruitment functions and activities shall be prohibited during any period of Recruitment.

                                                            iii.      There will be no promising of bids, directly or indirectly, by any members of a women’s fraternity. No women’s fraternity member shall suggest to any Potential New Member that she either withdraw from the formal recruitment process or suggest that a Potential New Member list only one choice on her preference card.

                                                           iv.      Women shall be prohibited to recruit for men during the recruitment period. This includes wearing shirts that specify which chapter to rush or join.

 

II.                Judicial Proceedings

a.      Should any active, inactive, new member, or alumnae member be found guilty of a Recruitment Infraction, that women’s fraternity of which the accused is a member will be subject to the penalties of the H.C.P.A. Judicial Board.

b.      It is the co-responsibility of the H.C.P.A. Vice President of Recruitment and the H.C.P.A. Vice President of Judicial Affairs to educate chapter members in the Annual Recruitment Rules Workshop, as stated in the H.C.P.A. By-Laws.

c.       The N.P.C. Judicial Proceedings will be used for any recruitment violation filed.

d.      In the event that a recruitment violation is discovered, it should be reported in writing to the H.C.P.A. Vice President of Recruitment within twenty-four hours of becoming aware of the alleged infraction, and is not to exceed ten days after the event has occurred. A written report of the infraction shall be signed by the chapter president. It should include the parties involved, the time and date, the violated rule, the location of the infraction, and any witnesses. Charges will be notified to the chapter president within forty-eight hours of the charges presented to the H.C.P.A. Vice President of Recruitment in writing. The H.C.P.A. Judicial Board and/or H.C.P.A. Advisor will hear the charges against each women’s fraternity. Standard policy will be used in the Judicial Board proceedings as stated in the N.P.C. Manual.

 

III.             Financial Information

a.      H.C.P.A. will provide food and beverages for the Potential New Members, purchased from a $100.00 contribution from each chapter. Money will be collected by the date specified by the H.C.P.A. Vice President of Recruitment.

b.      The Formal Recruitment budget cap is set at $1,250.00. This includes all donations according to N.P.C. All Chapter Recruitment Chairs must turn in an itemized list with the receipt (original or copy) one week prior to Formal Recruitment. The women’s fraternity will be required to pay to H.C.P.A. one dollar for every dollar exceeding the Formal Recruitment budget cap. Anything purchased for Formal Recruitment purposes after the original deadline must be turned in by the date set by the H.C.P.A. Vice President of Recruitment.

c.       Each chapter will contribute $250.00 to the Recruitment Marketing Campaign. The H.C.P.A. Vice President of Recruitment will provide all Chapter Recruitment Chairs with an anticipated schedule and budget of marketing expenses. The checks will be due into H.C.P.A. at one of the summer meetings, as designated by the H.C.P.A. Vice President of Recruitment.

d.      All information requested two weeks in advance by the H.C.P.A. Vice President of Recruitment concerning Recruitment will be submitted to her by the date she designates at the deadline. If late, the chapter will be assessed a fine of $50.00 for every week the information is late until the information is received.

e.      All information (party lists, bid lists, etc.) required by the H.C.P.A. Vice President of Recruitment shall be submitted by the deadline specified in the Recruitment Schedule or a $100.00 fine will be imposed for the first thirty minutes it is late. Anytime thereafter, the chapter’s fine will increase by $50.00 for every thirty minutes it is late.

f.        Any chapters not represented in H.C.P.A. Recruitment meetings will be assessed a fine of $20.00 per meeting that is missed, given that they were given a minimum of two weeks notice.

 

IV.               Recruitment Counselor Regulations

a.      Women are eligible to become Recruitment Counselors if they are a full-time student, in financial and academic good standing with the University of Houston, and in financial and academic good standing with their affiliated chapter.

b.      Chapters are bound to remove all indications of Recruitment Counselors from all forms of media and all items used for marketing or promotional purposes (i.e. composites, websites, tri-folds, etc.).

c.       Recruitment Counselors must remove themselves from any public forms of media associated with their affiliated chapter throughout the entire recruitment period.

d.      All H.C.P.A. Executive Board members and Recruitment Counselors shall disaffiliate thirty days prior to Formal Recruitment, and shall remain disaffiliated until the Recruitment period has concluded.

e.      Recruitment Counselors who live in their chapter houses will be required to move out during the week of Formal Recruitment.

f.        Recruitment Counselors will refrain from offering their personal opinions about any chapter to Potential New Members. Recruitment Counselors found doing so will be automatically removed from their role.

g.      If a Recruitment Counselor misses more than two scheduled meetings and/or the mandatory Recruitment Counselor Retreat, she is eligible to be removed from her position. Removal of a Recruitment Counselor from her office is at the discretion of the H.C.P.A. Vice President of Recruitment.

 

V.                  Potential New Member Guidelines

a.      A woman is eligible to participate in Recruitment if she is a full-time student at the University of Houston-Main Campus at the time of Recruitment. She must also have a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.25 from high school or college. 

b.      Through the entire recruitment period, no Potential New Member shall visit a women’s fraternity house, suite, lodge, and/or chapter room except during the designated formal recruitment parties.

c.       No women’s fraternity may buy anything for or give any favors/gifts to a Potential New Member. No Potential New Member may buy for or give any favors/gifts to an H.C.P.A. member prior to accepting an invitation for membership.

d.      There must be no outside communication between a women’s fraternity and a Potential New Member during formal recruitment, except during the scheduled parties. This includes visiting, eating, talking on the phone, writing, emailing or any other online contact.

e.      Potential New Members must provide their own transportation to and from all parties during formal recruitment. All Potential New Members must ride H.C.P.A. contracted buses if any transportation is needed from the University Center and/or Greek Park to the women’s fraternity houses. H.C.P.A. must approve any exceptions to this rule. Should buses be necessary, the expense will not be included in the chapter recruitment budget cap. All recruitment parties, including Preference Parties, will be held in the Greek Park chapter homes.

f.        H.C.P.A. will provide legible nametags with the first and last names for all Potential New Members.

g.      Strict silence is the period from the end of a Potential New Member’s last party until she reports to a fraternity from which she accepts a bid. During strict silence, there will be no conversation or contact of any kind between women’s fraternity members and Potential New Members. This includes all references to fraternities, verbal, written, typed, or printed.

h.      A Potential New Member will be required to meet all H.C.P.A. chapters with regard to extenuating circumstances. In case of an illness or other emergency, the Potential New Member must notify the Recruitment Counselor who will then notify the H.C.P.A. chapter involved.

i.         Women’s fraternity members and Potential New Members shall not live together during recruitment week. It will be the responsibility of the women’s fraternity member to move out and remain out of the joint residence for the entire formal recruitment period unless the women’s fraternity member and the Potential New Member have made other arrangements.

j.        There shall be no entertainment with Potential New Members during the recruitment period. Only events open to all women’s fraternities in order to promote Greek Life or recruitment will be permitted. Affiliated and disaffiliated women may “Go Greek” during the summer months that are not sponsored by any women’s fraternity. Examples of this include fraternity parties, sporting events, orientations, etc.

k.       If a Potential New Member completes the entire formal recruitment process, attending every party every day, and does not receive a bid from any H.C.P.A. women’s fraternity, she shall receive a full refund of her application fee.

 

VI.               Formal Recruitment Events

a.      Only national women’s fraternity representatives, alumnae, initiated members, and new members of the women’s fraternity may assist the chapter during Formal Recruitment.

b.      Alumnae participation is limited to observation only (i.e. no being introduced to Potential New Members or engaging in conversation or skit participation). There may be no more than three alumnae present in the recruitment room during each event. National representatives may attend other women’s fraternity’s recruitment parties to observe, provided that the women’s fraternity being observed has been given at least twenty-four hours notification. All alumnae shall wear nametags clearly indicating their name, alumnae status, and affiliated chapter. All alumnae shall be dressed differently than the actives in their affiliated chapters.

c.       The formal recruitment events can be held in chapter rooms and foyers. Rotation to the second and/or third floors is optional; however, all Potential New Members must be included in this rotation.

d.      No women’s fraternity/sorority shall be allowed to display any outside decoration during the formal recruitment process.  A woman’s fraternity/sorority, if they choose to decorate, may do so with foliage only or permanent porch fixtures (such as porch furniture).  The foliage is limited to what may be placed directly on the porch.  No hangings or displays above or on the door are allowed.

 

                                                               i.      The first round event has been defined as an “open house event” lasting 30 minutes and shall be “no frills” in accordance to NPC 1991 formal recruitment process resolutions, meaning no skits of any sort, and only allowing entrance/exit songs and conversation.

1.      No frills in the first round as described by NPC.  The house and furniture will be “as is”.  This includes no floor or wall coverings.  Additional seating may be provided to accommodate all women in the room.

2.      Dress shall be limited to women’s fraternity/sorority recruitment shirts.  These will be ordered through H.C.P.A. and a bill will be given to the chapters.  Shirts will not be distributed until the bill has been paid in full.

3.      No food or beverages are to be served.  H.C.P.A. will provide beverages for the P.N.M.s.

 

                                                            ii.      The second round event must have a philanthropic theme lasting 35 minutes.

4.      All women’s fraternities/sororities have the option to choose a philanthropic activity.  Chapter’s having philanthropy projects will choose what type of philanthropic project they will have for that party.  No two projects can be the same; therefore the H.C.P.A. Advisor and Vice President of Recruitment must approve on a first come, first serve basis.  For those considering multiple projects, approval of subsequent projects will also be given on a first come first serve basis.

5.      A slideshow or video show about your philanthropy may be shown during the party; however no skits are permitted on this day. 

6.      The projects will be limited to no more than $2.00 per Potential New Member, which will come from a separate philanthropy budget.  The budget should not exceed $2.00 multiplied by the number of Potential New Members.  Receipts for the philanthropy projects will be turned in the week after recruitment along with any additional budget receipts.

7.      Limited frills in this round will be further defined as NO wall or floor coverings and NO balloons.  Remaining decoration and furniture will be chosen at the discretion of the individual chapter. 

8.      No food or beverages are to be served.  H.C.P.A. will provide beverages for the P.N.M.s.                                                           

                                                               iii.      The third round party will be defined as “sisterhood day” and will have four invitational events lasting 50 minutes.

9.      Limited frills this day will be further defined with NO elevated stage, NO floor coverings, NO wall coverings, NO limit on balloons, beverage of choice, and NO food.

10.      Remaining decoration, furniture, and dishes will be chosen at the discretion of the individual chapter.

11.      All third day sisterhood themes must be submitted and outlined to be approved by H.C.P.A. by a date determined by the H.C.P.A. Vice President of Recruitment.  If a chapter has used a theme in the previous year, they will have first choice at that theme.

12.      There is to be no skit performed on this day, however a dance with a maximum length of 5 minutes and containing no dialogue will be permitted.  A skit is defined as any scripted, interactive dialogue between chapter members with each other or with the PMNs.  Speeches and other written material read or recited to the group by one person is not considered a skit and will be allowed.

13.      Chapters are permitted to have an activity such as a game or slide show to celebrate Sisterhood Day.  The game must be interactive with the PNMs and may not consist of any scripted material such as a “host” having dialogue with “players” who are chapter members. This is considered a skit with a game show theme. The slide show shall contain only pictures and captions, and is not to be a videotaped skit.

                                                           iv.      Two preference events will last for one hour each.  These events will be held in the Greek chapter houses.  Decorations and dress are left to the discretion of each chapter.  Food and beverage are optional, and are also left to the discretion of each chapter.

14.  If the chapter is able to have quota at both preference parties, the potential members will be divided so that each party has quota.  Any woman in attention to quota times two, may divided among the parties as needed for scheduling.

15.  If a chapter has less than quota times two, they will be given the option of having one preference party.

16.  If a chapter has two preference parties but is unable to have quota at both parties, potential members will be divided as evenly as possible with no greater than a three woman differences between the parties.

 

VII.             On any given day during formal recruitment, the H.C.P.A. adviser and executive board will enter the chapter’s room at random times.  H.C.P.A. will give as much warning as possible to the chapters as to when they will be entering the room.

 

VIII.           Each chapter shall be responsible for the timing of their recruitment parties.  The recruitment consolers will provide a two and a five minute warning before the party is over.  In the event that a chapter does go over its allotted time, the chapter will be warned.  If the event happens a second time the chapter will be fined $25.00 by H.C.P.A.

 

VI.               Bid Matching

A.      H.C.P.A. will follow strictly adhere to and enforce NPC recommendations for release figures (see Manual of Information).  Those chapters that have been established on campus for a period of at least three years shall use the recruitment statistics from the previous three formal recruitment years from the current recruitment in order to calculate release figures.  All HCPA chapters will utilize the Release Figure Method and the release figures  that are assigned by the Release Figure Method Specialist during formal recruitment.  A flex list will be utilized by the RFM Specialilst when chapters’ returns are lower than the carry figure established by the RFM.

B.     Quota will be set by the Release Figure Method Specialist and the Panhellenic Advisor after preference round parties.  Quota will not be determined by voting.  Final quota is determined from a range after identifying which number allows the most chapters to make quota while minimizing the number of unmatched PNMs.  Chapters will not know the final quota number until after their advisors receive their bid lists. 

C.     NPC strongly urges chapters to invite back the total suggested amount of potential new members as dictated by the Release Figure Method Specialist. 

D.      In case of hand matching, preference cards will be signed by Potential New Members and bid lists submitted by chapters will be matched by the H.C.P.A. advisor and no more than two alumnae representatives from each fraternity.  NO COLLEGIANS MAY ATTEND BID MATCHING.

E.      There will be no alumnae present during event sorting.

F.       Immediately following bid matching, women whose preferences did not match are eligible for snap bidding and will be contacted by the HCPA Advisor and asked if she would accept a bid from a fraternity not previously listed among her choices.  The only chapters eligible for snap bidding are those who have not met quota.  Chapters who have met quota but are not eligible for snap bidding may participate in continuous open bidding after bid day to reach chapter total.

G.      A Potential New Member who withdraws from the formal recruitment process before signing of her preference card shall be eligible for snap bidding and continuous open bidding.

H.    The Release Figure Method will minimize the use of quota additions. 

I.        New to 2006, H.C.P.A. will begin using Interactive Collegiate Solutions for all recruitment registration, matching, and placement. 

VII.            Continuous Open Bidding

A.      Except during formal recruitment, H.C.P.A. recruitment rules shall not deny any chapter of the right to utilize continuous open bidding during the regular school year if the chapter has not reached its total allowable size.

 

B.      Any regularly matriculated, unaffiliated woman is eligible for continuous open bidding, without any requirement of prior participation in formal recruitment.  Exceptions to this rule are women who remain bound by their signed preference card.

 

C.      During continuous open bidding a prospective member may be extended a bid verbally or in writing.  However, a signed acceptance card must be filed with H.C.P.A. within 24 hours after a Potential New Member accepts an invitation to membership.  This is binding for one calendar year.

 

D.      H.C.P.A. places no restrictions on the times, places, or kind of recruitment events to be used in continuous open bidding, but urges the chapter to use good judgment in planning budgets and events for COB.

 

IX.               Online Guidelines

a.      No web page title, group name, or description may read: RUSH (sorority name), Be a (sorority name), Go (sorority name), and any other words that encourage membership in one specific chapter.  As an alternative, your group/title must only have your chapter letters or the entire name must be changed.  

 

b.      No men, IFC or other, may be part of a sorority’s group.  This includes any group with your full chapter name or abbreviated name.  If you wish to keep men in your web groups, you must change the name or the group without using the sorority title.  Men in sorority groups infringe upon the unanimous agreements set forth by NPC, which prohibits men from recruiting for women.

 

c.       Women who sign up for recruitment may not become your “friend.”  H.C.P.A.  will take responsibility for educating P.N.M.s on this rule, and we ask that your chapter members report any P.N.M.s who attempt to “friend” someone.

 

d.      During the week of Recruitment, chapter members may not have any contact with P.N.M.s, regardless of their relationship prior to the recruitment process.  This means no poking, posting, or communicating in any way – particularly via the web.  This is in accordance with strict silence during the formal recruitment process.

 

e.      During Formal Recruitment, every active member set put their online accounts to “private”.