This article is Day 2 of the series: 31 Days to Better Fraternity Recruitment.
There is a myth in many fraternities that it is the responsibility of the recruitment chair to recruit all the new members for the fraternity. This is completely wrong and a sure-fire way to have a crappy fraternity recruitment period. It is every brother’s responsibility to recruit.
However, the recruitment chair has more.
11 Fraternity Recruitment Chair Responsibilities
1) Maintain the Names List
The recruitment chair is responsible for maintaining the master list of recruitment contacts. This means making sure all potential new members are on the list with the correct contact information.
2) Make Sure Rushees are Invited
The recruitment chair must make sure that the guys on the names list are actually invited to recruitment events. It is not his responsibility to directly invite the guys, but it is his responsibility to make sure it happens.
3) Schedule Rush
The recruitment chair is responsible for making sure that all the recruitment events are planned well in advance.
4) Manage the Recruitment Budget
All committees should work with the treasurer to maximize fraternity funds. The recruitment chair is no different. Most recruitment budgets are a significant portion of the fraternity’s annual budget. This is a poor use of money and you can have just as much success spending very little money.
5) Keep the Brothers Informed and Organized
Brothers are scatter-brained, especially the first few weeks back from summer break. The recruitment chair is responsible for making sure they know where they are supposed to be and when they are supposed to be there.
6) Know the Recruits
The recruitment chair needs to meet all the recruits and know them well-enough to have an opinion of them. Eventually you are going to vote on whether or not to give these guys bids, and it is imperative that the recruitment chair can speak about each potential new member.
7) Know the Rules
Universities have very stringent recruitment rules. The recruitment chair needs to know them in order to avoid any potential violations.
8) Be Visible
There is a ton of work that goes into rush, including a lot of grunt tasks like dorm-storming and cleaning the house. The recruitment chair has to be a part of these efforts. If he isn’t, you can expect the brothers to dog out on them as well.
9) Put the Fraternity in a Position to Succeed
The recruitment chair should know the guys rushing better than anyone. He needs to introduce the brothers to the guys who he thinks will hit it off due to similar interests. Remember that guys join fraternities due to the personal relationships they form with the brothers. The recruitment chair needs to try his best to develop those relationships.
10) Keep Facebook/Twitter/Chapter Website Updated
The recruitment chair needs to make sure these are kept updated during rush. He doesn’t necessarily have to do it, but he has to make sure that someone does. After a rush event one of the first things a rushee is going to do is go to these places. What do you want them to see?
11) Keep it Positive
Guys will not join a fraternity that has a bad vibe. The recruitment chair needs to remind the chapter that there is no need to air dirty laundry in front of rushees.
To learn more, check out our most in-depth article on fraternity recruitment: The Complete Guide to Fraternity Recruitment.