Formal rush goes electronic with new software
Marieke van der Vaart
Issue date: 10/1/09 Section: News
Women interested in formal recruitment this year won't be standing in line at the Panhellenic Council Adviser's office to pick up their preference party invitations.
Instead, the process of formal recruitment will be complemented by an online program the Panhellenic Council purchased in September.
"It will be so easy - easy for the chapters and easy for me," Panhellenic Council Adviser Joanna Wiseley said.
The computer software, called Innova Campus Director, allows potential sorority members to create online profiles to which sororities and the Panhellenic Council can send e-mails. Their accounts will also show upcoming events and organize bid information for women, Wiseley said.
And it only takes five minutes to sign up, she said.
"It puts all the paperwork on-line," Lindsey Horton, Panhellenic Council president said. "What takes two to three hours [now] will take 20 to 30 minutes."
Innova Software's Web site lists the functions Campus Director can serve: chapters can create and send invitations to potential members, administrators can keep track of each round as women accept or decline invitations, recruits' and houses' priority choices can be matched and the process from start to finish backed up and stored on-line.
The program's ability to match bids online is surprisingly complex, Horton said.
"It's an algebraic algorithm," she said. "The algorithms on the computer are so much more accurate - it takes care of everything immediately."
The new software will not change most of the traditions associated with formal recruitment, Wiseley said.
"We'll still hand-pass out the invitations themselves," Wiseley said.
Instead, it will keep communication between houses, council and potential sorority women clear and organized and speed up the final stages of the process.
"I'm really excited that the girls can get their answers right away," Horton said. "Sitting in that silent period for three hours can be so intimidating."
Instead, the process of formal recruitment will be complemented by an online program the Panhellenic Council purchased in September.
"It will be so easy - easy for the chapters and easy for me," Panhellenic Council Adviser Joanna Wiseley said.
The computer software, called Innova Campus Director, allows potential sorority members to create online profiles to which sororities and the Panhellenic Council can send e-mails. Their accounts will also show upcoming events and organize bid information for women, Wiseley said.
And it only takes five minutes to sign up, she said.
"It puts all the paperwork on-line," Lindsey Horton, Panhellenic Council president said. "What takes two to three hours [now] will take 20 to 30 minutes."
Innova Software's Web site lists the functions Campus Director can serve: chapters can create and send invitations to potential members, administrators can keep track of each round as women accept or decline invitations, recruits' and houses' priority choices can be matched and the process from start to finish backed up and stored on-line.
The program's ability to match bids online is surprisingly complex, Horton said.
"It's an algebraic algorithm," she said. "The algorithms on the computer are so much more accurate - it takes care of everything immediately."
The new software will not change most of the traditions associated with formal recruitment, Wiseley said.
"We'll still hand-pass out the invitations themselves," Wiseley said.
Instead, it will keep communication between houses, council and potential sorority women clear and organized and speed up the final stages of the process.
"I'm really excited that the girls can get their answers right away," Horton said. "Sitting in that silent period for three hours can be so intimidating."
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