After seeing decreased interest in Greek Life Guide (GLG) applications for the 2009-10 sorority recruitment, Miami University's Panhellenic Association (Panhel) extended the deadline a week to find enough applicants.
These women, designated to mentor perspective new members for the duration of their recruitment process, are vital components of recruitment. GLGs are assigned to a group of women interested in joining sororities and are then responsible for providing advice about how the system works through first semester and during official recruitment in January.
According to Panhel's Vice President of Recruitment Kate Moran, Panhel received around 50 applicants by the first deadline April 3. By extending the deadline a week, Panhel managed to collect around 10 more applications.
"We usually aim for about 80," Moran said. "We had about 50 applicants this year, so we extended the deadline."
However, Moran does not believe the decreased number of GLGs will be a problem.
"We can deal with less GLGs because the incoming class is going to be smaller," Moran said.
According to Moran, if there is a larger interest in recruitment than Panhel is currently expecting, they may re-open the application process.
"We'll have to see if we need more," Moran said. "We'll have to see next semester depending on how many girls. If there are an overwhelming (amount of) girls, we can always accept more applications, but right now it does not look like (it will happen)."
Moran said she believes there are various reasons for the decreased interest in applying to be a GLG, including how each chapter handles the number of applicants.
"You do need at least one girl from each chapter," Moran said. "It's hard to get more than five or six from each chapter because too many girls being a GLG could affect the recruitment. People do want to be involved with their recruitment still."
Sophomore Hannah Phillips, public relations vice president of Gamma Phi Beta, said being incorporated in the standard recruitment process is desirable for members and believes the appealing aspects of it explain why so few members would want to stray from the conventional rush to become a GLG.
"Rush is a bonding experience," Phillips said. "It establishes a sense of teamwork as every member strives for the betterment of the chapter. It would be difficult to not be included in such a significant process."
Sophomore Mackenzie Bruce, recruitment chair for Alpha Chi Omega, agreed not being part of a chapter's rush may be a deterrent for some women, stating some women want to remain with their chapter throughout the process. She also said the amount of time invested in being a GLG could be a turn-off.
"The time commitment could also explain why girls aren't as interested," Bruce said. "The GLGs are throughout first semester as opposed to the couple weeks of rush."
Panhel Vice President of Public Relations Hannah Deck said there are other reasons for the lack of applicants.
"I think (extending the deadline) helped," Deck said. "A lot of people weren't aware applications were out at this time. I think a lot of people had chapter for one weekend or another so they ended up getting more applications by extending the deadlines."
Bruce agreed.
"Applications came out quickly, and even though the deadline was extended I think girls were not really considering it at the time," Bruce said.
