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Recruitment Troubles...

Hello! First off let me let everyone know I am an active sister of Alpha Delta Pi and this is not meant to bash or bring down the organization I am about to mention, but to bring light to some of their "practices" theyre using on our campus. I don't know if any other sorority is or has been experiencing this kind of situation but a new chapter of Beta Sigma Phi is forming and actively recruiting. This is not a problem, at all. We enjoy a healthy competition and are glad to have another organization joining our greek life. The problem IS...they are heavily attempting to recruit some of our ALPHAS and bring them to BSP through false information (i.e-saying they are a legit sorority) and using theyre much cheaper dues as a hook and sinker. (And for those who do not know the meaning of an Alpha, it's basically the first phase of membership in ADPi.) This has created much tension between the two groups and we are looking to resolve this. Any advice? Again, I am not bashing the organization as a whole, I admire their community service and willing to serve, I am just a little upset at this local chapter.

Thanks and Pi Love,
Meghan

I thought Beta Sigma Phi was a non collegiate sorority?

^^^ So did I.

And, although they're not NPC they're still "legit." (I'm not condoning their actions though.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by msykes530 (Post 1858331)

Beta Sigma Phi is a real sorority. Do you mean they are still in colony status? (I think they call it venture something.)

When a new chapter of Beta Sigma Phi is formed, its called a friendly venture. Beta Sigma Phi is a non-NPC sorority. If they have the time and money could they not be in both? I guess besides time and money, I'm not sure of the reasoning for having to choose one or the other since BSP is not an NPC sorority.

ETA: I'm in both ASA, an NPC sorority, and BSP. I love each organizaion and my sisters in each organization.

Aren't there still some BSP chapters that are part of college Panhellenics?

If they join the college PC council, wouldn't NPC and the CPH rules apply to them?
If so, then taking it up with the CPH & the Greek Adviser would be the proper course of action.

Beta Sigma Phi is an international sorority and is considered non-collegiate. You can be a member of both, though I dont know why you would want to or have time to do both while in college. I joined BSP after college when I realized my NPC local alumnae chapter here wasnt going to be a good fit for me with what I was seeking at the time. Many of our (BSP) members are members of NPC groups, but most BSP's are not members of NPC's, thus they dont understand how NPC's operate.

Beta Sigma Phi is trying very hard to grow it's member base. One of the ways they are suggesting this is to recruit college aged women because they will hopefully provide longevity to the membership base which is getting top heavy age wise. This is why you will find BSP chapters on some college campuses, though they are few. While I agree that recruiting women from this age group is necessary to the strength and survival of Beta Sigma Phi, I as a member of both BSP and an NPC sorority, do not condone the method that this particular friendly venture (the name we have for forming chapters) is using. Going head to head with NPC sororities in this manner I think would be disasterous for BSP.

Having said the above, they should be lumped in the classification group of "service sororities." They should not be treated as a local sorority because they are not. They should not join a college panhellenic because they are not NPC, will never join the NPC, and do not/will not recruit like the NPC.

I will not comment further since I dont know the campus, campus climate, or the whole story of what is going on.

mskes - Are you the only NPC chapter on campus? Are they heavily recruiting new members of the other NPCs?

ETA: are you an active sister (i.e. a Delta) or are you still an Alpha? I'm confused because your other thread states you haven't been initiated yet

We are the only NPC sorority on campus, and what is bothering us is they are using our dues as a reason to leave ADPi and come join them, among other things. BSP is currently I believe in colony status, or friendly-venture. They are installing their chapter I believe this spring.
Right now the only NPC group we have is Alpha Delta Pi, and then Kappa Sigma, and Lambda Chi is absorbing a local fraternity. BSP is the latest addition.
We do not have a CPH since we don't really need one.
And yes, I am an alpha. lol

even though beta sigma phi would not be a member of a college panhellenic, i think that a meeting between the greek life advisor, adpi and bsp asap is warranted. bsp needs to understand that it is not a good idea to poach new members of another sorority. and the sooner the better. that is just not the proper way to recruit.

in the meantime, you may want to research beta sigma phi and either share the differences and similarities with your fellow alphas at your next meeting(with the new member directors blessing) or offer the info. to her and let her share that info.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSUZeta (Post 1858511)

I think the advice presented by FSUZeta is very sound :)

I would think that an org like BSP would want to recruit women who might be returning students- or grad students. I can picture BSP filling a need for non traditional students.

Quote:

Originally Posted by oncegreek (Post 1858733)

I would think that an org like BSP would want to recruit women who might be returning students- or grad students. I can picture BSP filling a need for non traditional students.

That might be the idea, but depending on who is doing the recruiting at this particular friendly venture, perhaps it's getting lost in the translation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by oncegreek (Post 1858733)

I would think that an org like BSP would want to recruit women who might be returning students- or grad students. I can picture BSP filling a need for non traditional students.

you would think so, but according to the op this is not who bsp on her campus is targeting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anonymous414 (Post 1968304)

I know that this is an old thread but I know exactly what school this is because I attended that school last year. I believe that msykes530 doesn’t have some of her facts right. This happened at Methodist University in North Carolina. Last year at Methodist, Alpha Delta Pi was the only sorority on campus and Kappa Sigma Fraternity was the only national fraternity on campus. Then a local fraternity formed into the national Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity and then Beta Sigma Phi which is traditionally not a college sorority formed on campus and stated that they were a “Service” sorority but they still participate in social activities as well.

With all due respect, msykes530, Beta Sigma Phi is a legit sorority. I was one of the Alphas in Alpha Delta Pi as well and I was super excited about recruitment. I had heard great things about Alpha Delta Pi, that it was a classy sorority who was well known for their charity with the Ronald McDonald House. But after a few weeks, I was not impressed unfortunately. I don’t mean to personally bash this sorority but half of the Alphas quit because ADPi was not really clear about dues and made it seem like we had a few months to pay them and then a month later, they said we need the money now. They also were not clear about the costs of dues. (Methodist University is the third most expensive college in North Carolina so they should understand that not everyone can afford to be in a fraternity or a sorority.) Also some of the Alphas quit because it was unorganized or that they felt like their Big didn’t like them. Some of the Bigs rarely spent time with their Littles and others seemed like favored someone else’s Little. They said that for initiation, we would not be allowed to wear makeup, fix our hair, or take a shower. We had to be all natural and so that we could “love each other and accept each other the way we are.” I personally see this as hazing and this was one of the reasons why I quit. Another reason I quit was when my friend’s family said that it was too expensive and when she quit, some of the Actives and Alphas were rude to her or would talk about her behind her back when she passed by them. This completely turned me off by ADPi and I quit for that reason as well. I didn’t want to call a these two-faced girls my “sisters.” However, not all of the ADPis at Methodist are like this. Some of them are really nice girls and I really liked them. But after I quit when I would pass by the president and another sister, they would smile and say hi and when I was walking away they would give me a Go to Hell look and start talking about me behind my back. I thought that this really gave ADPi a bad image. But a lot of the upperclassmen around campus had told me that the president of ADPi was really mean and that was typical of her.
Most of the founders of Beta Sigma Phi were dating members of Lambda Chi and they wanted to form a sorority that could mix with Lambda Chi. I knew some of the girls in Beta Sigma Phi and they were really nice. They would never try to take any of the Alphas from ADPi. ADPi was being immature and were spreading things around campus about BSP and saying things like that they were not a real sorority because they were upset that they were no longer the only sorority on campus. They should not feel threatened by BSP because ADPi is a large sorority and it may take a while for BSP to get the same amount of women.

Beta Sigma Phi clearly stated that they were primarily a service sorority, but that they participate in social activities as well. ADPi was the one who created the tension between the 2 groups. Some of the girls in Beta Sigma Phi told me that they had a movie night one time with Lambda Chi and that they had invited ADPi because they wanted both of the sororities to hang out and be friends, but none of them showed up. ADPi had a pajama party in the same room after the Beta Sigma Phi’s movie night was over and at the end all of the ADPis came in the room parading in their pajamas. Let me also state that Beta Sigma Phi did not steal of of the Alphas, but I knew a few of the Alphas that quit ADPi and joined Beta Sigma Phi in the spring. My point is that the reason why Beta Sigma Phi formed was that they just wanted to add another GLO to Methodist and also a sorority for Lambda Chi to mix with. They did not mean or want to do anything to upset ADPi.

There was alot of drama involved with the Greeks last year and alot of hostility toward each other. At Greek events, Lambda Chi and BSP would be on one side and ADPi and Kappa Sig would be on the other side. There was even an article in the school newspaper that was bashing the Greeks because of all this. I hope that in the future the Greeks at Methodist can learn to support each other and not act like its World War III. They should also learn that its not a competition of who recruits the most people or gives the out the most bids. They should understand that some girls are more fit to be an ADPi or a BSP. The same thing applies to Kappa Sig and Lambda Chi.

Also, the reason why those girls chose to start Beta Sigma Phi on campus was because they got the idea from the lady who works in the campus ministries office. She is a BSP and is their advisor.

Wow. Just wow.

And I do believe that not being permitted to shower or brush your hair would qualify as hazing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille (Post 1968314)

Wow. Just wow.

And I do believe that not being permitted to shower or brush your hair would qualify as hazing.

maybe not if all the adpis have to comply with the same rule. and we don't know that this person is telling the truth, since she quit before she was initiated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSUZeta (Post 1968325)

maybe not if all the adpis have to comply with the same rule. and we don't know that this person is telling the truth, since she quit before she was initiated.

No, i'm fairly certain that restricting access to or denying permission to perform basic acts of hygiene is generally hazing. (And it's not an ADPi ritual thing, I'm certain.) whether of not she's telling the truth isn't what I'm addressing. If it happened, it would have been hazing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille (Post 1968336)

Agree...no make up is one thing (don't see anything wrong with this if everyone participates), but not allowing someone to shower is another.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alumiyum (Post 1968340)

Agree...no make up is one thing (don't see anything wrong with this if everyone participates), but not allowing someone to shower is another.

Aye, I'm not sure about the make up except that it's kind of an arbitrary rule. And if it's not part of their ritual (according to my mom it is not or was not as of her active days) then they don't really have a place demanding it. HQ might consider it hazing as well even if it otherwise wouldn't meet the standard. They tend to pay more attention to things that occur in or around initiation for that reason.