What is Continuous Open Bidding (COB)?
Continuous Open Bidding is a very informal process that sororities use to take in new members. Unlike formal recruitment, there are no silence rules, no long days of going from party to party, or invitation acceptances. When a sorority holds COB, they simply contact a potential new member on their own and hold a series of informal events to get to know her better. Each chapter does it differently. Some might go to dinner with a potential member. Some chapters might hold a ‘board game night’ in the chapter room and invite potential members to attend. The one thing these parties do have in common is that they are a great way to casually meet people and they are always fun.
When is it held?
COB happens continuously besides school breaks and formal recruitment. During these time periods, a chapter may hold COB on the days and times they want if they are under the maximum membership total. During the fall, COB begins after the formal structured recruitment process has concluded up to Study Day (Friday before Finals Weeks). During the spring, COB begins the first Tuesday of classes up to Study Day.
Who is eligible?
All women who are full-time UCA students are eligible to participate as long as they meet 3 conditions…
(1) They must meet the university’s minimum requirements: (a) enrolled as a full-time student in good standing; (b) 2.5 high school GPA for entering freshmen; 2.5 UCA GPA for current UCA students; 2.5 transfer GPA for transfer students; (c) complete a Greek Life Orientation session after joining.
(2) They must have never been initiated into a National Panhellenic Conference sorority before.
(3) They must not have received a bid during the most recent formal membership recruitment and later turned it down.
Where is COB held?
COB events are held wherever the chapter chooses. They may plan a small dinner with some potential members and a few sisters at someone’s apartment or a restaurant or they may choose to go watch a basketball game together. They might have an event in their chapter house. The location of the event is not important, as long as the event is alcohol-free and men are not present.
Which sororities have COB?
There is really no way to tell. Some sororities find themselves eligible and do not extend bids, others will extend a bid as soon as they have room for one person. Some sororities will have it one year and not the next. If you want to be a sorority member, putting your name in the COB mix is a great way to get involved.
How will sororities decide who they will invite?
There are several ways sororities might get names. They already have the registration materials of everyone who participated in recruitment from the previous formal recruitment. So, if you participated in recruitment but did not join, they have your information. A sorority will also poll its members to get ideas. An officer will announce that the chapter will be conducting COB and will ask if anyone already knows someone who might be interested. For this reason, it is important that you let your sorority friends know that you would be interested in learning more and maybe joining, should they conduct COB. They will also contact the Greek Life Office, where we keep a list of everyone who has declared interest by completing a COB Interest Form. It’s a great way to tell the sororities that you are interested but is also required so that your eligibility requirements can be verified. Completing an Interest Form will just let sororities know you’re interested in case they want to invite you to an event, verify your eligibility, or offer you a bid.
What does sending in a COB interest form commit me to?
NOTHING! Completing a COB interest form is just saying, “I’m interested in learning more and potentially joining a sorority.” It also allows the Greek Life Office to verify you meet the minimum university eligibility requirements. It’s important to know that some of the sororities have an even higher GPA requirement than the university minimum. Your information is also released to the sororities so they can make sure you meet their eligibility requirements. If you complete an interest form, a sorority may or may not call you to meet or offer a bid. If they do, you can go if you want, but you are always within your rights to say, “No, thanks.”
How can I sign up?
Sign Up Here!! It’s an online form. If you have any questions, please contact Lucee Lugo, Associate Director of Student Life and Panhellenic Advisor at 501-450-5169 or stop by the Office of Student Life in the Student Center, Suite 207.
Looking for Fall Formal recruitment registration? Find it here!