Some sororities require a recommendation from an alumna member of that sorority before the sorority can extend a bid to a woman. A recommendation simply introduces a woman to a sorority to help the sorority members become acquainted with her before recruitment actually begins. Sororities appreciate and use this information to assist in their recruitment process. However, it is important to understand that if a sorority requires a recommendation, it is THE INDIVIDUAL SORORITY’S RESPONSIBILITY TO OBTAIN THAT RECOMMENDATION.

It is permissible for a potential member to ask an alumna member of a sorority to complete a recommendation form to her own sorority. However, it is inappropriate for a potential member, or anyone on her behalf, to contact an alumna member she does not know to ask for a recommendation.

In 1992, the national Panhellenic Conference passed a resolution addressing recommendations. The resolution, in part, states:

“The responsibility of providing recommendations for potential members rests with the members of NPC fraternities, and recruitment information distributed through College and Alumnae Panhellenics shall contain nothing that infers that recommendations must be secured by the potential member.”

All NPC sororities at OU adhere to this resolution. Women participating in Formal Recruitment at the University of Oklahoma must register with the OU Panhellenic Association (using the form in the Recruitment manual ), but are under NO OBLIGATION to register with a City Wide or Area Alumnae Panhellenic. The earlier a potential member registers for Formal Recruitment with OU Panhellenic, the more time individual sororities have to secure information they require.

Each national sorority has its own guidelines and often its own recommendation forms that its alumna members must use. The OU Panhellenic Association does not provide these forms nor any information regarding an individual sorority’s regulations, she should contact the national sorority. The information is available in her national magazine or on the national Web site .