Following Delta Delta Delta’s (Tridelt) boycott of the Inter-Sorority Council’s (ISC) fall recruitment, the sorority is scheduled to move forward with an informal winter recruitment, which begins on Jan. 10. Here is everything you need to know about Tridelt’s recruitment process. 

What is informal recruitment?

Informal recruitment, officially known as Continuous Open Bidding, is a process that allows Greek organizations to continue recruiting members beyond the scheduled recruitment cycle. Greek organizations can choose to host informal recruitment for a number of reasons, such as filling housing quotas or providing additional opportunities to get to know potential new members (PNMs). 

Continuous Open Bidding typically takes place soon after the end of the official recruitment cycle, which happened in the fall for ISC. Tridelt, however, felt that the ISC’s fall recruitment process occurred too soon. Due to the ongoing pandemic, current sophomores (Class of 2024) missed out on the opportunity to participate in recruitment during the 2020-21 school year, which prompted ISC to host a recruitment cycle for sophomores in the fall. Last fall was also the first time many sophomores stepped foot onto campus. Tridelt believed that hosting fall recruitment for sophomores would be too exhausting and mentally taxing, and opted instead to recruit on their own timeline. 

Anyone interested in participating must sign up for recruitment by Sunday, Jan. 9 at 8 p.m.

So how is informal recruitment actually different from normal recruitment?

According to Tridelt president Anais Morroquin ’23, this recruitment cycle looks drastically different from the regular recruitment cycles of previous years. Instead of hosting a weekend jam-packed with activities, Tridelt’s recruitment is being spread over the course of two weeks. This structure will allow Tridelt to host longer events and have more opportunities to get to know PNMs, according to Morroquin.

In a regular ISC recruitment cycle, “PNMs chat with active members 1:1 for 5 minutes each,” Morroquin wrote in an email to The Daily. “In our new structure, we’ve chosen to make 1:1 chats much longer so that conversations could get deeper and PNMs really have the opportunity to go into detail about their values, passions, and all about who they are.”

Tridelt will also be hosting an identities panel to allow PNMs opportunities to ask difficult questions about diversity and inclusivity.

Tridelt boycotted fall recruitment due to concerns about equity and inclusion. What are they doing to make this event and joining Greek life more equitable and accessible?

In addition to extending recruitment week and hosting the Identities Panel, all of Tridelt’s members received mandatory implicit bias training. The chapter also hosted mandatory training focused on addressing socioeconomic and racial inequities. 

In recognition of the economic burden dues can pose for a chapter’s members, Tridelt is also giving all new members a scholarship of $110 to help offset the cost of joining. This scholarship will lower the total cost of joining from $605.50 to $495.50. 

In addition to the scholarship, “members have the option to come to us to learn more about how they can use the Opportunity Fund to cover dues,” Marroquin wrote in an email to The Daily, referencing a fund that is dedicated towards financially assisting students. “If they do not qualify for the Opportunity Fund, we are also handling cases on an individual basis for members that need more aid than just $110.”

What is Abolish Stanford Greek (ASG) saying about Tridelt recruitment?

Despite Tridelt’s commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the Greek system, ASG remains skeptical of Tridelt’s progress. 

In the fall, Tridelt made a commitment to meet with ASG to discuss their plans for winter recruitment. According to ASG, the group has not had any recent conversations with Tridelt on winter recruitment or had the opportunity to provide any feedback on Tridelt’s recruitment process. “This is particularly important given the history of off-cycle recruitment being even less equitable or transparent than normal,” ASG wrote in an email to The Daily, adding that the informal recruitment process is “subject to a lessened degree of administrative oversight from the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.” 

“In our experience, Greek organizations are excellent at talking about equity, diversity and inclusion, and that is a necessary first step,” the organization wrote. However, ASG still feels that Tridelt is not being fully transparent about any unofficial costs that come with being part of the organization. ASG also reaffirmed their stance that any true and meaningful reform must begin with unhousing Greek organizations, citing the Asian Women’s Alliance op-ed on their disaffiliation from Greek life. 

According to Marroquin, Tridelt works to meet all financial needs communicated by members. “Tridelt offers full financial support when it comes to all social events and more, including any attire they may need to purchase for an event if applicable,” Marroquin wrote.

ASG representatives wrote that it was “promising” that Tri Delta was considering unofficial costs like clothing. They also expressed concerns about other “informal socially-pressured costs of Greek life,” like pressure to dine out. “We appreciate that Tridelt considers its non-explicit costs including clothing, and we hope that they continue to have an expansive definition of the costs of Greek Life,” ASG wrote.

While Tridelt was unable to have a follow-up conversation with ASG, Marroquin wrote that Tridelt leadership discussed initial recruitment plans with ASG in the fall. The sorority’s former president Sarah Lee ’23 also reached out to ASG in early December to begin conversations and planning again, Marroquin wrote. 

ASG wrote that they received Lee’s email but said Lee mentioned a follow up they never received. “It seems like there was a lapse in communication and we look forward to continuing to work with Tridelt on these issues,” ASG representatives wrote in an email to The Daily. 

ASG also confirmed that current Tridelt leadership has since reached out to them.

What does the schedule look like?

Kicking off the week is “Virtual Delta Chillz” on Jan. 10, followed by a Service & Values event on Jan. 11. These two events will introduce PNMs to the Tridelt community and provide an opportunity to learn more about the logistics of membership as well as the larger values of the sorority. A short, required written application will also be released the morning of Jan. 10 and will be due by noon on Friday, Jan. 14. 

On Jan. 12, Tridelt will hold Delta Chats, which are 1:1 meetings between PNMs and current Tridelt members. Similar to a coffee chat, these meetings are an opportunity for PNMs to get to know Tridelt members more intimately. The following day, Jan. 13, Tridelt will host its Identities Panel. At this event, PNMs will be able to have honest conversations with the Tridelt community about equity and accessibility in the sorority. A final round Delta Chat will be held on Jan. 14, followed by invites released at 8 p.m. that day. 

In the invites round, Tridelt will host its final round of Delta Chats on Jan. 15 and Jan. 16. On the evening of the 16th, bids will be released, followed by Bid Night on Jan. 21. Not everyone will be guaranteed a bid to the sorority due to limited space. 

What COVID-19 precautions is Tridelt taking?

Consistent with current University guidelines around large gatherings, Tridelt’s events will be held online with the exception of one event: Delta Chats. For this event, PNMs will have the option to talk to a member of Tridelt in-person if they wish to, though they will still be able to participate remotely. 

This article has been updated to include a response from Tridelt to ASG’s statement and a follow-up statement from ASG.