Continuous Open Bidding
What is Continuous Opening Bidding (COB)?
Continuous Open Bidding (COB) is an informal recruitment process that Panhellenic sororities use to recruitment new members outside of the designated formal recruitment period.
Is a Snap Bid the same as a COB?
No. Snap bidding ends when bids are distributed on Bid Day. Continuous Open Bidding (COB) begins as soon as Bid Day begins. The Snap Bidding process takes place before bids are distributed on Bid Day, and eligibility is limited to women who participated in at least the first round of recruitment (I.e. Open House). Snap Bids are coordinated and extended through the University Panhellenic Council, prior to the distribution of bids and the start of Bid Day activities.
Who is eligible for COB?
All female UT students are eligible to participate in COB provided that:
They are enrolled as a full-time student
They have never been initiated into one of the 26 National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sororities at UT or on another campus, and
They have not received and declined a bid during the most recent formal membership recruitment or broken their pledge.
Is there a minimum Grade Point Average to Participate in COB?
Although Panhellenic does not require a specific grade point average (GPA) to participate in formal recruitment or COB, most sororities have a minimum grade requirement to be eligible for membership.
How does COB work?
Unlike formal recruitment, COB is very casual and unstructured. Each chapter does COB differently so the University Panhellenic Council does not set dates for informal recruitment events or offering of bids. Chapters individually contact a potential new member and invite her to an informal recruitment event or chapter activities in an effort to get to know her better.
Which sororities are able to participate in COB?
Any Panhellenic sorority that has an overall chapter membership below Chapter Total, is allowed to, but not required by Panhellenic to pledge additional new members up to chapter total. Participation in COB is ultimately up to the discretion of the chapter, so we cannot guarantee that specific chapters will participate.
How long will chapters COB?
Chapters are allowed by the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) to extend bids or offers of membership to unaffiliated women during the regular school year (as defined by the academic calendar).
What do I need to do if I want to be considered for COB?
Women interested in being considered for COB should fill out the online COB Interest Form.
If a woman completes a COB Interest Form is she guaranteed a bid for membership from a sorority?
Filling out a COB Interest Form does not guarantee that a sorority will contact a potential new member nor does it guarantee that she will receive a bid.