Off topic, but I would just like to point out that I have doubts that the person who this statement was attributed to ever actually SAID that. At the very least, this person's statement may have been misconstrued or taken seriously out of context. Again, that's IF it was said at all.

Just some food for thought.

I'm sure of it. Ton has a tendency of taking things out of context or skewing them to support his own agenda.

Maybe it was something like this.

"AI is something we do rarely and only for the person in special circumstances. Oh shoot, I didn't wave at Susan when I saw her this morning! Of all the silly things to do! I'll be more observant in the future."

Now my head hurts. That looks like one of those cryptograms from WW2.

Sheila, that looks about right.

Just out of curiosity--what would everyone's view be of an NPC sorority that did open its doors widely to AI? That publicly solicited women, made it an official initiative and said, "hey alumnae/older woman, come join us!"

I am not talking about just taking anyone who signs up and pay--there would still be exacting standards--but that they did encourage women to pursue membership with them rather than the other way around.

Then it becomes alumnae recruitment. Nothing wrong with that, but that sorority would have to offer substantially greater opportunities for alumnae involvement--- which means mandatory membership obligations across the board for alumnae members. I don't see that happening any time soon, as the collegiate chapters are where 90% of the resources and interests lie. Alumnae life is more of a support system.

I'll be honest--I don't think AI should be a common thing. I believe it's something that should be initiated by the sorority when a member knows a woman who would be an asset to that sorority, not something that an interested woman can "pursue" on her own. I realize that's probably not a popular view, but it's only my opinion.

Because I feel this way, I wouldn't view a sorority who had an open-door AI policy in a very good light.

Ditto!

Agreed!

I think, in general, most people are not comfortable with being approached by someone on their own recommendation. I liken it to this:
Would you hire someone with no references, and with no one to vouch for them? You MIGHT, but you're taking a huge gamble and you might live to regret your decision.

I'll vouch for that. When I'm hiring I usually ask my colleagues and friends to refer candidates to me. I'm more likely to look at those names more closely and bring them in for an interview.

This is very different than large-scale recruiting for---say--- an accounting firm like PWC who does a large cattle call of recent grads in the spring, wines them, dines them and has members of their team conduct interviews to select a "class" from among the hopefuls with the most potential.

I agree 100%. I believe that AI should be reserved for special people only in special circumstances.

Such a sorority would have to be run more like the NPHC groups where alumna membership is just as active as undergrad, and the process would likely be similar. Thus AI would still be highly selective, but would still be more common.

That would be the ideal, and we'd have a lot more involved members for the long haul. But I don't see it happening in the forseeable future.