Alpha Phi - University of Missouri

Lexi Filafusi '18 and Meghan Ferking '18 at our Alpha Phizza philanthropy event. Kailyn Timme '17 and her mom enjoy a fun-filled Mom's Weekend. Zoe Hormell '18, Declan, Caitlin Brown '18, and Olivia Besgrove '18 prepare for a game of laser tag. T his fall's Mizzou sorority recruitment was the strongest since 2015. Omicron welcomed 70 outstanding new members on Bid Day, including 10 legacies. For six consecutive days, 15 Panhellenic chapters hosted parties for more than 1,400 potential new members. Following two days of Open House parties, there were two days for the Philanthropy party round, then Sisterhood Day, and finally, Preference, when each candidate could return to a maximum of two chapters before signing a bid card. Throughout the week, extra events provided downtime for those going through recruitment and limited overcrowding at the chapter houses. If you remember rush skits and everyone wearing matching costumes, you might be surprised at today's recruitment process—think less about entertaining and more getting to know each other. House tours are still a feature, but decorations are kept to a minimum. Panhellenic works diligently to ensure everyone wishing to join a sorority receives an invitation to do so, and chapters are guided to limit the number of invitations so that every chapter reaches quota—which they did! Hundreds of recommendations were gratefully received and carefully reviewed by Omicron this year. Recommendations that provided personal references for potential new members seeking to join Alpha Phi helped the chapter do its best to welcome these special guests. Thank you to all alumnae who provided information in advance of recruitment. RECRUITMENT RECAP Omicron Celebrates New Member Class O ver the past two years, university officials at the University of Missouri have evaluated the Greek system to institute new policies providing for a safer, more regulated fraternity and sorority experience. With the conclusion of this effort, new recommendations for Greek life operations went into effect this fall. INTER-GREEK COUNCIL PROGRAMMING The fraternity and sorority community at Mizzou is divided into four governing councils: IFC, Panhellenic Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and Multicultural Greek Council. Providing for a more inclusive and connected community, all four Greek governing councils will plan no fewer than two programs beyond the traditional January Greek leader retreat. COMBATING HAZING The university updated the "Rights of Those Who Report" and encourages all newly elected executive officers to review the outline and to feel empowered to report incidents of hazing to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (OFSL). Individuals responsible for hazing will be treated individually, rather than the chapter as a whole, per national fraternity/ sorority headquarters policies and the Mizzou Collected Rules and Regulations. PROVIDING A BETTER NEW MEMBER PROCESS Creating additional resources for new member educators is also a chief goal this fall. Training includes policy, building positive brother/ sisterhoods, creating meaningful connections in the new member process, and hazing prevention. New member educators are asked to submit written lesson plans for the chapter's individual education plan, though ritual and fraternity traditions do not need to be included. As part of the new member process, the OFSL recommends new members be provided information on the OFSL, and Greek life in general, through an orientation program led by the four Greek governing councils. This program would aid in providing an impartial view of the Greek community and university traditions. GREEK LIFE POLICY CHANGES NOW ACTIVE What Omicron Can Expect This Fall Always Alpha Phi 6

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