One can only hope so, but from my experiences it just not as simple as it sounds NOLA25.
I wish the young ladies would think that way, but the majority just doesn't - unless it is just the young women I have encountered.

Nope. I encountered one too.

A PNM who would be attending Bama asked for me to write her a rec. Since I did not know her (she was referred to me as alumnae chapter president) I suggested that we meet for coffee. During the course of our meeting she proudly told me that she wanted to either be an ABC or an XYZ... both considered top chapters at Bama, and neither of which was my own organization. I so wanted to ask if I should just scrap the rec, since it didn't really sound like she would need it, but I also knew that her chances for those 2 chapters were long shots and she might just open her mind during the recruitment process.

Guess what? She didn't pledge anything, and I also never got a thank you note.;

Alabama Recruitment
 

To mcdonald 56--you should contact Alpha Phi International. I know someone there could direct you to the person handling recommendations for Alabama.

To Blondie 93

As I have stated before, my daughter just went through rush at Alabama. We are out of state and I knew how important recs and having an open mind were going to be. My daughter and I spent the entire summer securing recs and discussing rush. I told her that in my experience it is so very important to go in open to all sororities on campus. I told her it was rude to talk bad about any sorority, any sorority member and any PNM. That is not really in her character to do so but I warned her that even the most seemingly innocent comments can be misconstrued.

I think she took all of that to heart and went into rush with a very open mind. She had a wonderful time. She met so many new girls, both sorority and PNMs, and truly enjoyed the experience. She would call me and say that she couldn't believe how many great chapters there were at Alabama and how hard it woould be to make a decision. I believe that this attitude contributed to her success in rush. She did not get cut from a single house the whole way through, she received a bid to her top choice and is very happy. And although she did pledge one of those "old row" top sororities, she and I have discussed how there were a number of others that she could have been happy at.
Also, my daughter wrote thank you notes to ALL of the women who wrote her recs and wrote follow up notes to the women who wrote her recs for the sorority she pledged.
These are not difficult things. Most of them are matters of common courtesy.
My daughter is not perfect by any means but I have tried to teach her that manners are important! She did meet many girls like the one you described and from what she could tell they did not have very enjoyable rush experiences!

Your post was quite refreshing!^^

This is how it should be.

"From other sororities suggesting girls that might be a good fit for Alpha Phi, to fraternities assisting in the renovation of Alpha Phi’s new home at the corner of Colonial and Paul Bryant, the current greek groups have welcomed them with open arms."

My daughter also pledged Gamma Phi Beta and just loves it! Good student, top athlete.. Some of the nasty comments made about this sorority during rush were in very bad taste. In fact when we were at the informal pinning one of the young ladies said a frat member yelled "here comes the fat sorority" when they were coming out of the stadium on Sunday. Awful.

Well I hope your daughter held her head high and thumbed her nose at him. The guy is a rotten little douchebag! Yup, I said it! :D

Of course, the appropriate response is "here comes the teeny peenie fraternity."

LOL LOL LOL LOL

It is interesting the current Greek groups are being so welcoming to Alpha Phi but treat Gamma Phi this way. I think the Greek Affairs Director needs to make it known this immature behavior is unacceptable. Gamma Phi has a great group of girls and this is very hurtful and cruel.

I think the difference is Alpha Phi does not have a stigma associated with it, whereas apparently Gamma Phi does (not that it's warranted or accurate).

You are right, and it is very hard to get rid of a stigma once it has been associated with a group.

The same thought has been ocurring to me.

Gamma Phi has been the "newest" chapter at Alabama for the past 20 years, which we're told over and over on this board is a weakness in the Ole South. So I think it's interesting that the tune has suddenly changed for a chapter that isn't even there yet (certainly no offense to Alpha Phi, I just think it's silly that any negative stigma should be attached to a chapter because it's the newest...especially after 20 years of being "new"). I'm wishing Alpha Phi all the best, I just want our Gamma Phis to receive the same support from the Alabama community, which it doesn't seem they're getting.

ETA: I'm also concerned that once Alpha Phi is established, it will suffer the same fate as Gamma Phi.

Y'all this only perpetuates the problem. If you cannot say something good about a sorority say nothing at all.