Recruitment FAQ

What is a Recruitment Information Form (RIF)? ! A RIF is a form that a Chi Omega alumna completes on a potential new member (PNM) who is involved in the recruitment process

! An alumna’s recommendation and the PNM’s background as provided on the RIF are considered during the chapter’s pre-screening process and during member-selection sessions.

When completing a RIF, it is helpful if you can identify how the PNM demonstrates the six purposes of Chi Omega. • Friendship • High Standards • Sincere Learning and Creditable Scholarship • Participation in Campus Activities • Career and Personal Development • Community Service

If you know the young woman personally, you should be able to easily complete the RIF. However, if you’ve been asked to provide a RIF for a PNM you do not know personally, you may use other sources, including but not limited to: • other Chi Omegas, • high school yearbooks, • newspapers, • teachers, and • friends

If you do not know the PNM, do not call her. Doing so may result in the Chi Omega chapter being penalized.

Where can I get a RIF? It can be found on-line at www.chiomega.com. Click on resources, then Forms, and finally Recruitment Forms to download the document. The Recruitment Information Directory is also located in the resources section under Recruitment. For assistance contact the Executive Headquarters at (901) 748-8600.

What is a Letter of Support (LOS)? A Letter of Support is a letter conveying your sense of the qualifications of a Potential New Member (PNM) to be a Chi Omega.

Why Are RIFs Important? ! A RIF outlines a PNM’s membership qualifications and provides references that support those qualifications.

! A RIF serves as an introduction of the PNM to a Chi Omega chapter. ! A RIF documents a PNM’s ability to live up to the purposes of Chi Omega Fraternity.

Note: All eligible women will receive consideration for membership without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, disability, or handicap.

What is a RIF Packet? A RIF Packet consists of 3 copies of the RIF and the required supporting documents and one set of photos:

Documents - Packet 1 – - Packet 2 – - Packet 3 - “ORIGINALS” – Copy retained Copy used by sent to campus for one year by the Alumnae recruitment Recruitment Recruitment team in Board Committee Summer 2009 working with each college Chi Omega RIF Form Pages 1-2 of RIF 1 – author 1 – author (Pages 1 -2 only) with author’s photocopies photocopies original signature pages 1 and 2 of pages 1 and 2 of RIF RIF Personal Social 1 1 1 Resume High School 1 1 1 Transcript Either ACT or SAT 1 1 1 Score Report Letters of Support 2-3 Letters Copy of LOS Copy of LOS (LOS) included in Original packet Photos – 3 poses 1 set of photos -- --

What are the critical deadlines? May 1st is the deadline to deliver the RIF packet to the Chi Omega Recruitment Chair. All Houston Alumnae Panhellenic Association (HAPA) sororities request the information be submitted to Recruitment Boards by May 1st of each year.

Please note that the May 1 deadline also applies to candidates attending schools with Deferred Recruitment.

*It is suggested that you retain a copy of the RIF for your own files.

Where do I send the completed RIF packet? In Houston, all Chi Omega RIFs are processed by the Houston Recruitment Board, thus NO RIFs should be sent to the Collegiate Chapter or to the Collegiate Panhellenic Board.

Send the complete RIF packet to:

Geyer Dybesland- Houston Recruitment Board Chair 5 Crestwood Estates Drive Houston, TX 77024 (713) 827-0392 (Home) E-mail any inquiries to: [email protected]

A secure plastic storage box will be on the front porch of Geyer’s home should you wish to drop off the document packets rather than mail them.

Our Recruitment Board is committed to timely and appropriate handling of these confidential documents. All RIFs for Fall Recruitment will be hand-delivered or express mailed to campus recruitment advisors between mid-June and early July. Late submittal of the RIF Packet may be a disadvantage for a Potential New Member.

Should I fill out RIFs for friends of my daughter? The Recruitment Board recognizes that conflicts of interest may arise under these circumstances, and defers to the alumna’s individual judgment. Do not feel pressured to write RIFs or Letters of Support if this causes you any level of personal uncertainty.

What high schools does the Houston Chi Omega Recruitment Board cover? The Board offers RIF processing for the following schools only: All Houston ISD, Alief ISD, and Spring Branch ISD High Schools and the following private schools: Houston Christian High School, The Kinkaid School, St. John’s School, Second Baptist School, St. Thomas Episcopal High School, Episcopal High School, Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, St. Agnes Academy, St. Pius X High School, and Incarnate Word Academy. The HISD schools that most of the candidates attend include, but are not limited to, Bellaire, Lamar, HSPVA, and Westside High Schools.

What if the potential new member attended high school out-of-state, but wishes me (i.e. her favorite aunt) to write her RIF? Should you be requested to write a RIF for a PNM attending another area school (i.e., Cinco Ranch High School in Katy ISD) or have questions about authoring RIFs for students residing in other cities, please consult the Chi Omega national website for guidance as to where to send the RIF form by accessing: www.chiomega.com. What about RIFs for those who are attending schools with Deferred Recruitment? May 1st of each year is the deadline for all PNMs. The chapters with deferred recruitment still do all the recruitment preparation over the summer.

REQUIRED: Each PNM must register to go through Recruitment at the Houston Alumnae Panhellenic Board which is done on-line at: www.houston-panhellenic.org AND each PNM must register with the Panhellenic Board at the college she is attending.

What About RIFs and E-mail? A completed RIF or confidential information about a PNM may not be sent via e-mail.

Special Note: About Confidentiality Here’s how Chi Omega guards confidentiality, and examples of when confidentiality is expected and required. The Chapter Recruitment Team Executive Board , consisting of the chapter president, recruitment chair, personnel chair, personnel advisor, and recruitment advisor, handles all confidential issues and decisions related to the recruitment process.

COMMUNICATION that takes place during recruitment events/parties is not to be shared with those not involved in the process. For example, it is inappropriate to text message anyone during recruitment to share information regarding a PNM.

Selection Session participation is reserved for initiated collegiate-chapter members who have participated in the recruitment process. Chapter advisors may assist with selection sessions but do not vote on the selection of new members. Alumnae who are not advisors may not attend membership selection sessions. The sharing of selection session information with those not fitting this description is prohibited. Membership selection and recruitment information is confidential. Alumnae should not request or expect to receive any information about the status of a specific PNM during recruitment.