To answer several comments.

-Four percent interest as a fixed rate doesn't seem high to me, with the recent increases of the Prime and subsequent rises in commercial rates. Additionally, I don't think some chapters would be able to borrow from commerial institutions.

-Colony members are not considered "active" in Delt, so I suspect the overall numbers are for initiated members.

-"The Rainbow" magazine gets its name from the former Rainbow Fraternity which merged with Delt in the early 1900's. It was a smaller fraternity, mostly in the South, where DTD was somewhat weak in those days.

We have an open pre-initiation ceremony called "The Right of Iris" which is based on the old Rainbow Fraternity ritual. It is really impressive.

Several years ago The Arch Chapter and Undergraduate Council voted to change the name of the magazine to "1858" which was the year of our founding. At Karnea, our international meeting, the next year, a large number of alums mounted an effort to change the name back to "The Rainbow," arguing that the change should have been made in Karnea instead of in the Arch Chapter. In addition, it was argued that it would be a dishonor to our former Rainbow Fraternity brothers. Two other things were considered -- first, the name Rainbow was used long before it became a symbol of the Gay movement -- and second, Delt has gay members and does not discriminate due to race, religion, sexual preference, etc.

I attended that Karnea as a voting member, and voted to restore the name "Rainbow."

The vote passed and "The Rainbow," one of the first fraternity magazines was returned to its original name.

On the surface, I agree -- but it isn't a prefect world. Some men discover they can't afford to stay in, don't make grades, or simply decide they've made a mistake.

Initiating 100% of any pledge class is the goal, but it probably isn't attainable in the real world.

I agree with Delt Alum. I would be amazing if 100% of students that were recruited and pledged Delt initiated, or pledged and initiated any GLO.
But we are all organizations that claim higher standards in academics, service, conduct, etc, and sometimes that means that some individuals may not make it to initiation for one reason or another. Sure, much of that qualification should be made during recruitment. But sometimes more time during pledgeship reveals more about inidviduals (I've posted more on my philosophy on that subject in other threads) And no jab to those who don't make it through pledging for their reasons or the chapter's, its just part of the system.
But to me...having an initiation rate of about 83% tells me that we are an organzation with high standards seeking out men who reflect and add to those traditions of excellence. Its part of what makes being a Delt (or a Teke, Sig Ep, Beta, Kappa, DG etc.) unique.
And more on topic. I'm glad that chapters have resources availible to assist them in maintaining and improving the quality of their housing. It's a stiff competition on campuses these days for quality of residencial housing with administrations spending millions and millions on upgrading dorm life to apartment style and town house style housing options. The University of Nebraska Lincoln recently opened two new apartment dorms on campus and the greek houses are finding that they need to upgrade their facilities to keep up with the pace and keep live-in rates to sustainable levels. All the help availible is very useful and appreciated. Thanks to Delt and all other GLO's looking for ways to improve this aspect of our Greek life.

I am sure We as Greeks would Love To have that Kind of Intitiation %.

I have always been of the beliefe that if You Recruit an Individual, they why not work to keep them and Make Them Active Brothers.:)

If You as a Greek Organization Just Recruit for Numbers, what good does this do?:(

Get Them Initiated!:)

Oh, but if again, if they are having problems why not work with them again!?

Tom,
I agree that sometime people run into trouble and can have difficulty adjusting to college, let alone greek life...I'm a believer in 2nd chances. That's why I like that my chapter offers most men who may have fallen short on some things like academics another opportunity through another pledging period to work with the chapter to improve in that area that may have initially held them back (which is also good for them individually, not just the chapter). Yes they do recieve much guidance and opportunity for assistance during thier first pleding period. But sometimes young people who are trying to establish their confidence in a new college environment can overlook the need for assistance and help the first time around. It might take some people the lesson they learn when they don't make it to understand the importance of something...or how to admit that they need help and how to ask for it. Not making initiation the first time can prove to be a good thing for some...one of my chapter's best presidents in many years was a pledge brother of mine that didn't make grades and initiate with us the first time...but he spent the next period really focusing on his grades and then spent the next four years and still even today giving to the fraternity that gave him so much after his 2nd chance.

But if opportunities to continue to work towards initiation are not respected (ie-if one doesn't meet academic standard 2nd time in a row, or doesn't utilize the resources availible-fraternity or other wise-to improve one's grades, or shows that they didn't learn lessons by repeating previous conduct violations), or if the reasoning behind being found not elligble is considered major (ie-big conduct violation or VERY low GPA resulting from general lack of commitment to academics) then best of luck...but it's not going to work out, de-pledged. The commitment and respect for 2nd chances must come from both the fraternity/sorority AND the individual it's being given to.

Sure, recruitment is the first stage in the process to 'weed out' those who may not meet the chapter's standards and expectations. But you cannot forsee all these aspects in what has become a very competitive recruitment process (at least at my campus) where many large chapters are competiting in a shrinking rush pool. You do have to take men who may be a little 'rougher' around the edges then your ideal member would be...but that means that you have to look for their potential...and do your best to help them realize and achieve it. In fact that's how it always is because no one is perfect. And our organizations are about bettering yourself. Creating and enforcing standards for initiation is how you start that process...
In years past we have had a pledge with a high school 4.0 not make a 1.5 TWICE. And he recieved every opportunity and assistance and even more that his pledge brother's did, who did very well their pledge semester. Obviously we had to part ways. But on the other side we've also had an individual with a 2.5 high school GPA initiate with a 4.0 and graduate with high distinction. If that's not evidence that you can't judge a potential member based just on recruitment then I don't know what else is...
That's why I am against some program changes that do away with some initiation standards just to be able to boast higher initiation rates. Eventually it will come back to haunt us when our standards are diluted and eventually gone. Delt has started their 8 week pledge program limitation that doesn't have an academic requirement for initation this year and my chapter is trying to keep the scholastic requirements to be initiated while our nationals is telling us we can't (there's a whole nother story about that on a different thread).

We are not 'sign up and join' organizations, and we never have been. Inherantly some people will not make it to full membership, it's just a part of the system. But yes, we should work to give everyone who desires membership, and who the fraternity/sorority offers it to, the opportunity to show they deserve it (through POSTIVE programming focused on academics, service, and brother/sisterhood...NOT through meaningless hazing activity) but never extending it to the degree that we end up lowering our standards to accomidate those who don't respect them.

A perfect 10 is possible.

-Rudey
--Remember that :)

That's true, and I should have said above that initiating 100% of a pledge isn't always possible.

We often initiated entire classes when I was an advisor at a couple of smaller chapters.

My experience with bigger chapters and bigger classes is less positive -- but nothing is impossible, including Rudey's "perfect 10."

She made it all possible.



-Rudey

I agree that a perfect 10 COULD be possible...I'm not a pessimest, but a realist. But you do point out the difference between large chapters and small chapters. Yes, when your pledge class is maybe 10-12 men, sometimes fewer. And the recruitment numbers of the institution refect that pledging number, and you're competing with maybe 4 other houses for men then the rate of initiation will likely be higher...perhaps even 100%. I feel that the system creates an environment where chapter's CAN be more selective during recruitment.

But on a larger scale like ours: a house of 80+ men, which needs pledge classes of 25 or more each year to maintain, competing with 22 other fraternities in a recruitment pool that has shrunk more than 50% in the last 5 years (from 600 my freshmen year to 300 last year) you must cast a wider net, develop better programing to smooth out the rough edges on men who may not have met your ideal picture of a member on day one, and sometimes...if the potential you saw in them doesn't show...even after a 2nd chance...you must decide what is best for the fraternity. You can only offer so much to someone who isn't willing to take it.

I'm not saying either larger or smaller systems are better. Just saying that they are DIFFERENT. And that solutions, statistics or programs reflecting one side, will not always be reflective or even benificial to the other.

But I remind you, we are not talking about de-pledging a lot of men here. My class was made up of 36 pledges, we lost 4 after the first semester due to really poor grades. They had the same opportunities for assistance, and arguably even more, than the rest of us. But it was their choice not to focus. And it's not just a house policy to drop men below a certain GPA...at the time it was the International Fraternity's and the Greek system's policy too. The rest of us either initiated at the end of the first period, or carried over, worked harder the next round, and made it after the 2nd period. Now that's about an 89% rate for my class. I say for an institution that claims higher standards, and that being a member is a great honor, 89% isn't too shabby. The people that demonstrated their right to be there earned it. Anyone can do that if they so choose. But you cannot MAKE someone be a good member. Even the ones whose resume's look ideal during recruitment.
Not everyone who applies to PBK, or other collegiate honoraries makes it, and no one complains about that...sure we're somewhat different than those orgs...but I don't mind being considered in their company. And really, deep down, with what we claim to represent and reflect...how different are we from them? I think you'll find that we are all making claims on the same set of higher standars. And in reality, sometimes not everyone can meet them all the time, it's not negative, it's just a part of life. And unfortunatly some individuals are born feeling entitled. That they DESERVE things not based on there merit, but just because. I see some of this in young men going through recruitment and work with our Rec. Chairs and Pledge Eds to first not rush them, and second to try and work that idea out of their environment in the fraternity. Sometimes they learn the lesson and become great members, sometimes they don't.
But I am reminded of the history of Delta Tau Delta as we were founded against that idea of unjustified entitlement. Our founding championed the ideals of merits earned. And our membership today should reflect that foundation, even if that means that once in a while we must part ways with a few men whether it be before or after their initiation.

I agree.

Congratulations on a great new program! I hope all of your houses take advantage of it. I remembering seeing pix of a Delt house that had a wooden engraved/carved thing coat of arms on one of the walls, would hate for that to go up!

Billy agree on that! I got stuff that I will be donating to My Chapters New House and would hate to see it go up in flames!

While We all look at Large Programs of Larger Schools, We must remember other Schools who have smaller Programs but the same problems. It is relevant none the less.

If a Chapter whether Large or small still has to have the same % of Membership but % of school populations and Greeks!

If your fraternity can get two of the funniest comedians out there to join, then perfection is possible in any situation.

-Rudey

Rudey, take Your Meds!:)

Rudy,

Now I can't argue with that logic...

...or argue with someone who digs Lazy Sunday!

"You can call us Aaron Burr from the way we're droppin Hamiltons!..."
"The Chroni...WHAT!...cles of Narnia!"