Panhellenic Member Social Media & Contact Guide

Before You Post, DM, or Reply…Know the Guidelines

This guide outlines expectations for College Panhellenic members when communicating with Potential New Members (PNMs) through social media, email, text message, direct message, or other digital platforms. Its purpose is to support fairness, mutual respect, values-based recruitment, and the integrity of the Panhellenic recruitment process.

If a PNM Contacts You

If a PNM contacts you through social media, email, text message, direct message, or another digital platform:

  • You do not need to ignore the PNM or end an otherwise normal interaction.
  • Let the PNM know they can reach out to your chapter’s ROSE Team representative or a member of the Panhellenic Executive Board with recruitment-related questions.
  • Keep your communication appropriate and chapter-neutral.
  • Do not engage in chapter-specific recruitment conversations or attempt to influence the PNM’s recruitment decisions.
  • Do not discuss chapter preferences, rankings, invitations, bids, membership selection, or other recruitment outcomes.

Social Media

College Panhellenic members should:

  • Use social media to positively promote the Panhellenic community and sorority experience as a whole.
  • Encourage PNMs to connect with and follow official Panhellenic and ROSE Team social media accounts for recruitment information and resources.
  • Avoid using social media to promote or recruit for an individual chapter when communicating with PNMs.
  • Keep interactions with PNMs appropriate, fair, and chapter-neutral.
  • Remember that members are not required to accept or follow social media requests from PNMs.
  • Members may choose to make their accounts private if they wish to limit recruitment-related interactions, but are not required to do so.

Permitted Communication

College Panhellenic members may:

  • Have normal interactions with PNMs that are unrelated to recruitment or chapter membership.
  • Accept or follow PNMs on social media unless otherwise restricted by recruitment policy.
  • Positively discuss the Panhellenic community and overall sorority experience.
  • Answer general, chapter-neutral questions about the Panhellenic experience.
  • Direct PNMs to official Panhellenic resources, the Panhellenic Executive Board, or ROSE Team.

Prohibited Communication & Conduct

Chapter-Specific Contact

College Panhellenic members must not:

  • Initiate or engage in chapter-specific recruitment conversations outside designated recruitment activities.
  • Contact, recruit, target, or single out individual PNMs for the purpose of promoting chapter membership.
  • Answer chapter-specific questions in a way that could influence a PNM’s recruitment decisions.

Influencing Recruitment Decisions

College Panhellenic members must not:

  • Ask PNMs about chapter preferences, rankings, invitations, or recruitment schedules.
  • Encourage a PNM to prefer one chapter over another.
  • Discourage a PNM from considering another chapter.
  • Pressure or otherwise attempt to influence a PNM’s recruitment decisions.

Chapter Comparisons

College Panhellenic members must not:

  • Speak negatively about another Panhellenic chapter or member.
  • Suggest that another chapter is or is not a “good fit.”
  • Compare chapters based on prestige, popularity, stereotypes, reputation, rankings, or “tier systems.”

Bid Promising

College Panhellenic members must not:

  • Promise, imply, hint, or suggest that a PNM will receive an invitation or bid.
  • Use statements or language that implies a recruitment outcome.
  • Use coded language, gestures, emojis, or signals intended to communicate a recruitment outcome.

Confidential Recruitment Information

College Panhellenic members must not:

  • Share, request, or discuss confidential information related to invitation lists, bid decisions, membership selection, or a PNM’s recruitment status.
  • Advocate for a PNM or attempt to influence membership selection decisions on their behalf.

Gifts & Recruitment Advantages

College Panhellenic members must not:

  • Offer, give, request, or accept gifts, favors, meals, merchandise, letters, or other benefits intended to influence recruitment.
  • Provide special treatment or access that could create an actual or perceived recruitment advantage.
  • Attempt to circumvent these guidelines through friends, family members, alumnae, or other third parties.

Accountability

Any communication or conduct that provides, or appears to provide, an unfair recruitment advantage, creates the perception of favoritism, or compromises the integrity of the Panhellenic recruitment process may constitute a violation of these guidelines.

Alleged violations may be referred through the Syracuse University College Panhellenic Peer Accountability process for review. Individuals or chapters found responsible may be subject to educational outcomes, sanctions, or other actions as outlined in the Syracuse University College Panhellenic Council Bylaws, Primary Recruitment Rules, and other applicable governing documents.