Appendix XI. Rush Rules, 1996

Lafayette College Panhellenic Association, 1996

Purpose: The purpose of rush is for the rushee and the chapter to get to know each other well enough for both to make an important lifetime decision.

  1. Formal Rush will begin Saturday, September 7, 1996 and will conclude when bids are distributed/received on Sunday, September 22, 1996.
  2. All members, including pledges and alumnae, shall be responsible for knowing and observing National Panhellenic Conference Unanimous Agreements and rush practices as stated in the current edition of the NPC Manual of Information as well as the Lafayette Panhellenic Association 1996 Rush Rules.
  3. All members planning to participate in formal rush must read and sign these rush rules at their chapter meetings. This will be coordinated by the Panhellenic delegates. Anyone not signing the rules will not be allowed to participate in or attend any of the formal rush parties or bid ceremonies.
  4. All publicity and registration for formal rush shall be carried out by the Panhellenic Council and the Rho Chi team.
  5. Rush budgets shall not exceed $500. Donations will be allowed for food and flowers, whose values should not exceed 25% of a rush budget. A detailed accounting of rush expenses on the Panhellenic-provided expense record will be due to the Panhellenic Rush Chairs within one week after the conclusion of rush. Attach copies of all receipts of purchases and rentals.
  6. Rho Chi and Panhellenic Executive members pictures must be covered on all items during rush. This is the responsibility of the sorority. Rho Chi’s and Panhellenic Executive members need to be excluded from all pictures and slide presentations during rush.
  7. There will be no promising of bids either directly or indirectly by any sorority members, including pledges and alumnae.
  8. Strict silence must be observed during the formal rush period beginning Friday, September 6 and continuing until Bid Day on Sunday, September 22. During this period of time, there will be no conversation or contact with rushees by sorority members, including pledges and alumnae, unless through a Panhellenic organized event.
  9. No individual sorority member, including pledges and alumnae, may give to or receive from a rushee any favors or gifts.
  10. All sororities shall adhere to the time schedule for each rush party, maintaining responsibility for prompt starting and concluding.
  11. No men should be allowed to participate in formal rush (i.e. no men at parties, no men in pictures, slides, etc.)
  12. Only sorority members, pledges, and alumnae may assist the chapter with rush during the formal rush period.
  13. No alcoholic beverages may be present at any rush event.
  14. There will be no outside decorations displayed on doors, windows, or in the entry areas of rush party facilities.
  15. All rush entertainment must be confined to the rush facility (i.e. banners, YOU).
  16. Rush skits during the third round parties are not to be more than 10 minutes in length, and should contain information pertinent to the sorority without being elaborate.
  17. Sororities should focus on conversation and information sharing during the first and second round parties, as well as encourage rushees to continue with the rush process.
  18. Elaborate costuming and purchasing of special rush outfits is prohibited. Special costumes are allowed only for skit participants. Other sorority members must wear their letters.
  19. No party favors, gifts, preference letters, or notes may be given to rushees by a sorority until they have accepted bids.
  20. All sororities shall follow Lafayette College guidelines concerning facility usage. If any damages occur, the individual sorority will be held liable and may have a rush fine brought upon them.
  21. All rushees must attend orientation and the maximum number of formal rush parties to which she can accept invitations. The Panhellenic Rush Chairs shall notify the sororities involved if there is any exception to be made.
  22. A rushee must be a full time student at Lafayette College to be eligible to participate in rush.
  23. No returning Lafayette College student or transfer student with a cumulative GPA below a 2.0 is eligible to participate in formal rush.
  24. International Exchange Students participating in rush will not be counted toward quota or total.
  25. The Panhellenic Council will provide nametags throughout formal rush for rushees and sorority members, with the exception of preference night, in which the sororities will provide nametags for both rushees and sorority members.
  26. On preference night, beginning at 8:00 pm, all rushees, unless attending preference parties, must remain in Colton Chapel until signing preference cards.
  27. There will be no men or alcohol involved in the Bid Day ceremony. this includes the 24-hour period following the Bid Day Ceremony.
  28. Chapters which do not pledge quota, or pledged quota without reaching total, are strongly encouraged to engage in continuous open bidding immediately following rush. Continuous open bidding is designed to provide maximum opportunities for membership to the greatest number possible. Any matriculated, unaffiliated woman is eligible for continuous open bidding, without any requirement of prior participation in formal rush.
  29. Infractions of rush rules will be governed by National Panhellenic Conference provisions and procedures.

Lafayette College Panhellenic Association, 1996