Eating Club Task Force Recommends Multi-Club Bicker

The Eating Club Task Force released its recommendations Monday afternoon, and as expected there are several calls for change (full list of recommendations here). One of its most interesting suggestions is an eradication of the current bicker process in favor of a multi-club bicker. Let's go to the documents!The Task Force recommended that the Eating Clubs:

• Consider an alternative club selection process in which each sophomore interested in joining a club would submit a ranked list of preferences and each club that wished to do so could submit a ranked list of sophomores it would most like to admit. A computer program would make matches based on the preferences submitted by students and any preferences submitted by the clubs. The process would not preclude clubs (open or selective) from encouraging students to get to know them and list them as preferences.
• This process would permit clubs to retain aspects of selectivity but would not require them to do so. By placing every student in his or her highest possible choice as part of a single process, it evokes a central feature of multi-club bicker. This method provides for greater privacy in the selection process and is much easier to describe to potential applicants and admitted students.
• Encourage all bicker clubs to pick up new members at 1879 Arch (as Cottage and Cap and Gown did this year) or at the clubs, and to consider new or improved sections related to pick-ups and bicker in the clubs’ Best Practices Handbook.

Multi-club bicker?! Radical! But not necessarily new. It turns out the current system of only bickering a single club was only put in place during the 1980s. So really bicker would be going old school (except with women this time).So what happens now? According to President Shirley Tilghman, "the ball is in everyone's court." Like you, we weren't totally sure what exactly this meant, but here's what we've come up with: the recommendations are meant to be the start of a discussion, on issues from financial aid to the role of Greek life in bicker clubs. Have an opinion? Read the report and let us know what you think in the comments section.(image credit: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/xtTYm5jvYoG/AT+T+National+Round+Three/1fSS7dXjLSo/Tiger+Woods)