Because we, as Greeks, have such a terrible reputation in the general public already -- all the organizations are trying to remove the hazing stigma, and that will require complete elimination of all things associated with hazing. For example, in a lot of organizations, it's "hazing" to make paddles as a big/lil present, even though they're not being used to smack people with. Why? Because if somebody who's not in a Greek organization sees a Greek with a paddle, they're probably going to assume that somebody's getting paddled with it.

If we want the Greek system to survive, we are going to have to get rid of almost everything that has connotations with hazing. Even essentially harmless things like making big/lil paddles, scavenger hunts, wearing pledge pins for all your waking hours, and signing pledge books -- they can be misinterpreted by non-Greeks and hurt our image the same way that harmful hazing does, because they hint at darker things going on beneath the surface.

Yes, I do think that certain measures that are being taken are a little extreme, but in the long run they're probably also going to be necessary.

so essentially, the law is going to make it so that anyone can run up into an organization without having to do any work? if that's the case, we'd all be just clubs.

If you simply adhere to your org's hazing policies and state laws you'll be fine.

Plenty of great options remain for the new member process. You just have to think outside the box sometimes.

If you've got problems, call your HQ and they will have answers for you. If not, research what other organizations are doing. I'm not going to go find the exact URL but if you go to www.sigmanu.com you can find what we're doing -- it's called the LEAD program. Great ideas in there. Check it out.

I think sugar and spice hit the nail right on the head. Obviously making someone a paddle for decorative purposes is not the same as drinking someone to death. But if your image is tainted, as ours has been, you need to look cleaner than clean to repair it.

What I don't get is how "not hazing" equates to "not working." Even the strictest hazing laws don't say new members can't be required to do things. They just aren't required to do things that initiated members aren't (or that don't have a very close equivalent).

Do you require sisters to wear their badges on Wednesdays? Then you can require the new members to wear their pins then too. Do sisters have to attend weekly chapter meetings? Then new members can be required to attend weekly class meetings. Does everyone have to go to philanthropy events? That includes the new members too.

Now maybe these things don't make as strong a bond within the pledge class. I believe it de-emphasizes the class bond and strengthens the overall chapter bond, because it's not you against them to accomplish something. But is that a bad thing? At my school, people weren't necessarily closest to their pledge class. But the retention of members was so much better than what I've seen at most other schools since I've graduated.

well, why would you require a bruh to do something that a pledge does? he already did it when he was on line. that's the reason said person is pledging. he's trying to get into this organization. you want your pledge line to have a strong bond, chapter bond will come, that's not a problem. i mean, requiring them to do things that members do is all fine and dandy, but pledging to get into an organizations take work. if that was all they had to, then they really didn't earn their letters, becuase it's just run of the mill stuff that they require.

Actually, no, I just said I didn't care if the pledge class had a bond or not.

Not everyone believes that letters/membership need to be earned. If you believe that, fine, but don't make the assumption that everyone else does. We offer bids to those we think are worthy; to my mind, that's all the "earning" they need to do - other than the everyday earning that each and every one of us ought to be doing to live up to our ideals. I believe that if your new members/pledges need to go through more tests of worthiness before initiating/going on line, you haven't done a good enough job of choosing who to pledge in the first place.

and my things was that it's important that the pledge line has a strong bond. they're the ones you come into an orangizations with. so just becuase you think someone is cool from a few weeks of knowing them, you automatically give them entrance into your organization? that's what pledging is about, IMHO, pledging weeds out those (sometimes it works, other times, not so well) who don't want it enough. you can't sit there and meet someone a few times and know that person is going to be a good member. if we just gave people membership, then we'd nothing but a bunch of t-shirt wearers.

I hear you
 

Starang21, I hear what you are saying. Membership comes with privileges, and in my opinion, you need to put in effort to earn those privileges. I want to see whether or not a person is going to be loyal, respectful, and bring a diligent work ethic to her classes and my organization BEFORE she can call herself my sister. This is not something I want to find out after she is already wearing my letters.

The membership process is a time for the prospectives to learn and the actives/alumnae to teach. It's a time for the class to learn how to work as a team, how to be resourceful, how to rise to challenges (not hazing) and feel a sense of accomplishment when they reach heights they never thought they would. It's also a time for actives and alumnae to teach (not haze) the ladies about their history, what they value, what they focus on, how they operate the chapter and national, and emphasize that they are making a LIFE LONG COMMITMENT. It is during this process that ladies need to truly decide if they want to become members, and if they are willing to take on the responsibility that goes with it. But...it would be too late for that if I already gave them my letters, right?

This is just my opinion.

Re: I hear you
 

that's exactly what i'm talking about. it is a life long commitment, and if you have to work hard to get it, and not have it handed to you, you'll end up appreciating it more ine the end.