Then if it is so "impossible" I agree completely with bringing back the option for chapters to pick the length of pledge period that works for them. I'd rather see a girl drop after 9 weeks and before initiating if she realizes the school or the chapter is not for her. Heck, I agree with that if no one can rush till they're a junior.

If you give someone something instantly it's no wonder they think they can jettison it just as quickly.

irishpipes, you beat me to it.

While I agree that the lifelong membership is not emphasized enough throughout the NPC, I think some of the dissatisfaction we see on this site about women wanting to change NPC affiliation is a selection effect. Women who are happy about their membership and wouldn't change it for the world or are even somewhat satisfied don't come on here to complain about it and tell us, so we only hear from those who are unhappy and want to do something about it.

I think it's also frustrating that IFC fraternity members can, in some cases, drop their old affiliation and join a new chapter. Women might see that happen and think, why can't we do that? I don't think it's right that fraternity members can do this, but it doesn't set the greatest precedent for maintaining Greek membership across the board.

I've said it on here before, but my chapter was part of a 10-week pilot new member period in ADPi and I was miserable. There wasn't enough planned for us in each meeting so we would watch a brief PowerPoint and that was pretty much it. I don't know if this is the fault of the person leading the meetings or ADPi nationals but I would have much rather done six weeks, been initiated, and then had more meetings afterwards than wait 10 and be done entirely.

We had full meetings back in the day and I would imagine some of the leadership in all the NPC sororities had a similar experience to mine and could lean on that experience to plan longer pledgeships. You would think that the older pledge programs would be archieved.

I cannot believe that with pledge classes as large as yours that there weren't ice breakers or get to know you activities planned during each meeting. Or that each of the other classes (sophomores, juniors, seniors) didn't come to different meetings so you could get to know them. We did that way back when I was in school. At one meeting the seniors would plan a get to know you activity with the pledges, then another week it would be the juniors, etc.

My older sister was initiated in my chapter's last pledge class, and I was initiated in the first NM class. She had a semester pledgeship, and I had a six week period. She told me that in her opinion I missed nothing by being initiated earlier. In her opinion, most of the NM meetings after the first few were pretty worthless.

If you would have been doing sister interviews or at the very least icebreakers with the classes as Indiana SigKap described I don't think you would have been bored. Power points would have me snoozing after two weeks lol.

This is another problem with the standardized pledge programs nowadays. Some membership directors can turn them into something awesome but many cannot and they aren't given permission to teach in a way that would better fit them and the chapter. There's a feeling of ownership lacking.

I don't think that applies to all groups, 33. Ours has a lot of latitude as long as the material is covered.

That's EXTREMELY good to hear. Some are crazy rigid.

This is part of a much larger issue...young women wouldn't treat it like a health club if there wasn't a precedent for that. The active NPC alumnae here on GC are really the exception and not the rule.

What can we do to encourage the understanding that membership is a lifetime commitment? We see far too many women say, "well, I was an ABC in college." What can we learn from other organizations and councils?

And just to make a point....PowerPoint or lecture formats aren't always the issue in and of themselves. A good presenter can make any topic interesting. If I had to sit though some girl going, "Uhm......so....like....this slide....uhm....our national wanted to show you some pictures of our founders." Then, yeah, I'd be bored too. :p

But, I've been "volun-told" to do presentations on boring stuff and, by golly, I sell it to my audience like "THIS IS TEH BEST TOPIC EVAR!!!1!!!" and my audience buys it every time. I can make a PowerPoint on the history brown paper bags seem like the raddest topic ever. :cool: Maybe our new member educators ought to learn how to present, instruct and mentor?

Edited to add: 33, I am also agreeing with the suggestions for icebreakers and such. Audience participation and application ("You should care about today's topic because...") are key to winning your audience's attention and assisting in them retaining the information.

^^^ I was a New Member Education advisor for a few years. The most effective NMEs were education majors, who were learning how to teach and could present the material in an interesting, well-prepared, interactive manner. Also important -- a caring NME who makes sure all feel welcome and connected. This chapter is very proactive in pairing NMs with active pairs of sisters on a rotating weekly basis (they've had different names, like "Beta Buddies"), who reach out to the NMs to meet for lunch, studying, events, etc.

Lifelong commitment
 

My 4 daughters grew up with me being part of the Volunteer Service Team. They all pledged and were initiated into Alpha Gamma Delta. I am still a part of the Volunteer Service Team. Not one of my daughter's gets it, or spends one minute of their time. There is something missing in our chapters, our education. Maybe it was sitting around that table, polishing silver with my pledge class.....

Lifelong commitment
 

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I don't get- I really don't. I specifically joined to stay connected my entire life, so I don't understand why everyone just abandons it. I'm currently president of Junior Circle but we only have a handful (literally) of people interested. I'm not quitting JC at all, it's been great, but we can't do a ton because of our size, and I am not allowed to be an advisor, so I am very much hoping the VST will take me. It makes me a little sad to think that no one can be bothered to do anything after university.