Rush numbers up this year
New software eliminates paperwork, makes it easier for freshmen to sign up for formal rush in January
Marieke van der Vaart
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: News
The numbers of female recruits for formal rush have more than doubled this year thanks to new recruitment software, senior and Pan Hellenic Council president, Lindsay Horton said.
Around this time last year, 17 women were registered for January's recruitment. As of Monday, some 42 women have signed up for formal recruitment on line. The spike in numbers is largely due to the software, CampusDirector.
Both Horton and Pan Hellenic Council Adviser Joanna Wiseley credit the ease and convenience of the new system with its popularity.
The new system replaces the paper forms with electronic ones - cutting down delivery and processing time. Where students had to handwrite and deliver forms to Wiseley's office in past years, women can now fill out the same form online.
Horton said the new system eliminates about three-fourths of the paper work.
It also makes coordinating events easier. In the past, potential recruits would have to be entered into a Microsoft Excel system, with their profiles kept in manila folders, Horton said. When sororities reviewed applicant's profiles, they would be examining a physical copy.
"Joanna would have to make a photo copy of every profile," Horton said.
Now, the program automatically organizes registrants' information online.
Both women said the new system doesn't mean recruitment will be purely mechanical - they will be careful to maintain the personalized touch recruitment is characterized by.
In fact, Wiseley said the system will pair interested women with their recruitment counselors faster, encouraging closer friendships.
"It gives them the time to build relationships with them," she said. "It's nice to see that come to fruition."
The earlier registration also aids the planning process for formal recruitment, Horton said.
"We can really get an overall picture of the numbers of girls going," Horton said, "[getting a head start] on mapping out agendas and we can budget for food."
That's not to say the number of registered women will necessarily translate into higher recruit-ment numbers, Horton said. Factors like families who don't want their daughters leaving Christmas break early or a grade point average below the college requirement for potential recruits affect the final numbers of women attending formal recruitment.
After the software's initial set-up fee, the program also charges the Pan Hellenic Council a fee per registered woman.
"That's been absorbed by our budget," Wiseley said. "[The cost has] already been allocated."
Pan Hellenic Council representatives will have computers out by the top of the stairs at Grewcock Student Union Nov. 7-9 to encourage and help students to register, Wiseley said.
Around this time last year, 17 women were registered for January's recruitment. As of Monday, some 42 women have signed up for formal recruitment on line. The spike in numbers is largely due to the software, CampusDirector.
Both Horton and Pan Hellenic Council Adviser Joanna Wiseley credit the ease and convenience of the new system with its popularity.
The new system replaces the paper forms with electronic ones - cutting down delivery and processing time. Where students had to handwrite and deliver forms to Wiseley's office in past years, women can now fill out the same form online.
Horton said the new system eliminates about three-fourths of the paper work.
It also makes coordinating events easier. In the past, potential recruits would have to be entered into a Microsoft Excel system, with their profiles kept in manila folders, Horton said. When sororities reviewed applicant's profiles, they would be examining a physical copy.
"Joanna would have to make a photo copy of every profile," Horton said.
Now, the program automatically organizes registrants' information online.
Both women said the new system doesn't mean recruitment will be purely mechanical - they will be careful to maintain the personalized touch recruitment is characterized by.
In fact, Wiseley said the system will pair interested women with their recruitment counselors faster, encouraging closer friendships.
"It gives them the time to build relationships with them," she said. "It's nice to see that come to fruition."
The earlier registration also aids the planning process for formal recruitment, Horton said.
"We can really get an overall picture of the numbers of girls going," Horton said, "[getting a head start] on mapping out agendas and we can budget for food."
That's not to say the number of registered women will necessarily translate into higher recruit-ment numbers, Horton said. Factors like families who don't want their daughters leaving Christmas break early or a grade point average below the college requirement for potential recruits affect the final numbers of women attending formal recruitment.
After the software's initial set-up fee, the program also charges the Pan Hellenic Council a fee per registered woman.
"That's been absorbed by our budget," Wiseley said. "[The cost has] already been allocated."
Pan Hellenic Council representatives will have computers out by the top of the stairs at Grewcock Student Union Nov. 7-9 to encourage and help students to register, Wiseley said.
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