^^^ All good points. And I would like to add, that chapters may have to make cuts in December before they leave. They may not know who will come back from break for recruitment. Girls drop out and some don't make grades. That would be tricky to figure in as well.

I don't think this is an RFM issue. As several people have said, you could tell rushees the statistics over and over and over and many of them will STILL think they're that special snowflake who will beat the odds. A good attitude in some cases, but not in this one.

Honestly, IU is the perfect storm. I can attest to that, I dropped out of recruitment my first time through because I didn't like my options. I ended up joining a then (no longer) struggling chapter because there really wasn't another choice. My story worked out well, but a lot do not.

You have a combination of a large number of PNMs, a relatively non-changing number of beds, a very 'live-in' set culture, historic chapters, and an extremely set in 'tier' culture.

Unlike at many schools, where one good year can send you to the top and one bad year can send you to the bottom, IU tends to be the same in-demand chapters year after year. In the 5 years I've been exposed to the Greek system, a select few chapters have changed social positions. I personally believe that this, not necessarily bed quota, is the major problem for IU

Thanks for the information. Are you saying she's trying to get them to make bigger cuts and they won't? Because if that's the case, then it certainly isn't the RFM specialist's fault. And I wouldn't even pretend to say the role of RFM Specialist at a school like IU is an easy task. The fact that it is unpaid is almost bizarre.

While I can appreciate that the housing and limited beds situation is frustrating, it would appear to me that there should be a lot more girls heartbroken at day 2 and not at bid-matching. Maybe they'd have had another alternative, maybe they wouldn't, but at least they wouldn't have been strung along.

Is there a reason why they can not move that 20 party to January? Seems like that would be the path of least resistance. They would have their grades, know who is coming back and could take larger cuts. Is that another instance of "we have always done it this way"?

When I was a freshman, 20 party USED to be right around Halloween, so it has been moved in the past. We'd discussed moving 20 party as an alternative option to switching the party schedule my junior year (went from 19-8-6-3 to 20-14-8-3), but the general consensus was that it would be too grueling of a schedule. You'd turn what's already a short winter break, since most chapters come back around Jan 2-3, into an even shorter one. Chapter members already drop like flies throughout the week due to a lack of sleep and germs getting passed around, add 2 more recruitment days and it'd be utter chaos.

It could be done, but not without some major changes. Most women have to come return either Jan 2 or 3 depending on the calendar. There will be an additional chapter for open house round next year. If every round were to be done after break, I think it would have to look something like this:

Tuesday report to campus
Wednesday 21 party day 1
Thursday 21 party day 2
*Friday 14 party day 1
Saturday 14 party day 2
Sunday 8 party *(or give the chapters a day off between 21 and 14 to move 8 to the following Saturday, pref on Sunday and bid day on Monday)

Then the following week start classes
Saturday Preference
Sunday Bid Day

It would have to stretch out over two weeks, I can't imagine being on the sorority side of it and getting it all in during one week with the actual events, decorating, cleaning up, MS, etc.

I know this is probably heresy to even suggest - but a lot of this mess could also be helped by moving formal recruitment to August?

Wait, someone fill me in on why you wouldn't go the OTHER way...have more cuts before the break, so women wouldn't have to come back early if they'd been released.

Believe it or not, I (who think pre-freshman rush is evil) was going to suggest it too. Only because on this campus, the current schedule seems to breed a larger than usual false sense of security.

I'm guessing the current split schedule also does a lot of its own weeding out (grades, women who transfer, women who just decide it's not for them) and the thought of losing that frightens chapter members.

Because that would screw the less popular chapters even more then they are screwed right now. "I only have the hogs, the geeks and the emo chicks? Screw this! I quit!" At least the way it is now, they may give the hogs, geeks and emo chicks a chance since they're there anyway.

I cannot imagine this schedule without stretching it out to two weeks. If for no other reason than this old-fart advisor needs sleep.

I know TPA ended up doing formal recruitment, however originally they hadn't planned to; I would assume that the new group next year (ASA I think?) would have the option to stay in formal recruitment or drop out after open house. If they did drop out, it makes me wonder if women would drop out of recruitment if they didn't like thier remaining choices to give the new group a shot.

I would love to share some of my perspective here....

During our extension presentation TPA was asked what we anticipated our numbers to be. I found this to be a very difficult question to answer the campus being what it is I was not sure how an unhoused group would have fit in. I explained we would be flexible but anticipated the 60 range would be something we were comfortable with for the Fall.

Last summer prior to coming to campus we started a facebook group and there was a IU newspaper article in July and August. I hardly even had the opportunity to do any additional PR because word of mouth and facebook messages had me with over 120 quality women who filled out an application for a face to face or group interviews. We extended bids to 50 women and then did a second round from a few more recommendations. These women were great leaders and were ready to hit the ground running. The original plan was to participate in 20 party and drop out but still have a room open during the other rounds for women to attend. However, it was our collegians and the CPH who suggested we participate in the entire process since there was a fair amount of interest.

Even Theta Phi Alpha's invitation rounds still yeilded over an 80% acceptance rate. Our women matched with women very high on our list.

We came up with our total of 125 or our 55 quota number based on the average chapter size in the Fall of the other groups minus those we were graduating. Yes there were some women who were particularly interested because they wanted an unhoused opportunity and yes there were some women we matched with who were a little disappointed because they would have prefered a house our retention rate remains over 95%.


On a side note 5 groups did take quota additions.

toot toot
 

Hey, I'm one of those old fart advisors!:) Is there any other university in the country that does round one and breaks and comes back to finish recruitment? Just curious.

I think Mississippi has Ice Water Parties or something and then has the rest of formal recruitment a month or two later.

Here is my funny recruitment advisor story: Friday night at midnight I was finally back in the guest room and was exhausted. I just finished making up the bed when there was a knock on the door- and about 10 women flooded the room to decorate it for the next day. They had a great return rate but that meant they needed more recruitment spots, so the guest room became a new spot- so in came a futon, chairs, rug, throws, pictures, etc. About 12:30 they were done and I laid down. Then I heard singing. Yup. practicing for the next day. I think it was 2am before I fell asleep.