After a year of suspension, Miami University's chapter of Pi Beta Phi sorority is back on campus and recruiting. The group's fall rush resulted in 16 bids being awarded.

The sorority, which was suspended in the spring of 2010 for disorderly conduct, worked with the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life to devise a recruitment plan.

"Miami University's Greek Life notified Pi Beta Phi it would be allowed to participate in Continuous Open Bidding (COB), which allows the chapter, in this instance, to recruit upperclassman to be a part of Pi Beta Phi," said Alex Roark, Pi Beta Phi's Leadership Development Consultant.

According to Roark, COB is a recruiting process frequently used by sororities when they are short of reaching a Panhellenic total.

The rush took place this past week; the official events began Sept. 5, according to Kayte Fry, associate director of the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Leadership.

According to Roark, when the sorority was suspended, its current members were given Undergraduate Alumnae Status (UAS). Some of these women will rejoin the sorority, but many women will be new to Pi Beta Phi.

The sorority will also be allowed to participate in rush this spring, a more formal process that will include first-years.

"Essentially, since its just one chapter and since they were open recruiting with just their chapter, they can create their own events and own timeline, whereas spring rush is overseen by the Panhellenic Council and is more formal," Fry said.

Pi Beta Phi's national organization worked with the university to put new regulations for the chapter in place.

"The first piece of the plan includes adding fraternity officers to help guide the chapter, including local alumni advisors, a full-time Resident Leadership Development Consultant and a Chapter Assistance Officer who are already in place," Roark said.

The women in the chapter will also have to continue their risk management education and have clearly defined member expectations.

Grand President of Pi Beta Phi, Mary Loy Tatum, expressed excitement in the recognition and recruitment of the chapter and emphasized expectations for the women.

"We have created a plan, which includes several added layers of support, in order to change the culture of the chapter and to ensure it models Pi Beta Phi and Miami University values," Tatum said.

Junior Megan Esper, a member of Alpha Delta Pi, is not opposed to Pi Phi getting two rushes.

"I'm happy for them," Esper said. "It's good that they have a fall rush so they can have more members before we do spring rush."

According to Roark, there was no specific quota they were allowed to reach in the open bidding process, as there is with spring rush.

Roark said Pi Beta Phi awarded 16 bids during this informal fall rush.

Jenny Levering, director of student affairs in the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life did not comment by print time.