Written with love by Alina O'Donnell
Dirty Rush is a confusing term that is often thrown around in the sorority world. Recruitment can be a stressful time because you’re meeting new people and figuring out your way in a new environment. You shouldn’t have to worry about getting in trouble on top of that! We’re here to help and give you the inside scoop on what Dirty Rush really is and how you can avoid it. That’s one less thing to worry about!
On every college campus with a Greek community, there is a College Panhellenic Council that makes sure each sorority is following the rules set in place on a national scale. The National Panhellenic Council makes these rules to ensure a smooth and fair recruitment process for everyone involved. It may seem boring, but these rules are super important! Dirty Rush occurs when sororities break those rules, which is definitely not allowed.
So, what might Dirty Rush look like to a Potential New Member during recruitment? What are some of those rules? Here is a list of some situations that could fall under the category of "Dirty Rush" during or prior to sorority recruitment:
Being promised a bid or being guaranteed that you will get invited back to another recruitment round.
Recruiters are absolutely not allowed to say things like, “See you tomorrow” or “I can’t wait to see you on bid day!” and there is a reason for that. These statements can lead a PNM to believe she is 100% being invited back to a particular house, even though there is no way to guarantee a return invitation as many factors can impact the final outcome. In short, you can’t be promised a bid!
Being contacted by or contacting a sorority member before/during recruitment.
Formal recruitment really works! It can be tempting to try to get the “in” through DM’ing someone on social media or walking up to a girl in a coffee shop who is wearing a sorority shirt and introducing yourself. Technically, however, this is against the rules of recruitment. Trust the process and know that you will have plenty of time to showcase your personality during recruitment week...without breaking any rules. On the flip side, sorority members are not supposed to be contacting you either. That is a big N-O!
Receiving/sending gifts.
A sorority is not allowed to send any gifts or notes that may influence you to join their sorority. Potential New Members aren’t allowed to bribe sororities with gifts either! You don’t want to be in a sorority that gives you a bid solely based on the fact that you sent them cookies during recruitment, anyway. The goal is to join a sisterhood that's all about loving you for your personality...not your presents!
Spreading rumors about other sororities on campus.
Recruitment is a very personal process. It may be tempting to express your opinions about houses to other Potential New Members or to recruiters during a formal recruitment week conversation, but it’s important to keep these things to yourself. It’s never okay to bad-mouth another sorority—we’re all one big Panhellenic family, after all! Focus on each sorority while you're at their house, and give everyone a chance. You never know where you’ll end up!
"Dirty Rush" is certainly the exception, and not the rule. If any of these things do happen to you, though, don’t worry! Instead, if you think you’re experiencing dirty rushing, the best thing to do is go to a designated Recruitment Counselor (often called a Rho Chi or Rho Gamma during recruitment week) and work together to decide what your next step should be. Don’t discuss your concerns with any other Potential New Members—go straight to someone official who will help you handle things the proper way and get you back on track to have a successful and enjoyable recruitment experience!
About the Blogger: Alina is a graduate of Texas Christian University and served as a former Public Relations Chair for her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. Follow Alina on Instagram: @alina_odonnell
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