The sorority recruitment process will be facing several changes this summer in order to help improve the experience for both incoming members and current sorority women.

Olivia Robichaux, Panhellenic Association president and communicative disorders junior from Thibodaux, explained some of the changes.

“This year’s recruitment is going to be something totally different and new to all of the sororities here on campus,” Robichaux said. “Instead of having rooms draped with decorations and girls decked out in their best sorority outfits, the rooms will be bare and the girls from all sororities will be wearing the same thing. This is being done to help the potential new members going through recruitment.”

According to Robichaux, the change will help potential new members (PNMs) focus on the girls in each sorority and the values each sorority holds to, instead of simply focusing on decorations or outfits. It may also help current sorority members grow closer through the recruitment process.

“The sororities will be able to focus on themselves and really show each PNM what they stand for and believe in,” Robichaux said.

Tommy Ponson, director of Judicial Affairs and Greek Management at Nicholls said the National Panhellenic Conference rule of values-based recruitment has been in place for several years, instituted in 1991 and updated in 2003, but will be enforced this year.

“The events are supposed to be values based and reflective of the sororities, rather than what’s on your walls or your tables or how good your food is,” Ponson said. “No one going through recruitment will make a lifetime decision based on your decorations. At times, for some, those decorations can be a distraction. The recruitment process won’t change at all.”

The recruitment process will take place during the week before classes begin, instead of the usual time during the first week of classes.

“I think recruitment being a week before school is definitely a good thing,” Robichaux said. “This will give the PNMs a chance to meet each other before school starts, so they can feel comfortable and have people to mingle with when the first day of school comes around.”

Ponson said the goal is to have PNMs who will be living on campus move in early.

“Recruitment, historically, has been before school started but eventually moved to during the semester,” Ponson said. “Putting it before school will give everybody ample time to get ready for school, there will be no late nights during the school year with recruitment activities.”

The number of girls going through recruitment at Nicholls has grown over the last few years, but Ponson said he does not have an estimate of how many people will be going through this year.

“Registration just opened in April with the first orientation and the recruitment counselors are still in a training mode,” Ponson said. “Registration closes July 31.”

Caroline Ayers, an allied health senior from Thibodaux, will be a recruitment counselor this year. This means that she will disaffiliate from her own sorority to help new members find their place.

“I’m just excited for all the new girls to come in,” Ayers said. “All of our sororities are great and I just want to keep improving sorority life and panhellenic life as a whole.”

“I would hope (new members) would see the sororities as they are,” Ponson said. “The work that they do, the money they raise, the people they help and the academics are some of the things that the new members look for.”
Ponson also said that Nicholls is currently in the extension process of inviting new sororities to join the Nicholls campus. “There is an extension process in place, and it goes through NPC with all of the guidelines and dates that must be followed,” Ponson said. “Several of the processes are complete, and right now it’s open and sororities who are interested in the area will submit packets. We have received some packets.”