Formal recruitment to begin Nov. 12

Formal sorority recruitment season is approaching, but women interested in participating can still register to do so.\nLast Tuesday, all 19 sorority chapters on campus congregated at Alumni Hall for Greek Opportunities for Women, an information session on greek life for potential pledges.\n"It was very, very successful," said Jaclyn Reinking, vice president of recruitment for the Panhellenic Association. "We had about 580 women show up."\nSince then, sororities have been busy with informal recruitment activities.\nInformal recruitment differs from formal recruitment in that attendance isn't mandatory for potential pledges, said Sigma Delta Tau Recruitment Chair Alli Green. \nMoreover, the events involved in informal recruitment are less formal. \n"People wear jeans and stuff," Green said.\nGreen said so far her chapter has hosted a couple of in-house dinners and that every Wednesday night is "s'mores night." \n"Everyone stands up, says their name and gets to know each other," she said.\nGreen said on average, 15 potential pledges come to these events but women who've yet to be invited to such an activity yet want to be involved in formal recruitment need not worry.\n"It doesn't have much to do with formal recruitment," she said. "It's just so potential pledges can get a handle on things and make some friends."\nReinking also said informal recruitment is "not as large of a process" as formal.\nBut junior Kate Williams, recruitment chair for Alpha Gamma Delta, said her chapter also hosts formal dinners but will ask prospective members over to "watch a popular television show."\n"It's nice where everyone can sit around and just get to know everyone a little better," she said. "It's a really great opportunity before formal recruitment comes along."\nWomen who want to pledge a sorority need to register now for formal recruitment, which starts Nov. 12 with 19-Party, according to the Panhellenic Association Web site.\nAt 19-Party, freshmen and sophomore women tour all 19 chapter houses on campus in a two-day period, Green said. In addition, pledges "will be given the opportunity to meet three or four active members in each chapter," according to IU's Go Greek Web site.\n"In my opinion, it's the most exciting part of formal recruitment in some ways," she said. "You get to see all of the chapters."\nGreen also said she encourages women considering rush to certainly do so, even if they decide not to join a chapter.\n"It's just a good experience to meet people," she said.