Calling them pledges isn't hazing. Many orgs just changed the name because of its negative connotations. You can Associate with a chapter, thus associate member. you can join, and become a new member. pledge, AM, NM, it doesn't really matter. even if we called our AM's pledges, our pledge program would still be different than many others, but instead its our AM program.

Calling them pledges isn't hazing. Many orgs just changed the name because of its negative connotations. You can Associate with a chapter, thus associate member. you can join, and become a new member. pledge, AM, NM, it doesn't really matter. even if we called our AM's pledges, our pledge program would still be different than many others, but instead its our AM program.

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Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

On my undergrad campus, they used to call pledges "bags". It was a pretty negative connotation. And I remember anyone that dropped out of their new member program was called a "debag". Personally, I think pledge is ok, but we call them new members now anyways. Just the stigma that goes along with the term sometimes I guess. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gif

Maybe it's not considered hazing in your organization. But in ours, in my chapter, using the term "pledge" was considered to be a form of hazing, and we were not allowed to do it. In fact, my pledge class in 1993 was the last group to be called "pledges". Afterwards, the girls were called new members.

At the University of Georgia, this past fall was the first time the word "Recruitment" was used instead of "Rush" by Panhellenic Council. I guess I'm just old school, but I think it sounds ridiculous. I'm big on tradition, so I like the old terms. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

NPC Ladies: Changing the Recruitment Terminology has been unanimously embraced by all 26 members of the National Panhellenic Conference.

"The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) changed most of the terminology for recruitment in the last year. This change reflects the language of today's society, and the actual process. We do not want women to feel "rushed" to make life long and life changing decisions, but rather informed choices. The potential member of the new millennium appreciates a more accurate representation of the process.

New Word
Old Word

Membership Recruitment
Rush

Membership Adviser
Rush Adviser

New Member
Pledge

Event
Rush Party

Recruitment Preparation Workshop
Rush Workshop

Intentional Single Preference
Suicide

Potential Member
Rushee

Resign
De-pledge

Formal Membership Report
Formal Rush Report

Vice-President: Membership
Vice-President: Rush

Alumnae Recruitment Consultant (ARC) Alumnae Rush Consultant

Regional Membership Consultant (RMC) Regional Membership Coordinator

Formal Membership Recruitment Acceptance
Preference Card

Continuous Open Recruiting(COR) Continuous Open Bidding (COB)

COR Acceptance
COB Card




[This message has been edited by CutiePie2000 (edited March 15, 2001).]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by BrianMUDU:
[To sum up what he said, Rush was when chapters would get guys to come over, get them drunk, and give them a bid.

In the south, and for girls especially, I've always been told RUSH is what it means....RUSHing Around!

I've heard at least a few alternatives to the word pledge, including new member, associate member, little sister, and candidate member. My sorority terms them "candidates."


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@-->---
Pure as Silver, and True Blue!
Alpha Sigma Kappa - Women in Technical Studies

I think this is actually a really cute idea! However, the first letter of my org is Tau. I think our pledges would feel like they were being called towels! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

We've talked about new member, but don't like it because that's what we tend to call a freshly initiated pledge class for the rest of their first semester. I guess my favorites are either Associate Member or equeen's Candidate. They just all sound so stuffy! I think it would be fun to call them cubs, but we'll see.

And BTW, a lot of you know me by now, but just so there's no confusion about me ingnoring NPC stipulations, I'm in a service sorority. We do use the word Recruitment, because on our campus the social sororities switched to it about three years ago. We just haven't given up calling the newbies pledges!

A coworker is an ADPi and she told me that the "pledges" are called Alphas, the actives are Deltas, and the alumnae are Pi's. Kinda neat, huh?

Well, I suppose 'pledge' may be considered hazing by your HQ, and maybe even mine. I'll have to check on that. We don't use that word anyway, since they've been AM's for 30 years now. I've heard of chapters that still call them pledges though. Anyway, that in itself is not hazing, not even according to state law AFAIK, don't know how it could be, unless you used it in a demeaning manner, but in that case, any word/name can be hazing.

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Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

I didn't mean to say that calling someone a pledge was considered hazing. The point I meant to get across was that "pledge" and "rush" have a negative connotation. I personally would rather be able to use pledge and rush, but I guess nowadays they aren't the best words to use.

I totally agree as far as the reasons for getting rid of pledge and rush. i'd rather use the word rush, pledge or AM doesn't matter to me, but that's the way i was taught, and technically, we can get in trouble for calling them pledges. I know the name is different to stress that they are members, with all rights and privelages, except when it comes to ritual. they can't be ritualist or vote on someones initiation until they are fully initiated brothers. dzrose said it was considered hazing to call them pledges, in her org.

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Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

dzrose, I totally agree with you about "recruitment" sounding like the Army. I can also think of an even more negative connotation it has - cults. I think "membership selection" would have been a better choice if they were hell bent on changing it.

The Crows offically call their pledges "postulants" - I think that is kind of cool. Unoffically, they called them bags (yes shadokat, I see a pattern! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif) Some sororities use the name of their flower or their jewel.

As I've said before though, even the nicest name can sound nasty if you want it to. It is not WHAT you say it is HOW you say it.

New names for "pledge"
 

Since so many organizations are becoming PC nowadays, especially on my campus, my sorority has been tossing around some of the possibilties of what to call our pledges. Nothing seems to sound quite right, so I was wondering what some of you use.

Also, one of our girls has taken to calling the pledges cubs. This is because our mascot is the panda bear. I think it's really cute, but is it too cheesy to be used as an alternative to pledge?

..sigh.. My only problem with all of these alternatives is that you can't use them as verbs. You can rush a sorority, but you can't recruitment a sorority. You can also pledge a sorority, but you can't associate member it. Oh well.

I know what you mean about not using it as verbs. We call our "pledges" "new members". I think "pledge cubs" is so cute! I wonder if "little squirrels" would work for my sorority??? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/confused.gif

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"Talk doesn't cook rice."--Someone smart

Visit Alpha Gamma Delta-Delta Sigma chapter!

Hi pbear19!

I understand how you feel! Personally, I think being so PC about what you call a pledge is really kind of stupid. I still don't quite understand how calling someone what they are can be considered hazing! A pledge is a pledge is a pledge. You can stick whatever name on them you want to, but it doesn't change the fact that they are, in fact, pledges! And Rush is Rush... Calling it Recruitment makes it sound like you're joining the Army. Whatever! Enough ranting, though... I could go on about this subject all day if someone let me!

Here's an idea for you: I always thought it would be cool for our pledges to be called "Deltas". Since Delta is the first part of Delta Zeta and pledging is the first part of becoming a member of the organization, I think it kind of fits.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the ADPi's on our campus used to call their pledges "Alphas" for the same reason. Anyway, just a thought!

Let me know what you come up with! (Actually, I think "Cubs" is kind of cute.)

Good luck!
Carrie

ROFL . . . oh please OTW, you have to call them that just to see what everyone's reaction will be . . .

I think the reason people want to change the name "rush" is basically because of what it used to mean. At our Greek Convocation, the keynote speaker actually talked about this specifically. To sum up what he said, Rush was when chapters would get guys to come over, get them drunk, and give them a bid. I don't want to generalize because this wasn't what everyone did, but he said we don't want to rush people, we want to recruit. We're already making the transition to recruitment instead of rush. I even changed our website so it no longer says rush, but (you guessed it) recruitment. The brochure that Miami University gives to all those that go through Open House was called "Greek Recruitment 2001".

I'm sure it will take a while for everyone to use the new word, but that's probably where it is heading.

hey if we are looking for new names for pledges, could we also look for a different name for maggots?!?!
lol
j/k

New name for a "pledge"? This make me SICK. Those of you that want to make GLO's so PC, go join a club. There is nothing that should be PC about a fraternity. It is not your right to be a Brother. It is not your duty to be a Brother. It is not a privilege to be a Brother. In my chapter it is a life changing event that is earned every day. A fraternity in its self is discriminate. We, the Brothers, do not join the pledges. They are attempting to attain Brotherhood. Brotherhood in my chapter does not come easy. It is by far the most difficult challenge I have ever had in my life. It is also the defining event in my life. It rings true throughout my chapters Brothers, both active and alumni. Why? Because we pledged. We did not join a warm and fuzzy PC club. We paid for the letters that we wear. We earned them through blood, sweat and tears, TOGETHER! There is a difference.

Well, just so you know, since I posted the thread, I am in a service sorority. Although we don't make it easy for people to get in, we're not out to make their lives miserable, either. We have a lot of girls in social sororities too, so our group is their second priority. (But we have a majority who consider it their first priority.) What we're about is serving the community while getting to know some cool other girls on our campus and having fun too. We are highly selective when it comes to choosing new members, because service orgs are HUGE on my campus and we try to keep our numbers low for quality's sake. So probably the toughest part of my sorority is getting a bid. Last fall we had 60 girls turn out and only took 20.
So do I want to make our girls suffer to become members? No, because that's not what we're about. I realize your post may have been a response to some of the replies on this thread, but since I posted it, I just wanted to let you know that not everyone who posts on here has the same type of organization. Would I do anything in the world for my sorority? YES! Does every member have the same level of committment as I do? No, but that can be said about any org. And even if they aren't called pledges, there will be many more girls who will come through and be just like me, thankful every day that they joined and active for the rest of their lives.

Before this thread gets off on the tangent it's heading, the word "pledge", "new member", "bag", "associate", or whatever else you want to call them, does not indicate how "easy or hard" it is to get into an organization. It's so ridiculous to classify new member programs as easy or hard, so let's not even get into that! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gif

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Delta Phi Epsilon, Celebrating nearly 84 years of Dedication, Pride and Excellence!

Ohteeny, I think Junior ALL God's Daughters would be better then little squirrels

We call our plegdes "new members." We also have called them our "little hooties," because I am a chi o. Then when they initiate, that have graduated to Owls. It is just something a little cheesy that we do, but everyone seems fine with it!

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Loyaly in our bond,
ULChiOCutie
Check out UofLouisville's Chi Omega Website!
http://chio.webprovider.com

We call our pledges "Phi's" I always loved being a Phi because it was neat to have a special name.. while all the other sororitys on campus called their pledges "new members" we were called Phis! It always sounded so much nicer.. Even as a sister I miss getting the attention I got when I was a "Phi" http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

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Love, Honor, Truth

hey pinkstar, what soror are you in? Locally we call are new girls lil phi's...kind of like what your newbies are called. Im an Alpha Phi...what are you?

Hey http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif Im a Phi Mu... From Miami, Florida

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Love, Honor, Truth

Unforgettable,
I am a Phi Mu from Miami, Florida!
Theta Gamma chapter http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif
pretty neat how more than one sorority uses the name "Phi's" its such a cute way to refer to new members!


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Love, Honor, Truth

I pledged Alpha Gam in the fall of 99 when the terminology was changing over at my university. Personally, I don't see what the big deal is about saying pledge/rush, etc but we do call our girls new members. Usually I just call them our "newbies" but I do wish there was something that sounded better.

I don't have a problem with the name change because many groups call their new members something different anyway! I think the word "pledge" carries such a bad connotation that it would be better to change.
I think the cub thing is cute and the ADPi thing awesome!

Our sorority uses the term "membership candidate" (and has since the early 90s). My personal opinion is that this term is an accurate reflection of the process, but many people still think of themselves as pledges. (Hard to wipe out a word that's been around greekdom for so long.)

I think "little sisters" is cute!

The only problem with that is it's used in another context (i.e. your mentor in the sorority is your big sister and you are her little sister). You will still be someone's "little sister" long after your pledge period is over.

I tracked down an 1931 Alpha Gamma Delta songbook from an antique shop recently, and the songs referred to new members as 'Rosebuds.' I think that's so sweet!

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"To hold truth inviolable, sincerity essential. kindness invaluable."

We call them new members here. Oh, and there is no "rush" here, it's "recruitment."

OTW, we when we're pledging our advisors called us their lil acorns. Ha Ha, not! anywho, I know at one school some are called pledge babies (or just babies) and for one thst is called Phig they call their pledges phiglets

I'm in a business fraternity and we call our pledges "prospective members" or PMs for short...because calling a pledge a pledge is considered hazing in my campus. A lot of social Greeks in our campus have changed the pledge names too..like I believe LXA calls them Associate Members....and since we're a professional, rather a social organization, our new member educator/pledge mom or dad is called the Vice President of Human Resources. My ex's fraternity calls theirs new member educator in writing but the brothers themselves still verbally refer to it as pledgemaster. Oh well, times are changing...