The eight chapters of the College Panhellenic Council will hold an informational meeting for potential sorority members Thursday.

Member chapters of the council will have the opportunity to educate others about Greek life and recruit new members when formal recruitment begins on Friday.

“The women are going to be taken around to all eight chapters and they will get a chance to talk to the women and find out what sorority life is about,” said Christy Calvert, president of College Panhellenic Council and assistant advertising manager of the Northern Star.

On Friday, the potential members will meet all eight chapters and get a tour of the houses, explained Shanda Scharff, vice president of new membership selection. On Saturday, the women will go back to five of the houses and work on philanthropy projects which will be donated to different organizations.

“On the third day, they will go to two chapter houses and have more in-depth conversations,” Scharff said. “From there, they will select which sorority they want to join.”

The third day of recruitment is bid night, a time when potential members find out which sorority they will join.

“It is the most exciting part of the weekend, where the women are extended invitations to the chapters,” Calvert said.

Recruitment is essential to the survival of each chapter. This is the time of the year when each chapter gets to meet new people and share its sisterhood with others, Calvert said.

This year, a lot of changes were made to the formal recruitment process.

“In the past, recruitment counselors sit outside and walk girls to each chapter,” said Chris Juhl, activities adviser of Greek Affairs. “This year, recruitment counselors will be inside the house to raise a level of comfort for potential members by being able to see a friendly face. It also is to cut back on talking bad about other chapters if there is a Panhellenic official in the room.”

Other changes include the restriction of recruiting in individual rooms and an increase of chapter alumni and advisers.

“Changes are made to ensure that the potential members are made fully aware of the recruitment process and the chapters are making more of an effort to improve the Greek image,” Calvert said.

Women who are interested in joining sororities are strongly encouraged to check out the informational meeting held on Thursday night preceding the formal recruitment.

“It may seem a little overwhelming at first,” Calvert said, “but in the end, you will get a well-rounded idea of what each chapter is about and what the whole Greek community is like.”