Everyone knows when Panhellenic recruitment, or more commonly known as “rush week” begins at Mizzou. After all, it’s hard not to notice nearly 2,000 women walking around Greektown, or the chants of the sorority houses.
Fall recruitment is not the only time for recruitment, however. Several sororities participate in spring recruitment, formally known as continuous open bidding (COB).
When a sorority participates in COB, you don’t hear much about it like you do with fall recruitment. COB tends to be smaller, informal, and unfortunately has a negative stereotype. Many people believe that if a sorority does COB, it’s because that sorority has members drop and can’t keep their numbers up.
This stereotype is slightly misleading. Yes, the purpose of COB is to gain members to replace the amount of members that dropped, so that the sorority can meet quota. However, the members that drop do not usually resign because they dislike the sorority, which is what many people believe. Membership normally decreases for reasons such as members transferring schools, resigning because of finances, going on probation for grades, or members studying abroad (when a member studies abroad, her status changes to an inactive member).
It is these reasons that most sororities do COB. I know from experience that COB is a positive thing and in my opinion is more enjoyable than formal recruitment.
For starters, COB allows a sorority to gain women who: A: didn’t rush in the fall; B: were let go from all chapter houses during fall recruitment; C: resigned from fall recruitment; or D: did not end up in the chapter house they wanted during fall recruitment.
Several women in the above categories fall under that phrase “slipping through the cracks.” This phrase tends to be thrown around often, and it refers to women who would be great sorority members but were unfortunately let go during recruitment.
These amazing women often decide to participate in COB. I loved doing COB because I had genuine conversations with these women on a personal level. This is because the recruitment process is informal. A sorority invites the women participating in COB to the chapter house for socials. During these socials, I got to sit down with a woman one-on-one and have a genuine, longer conversation. Additionally, since COB is on a much smaller scale, you can actually hear the conversation you are having and you don’t have to shout over everyone else.
I also got to go out to dinner with some of the women going through COB. This allowed me to talk to them in a relaxed environment, enjoy a good meal and get to see their true personality. This is easier on the potential new members as well because they are more relaxed and not worried about impressing the sorority members within a 10-minute time span.
COB was an incredible opportunity to meet women I otherwise would not have. As the former Vice President of Member Education for my chapter, commonly known as “New Member Educator” in many chapters, I can say that the group of women my chapter gained from COB are exceptional members who better my chapter in every way possible.
When I look back at the COB members I led through my new member education program, I can’t help but smile. I had the privilege of planning a special bid day for them and got to know them one-on-one. Some of them now serve on my chapter’s council (known as executive board among other chapters). I’m constantly grateful that they were patient with me since it was my first new member program and I was learning along the way.
As 2015 approaches, some Mizzou sororities will be participating in COB. I hope that the Greek community realizes that this is a positive event, because sororities will be gaining awesome new members that will help the chapters, and the Greek community as a whole, to thrive and prosper.
