While innovative, I am not sure this is the kind of risk most chapters should take. As the 100 women were not informed of what their role would be until the night before, I cannot believe that they were totally "on message" when it came to talking up the fraternity.

I'm one who generally stays away from factoring female or sorority presence as part of the recruiting strategy. Certainly encourage women to speak highly of the fraternity if asked (they would anyway, right?). However, a recruit should be spending most of their "face time" with their future brothers.

- Stephen
Stephen | Homepage | 03.24.08 - 7:27 am | #

Having women assist in recruitment can be ideal.

If done directly it can really help. One year, myself and my rush chair went to 4 of the seven sororities on campus with whom we intereacted the most and asked them to give us the names and information of any unaffliated men who they believed might make good SigEps.

It can give you a pretty accurate feeling of how sororities view you (whether stereotypess/misconceptions are fair or not, it's always useful to know what people think in order to change thier minds) by what type of men they recommend.

It was helpful for two reasons; first was that it got us a list of potentials, second it was direct interaction with a sorority which gave us a brief moment to explain exactly what we represented as a fraternity, which was extraordinarily helpful.
The Arbitor | 03.25.08 - 11:49 am | #

Either way, this was a good idea. At least it puts the name of the fraternity in the ear and mind of a potential. For those who don't know the distinction between fraternities or have never sat down to make the distinction, what a female has to say about the fraternity really goes a long way in the impressionable mind who hasn't formed an opinion yet. Once you catch the ear of the uninformed, you can then inform them on what you are about and let them then form their opinion about the our venerable institution.

I say any tactic to at least capture an open mind is something that is further than letting that potential brother pass by without even engaging in conversation with them, in a fraternity or not.
Will Hull - NV Alpha '03 | Homepage | 03.27.08 - 8:18 am | #

Recongnizing the accurate points made by Stephen, wouldn't it be better to spend time with the other Greeks on campus to make sure they understand what SigEp is about? It is an investment in time and effort, and while email is efficient it doesn't take the place of working together.
The Junto | 03.30.08 - 10:01 am | #