Facebook During Rush
 

I did a search using facebook as the search word and I couldn't find a thread with this exact discussion...
I don't post here too often, but a topic came up during our first rho gamma/ assistant membership meeting yesterday. Because assistant membership chairs and rho gammas (rho chis, etc...) have to disaffiliate during rush, the head rho gamma brought up the question of what we'll do about us being on facebook. But then the question about the groups you start on facebook and howthe pnm's finding regular chapter members came up and that just brought up a discussion of a whole new way to dirty rush. For those campuses who have already been on the facebook during rush, what have your rho gammas and chapter members done? And those who have not had the facebook and rush experience, what, if anything, do you plan on doing?

Many HQs have already addressed this.

I don't see what the friggin' big deal is. Just deactivate the account.

What's more important? Conducting an honest recruitment or your FaceBook account? It's easier to just get rid of the account altogether rather than try to hide your affiliation. Even if you do the latter, it won't take a genius to figure it out when you have 920342304923502502352 friends who are XYZs.

FaceBook's dumb, anyway.

One of my sisters is currently Vice President of Panhel and she is in charge of recruitment for the sororities. This past spring she dealt with this issue by changing her name and also removing her picture. That way the PNM's couldn't even do a search for her, but yet she still maintained her membership. Once recruitment was over, she simply changed everything back. She also sent a message out to all her friends letting them know she did this because a lot of sisters were wondering who the random girl was who was in our facebook group. It seemd to work well for her!

Sandy has a point in that if you're in a group with all XYZs people are going to guess you are an XYZ. Is there any way to hide your facebook account until recruitment is over, rather than deactivate it completely?

If not, it might be worth asking the creators to add such a feature - they are obviously fairly smart guys, I'm sure they could figure it out.

I just don't get it.

Deactivating the account and then re-building it later slowly but surely vs. going back and changing everything just to conceal your identity. If anything, it'd be easier to do the first one. I've cancelled my account before and reinstated it, it wasn't really brain surgery.

I just think it's pretty pathetic when a FaceBook account takes precedence over Panhellenic and sorority matters. :rolleyes:

At my campus, the facebook and myspace deal is something that's being dealt with currently. First off, people are being urged to make sure that any pictures posted on either site, particularly myspace, are appropriate. Meaning, we don't want to see your ass cleavage while you're drinking yourself into oblivion in any pictures posted. On the issue of Sigma Rho Chis/ Rho Gammas/ and whatever other term y'all use, they are told to remove anything that would either reveal or infer their affiliation. If that means deactivating your account, so be it.

My school only got on the facebook in October, so we didn't even have it during fall rush. I know that in the spring though none of the Rho Chis deactivated their accounts or did anything with it. I don't know if anything's going to be done with it for the upcoming fall recruitment. It just kinda seems to be a non-issue with our greek council.

I totally agree!

The Pi Chis at Auburn have removed any clue to their affiliation (groups, clubs, etc...) and removed their last names. I know it doesn't make it impossible to figure out who belongs to what sorority, but atleast it's a start.

I guess a "start" is better than nothing. Like OTW mentioned though, it doesn't take a rocket-scientist to see that Mary Sue has 856232689 XYZ friends.

Just so you all know, there is an option on facebook where your profile (including friends list) cannot be accessible to anyone except your current friends. This way, even if a PNM was to do a search for a Pi Chi, all she would get was the intial page that listed name, major, and year. Have them do this and remove their affiliation and club membership and your golden.

Oh, I totally agree... I was playing on facebook last night and I came across the profile of one of the members of Panhellenic Exec board (they have to disaffiliate) and I had no trouble figuring out her affiliation. I think the facebook could become an issue during recruitment, thought I hope it doesn't.

I'm going to have to agree with the people who think problems like the above - having to "remake your friends/groups on Facebook" is super lame and a little off priority

This is all quite interesting to the elderly of GC. :) Is facebook really that big of a deal? I mean, what do you do on it other than see if other people are on it?

Plus, I thought you had to have a school email to use it. Women going through rush this summer before school starts wouldn't have school emails yet, would they?

On the other side of the coin, if there are PNMs obsessive enough to go through every facebook and LJ & xanga etc to find out what sorority their RCs are in, knock yourselves out. :p

Actually, at least at UGA, as soon as you are accepted you are expected to create a UGA email account that you need to register for classes, sign up for parking, ect... There are already groups on UGAs facebooks for the class of '09 that have over 100 people in them.

It is true facebook is not vitally important to our lives, but I know a lot of people, including myself who enjoy logging on and browsing through the website, in the same way that many people use this website. Granted, if I had to choose between my sorority and facebook, obviously Kappa Delta would win, but there is no need to deactivate one’s account when simply changing some information and/or changing what can be viewed will suffice.

At my campus, an email account is generated as soon as you put down your acceptance deposit. Once you get that in the mail, the email works.

I just don't think it's worth it to compromise anything -- regardless of changing info or whatnot. I'm on it, so it's not as if I don't know what the hell you guys are talking about. FaceBook's just not friggin' worth it.

Can you imagine what would happen if all our respective HQs issued a directive saying that we're not allowed to attach anything related to our sororities on FaceBook?

I think some may have sorta. I think listing your affiliation on some of that stuff is highly discouraged.

Cosign. No one's asking you to give away something huge. And with the new NPC rules, isn't the disaffiliation period only like 30 days or something?

I guess I'm just so anti-FaceBook because I only have 35 friends on my campus as opposed to the hundreds of thousands some of you have. :p

As much as it sounds "off priorities" to de-activate facebook and come back, facebook is suppperrrrrr addicting! I know that I'm in like 20 clubs, and have 150 friends just at UCF, not including the other 150 from other schools.

There are clubs for like HC, Greek Week, Greeks, Greeks for God, Individual sor ones, or I love the ladies of so and so... it all gets exciting lol.. They even have a group for the Rho Gammas of 2004 and one for the new ones of 2005 lol.

In my opinion changing your picture and name for the summer until the end of recruitment would just be easier.

Facebook has gotten huge everywhere, I remember when there were only like 15 schools haha.

I think some of you guys have a problem :)

Maybe panhel can offer a 12-step program and a support group, lol.

It's just the internet, one webpage. If you're that addicted to it, perhaps quitting cold turkey isn't a bad thing :)

I'll be your friend, OTW.... then you can explain Facebook to me, and I can get addicted. And then kddani's great new 12-stepper for the FB addict would be perfect for me! :p

Ooooooh yay! And then with one more friend...I just might change my opinions on FaceBook and not deactivate my account completely!!!! I lava yoooo!

Freshman year we were able to figure out our Rho Chis' affiliation. CU has a website where you can search for ppl (prior to facebook) and find there name, address, email address, phone #, etc and a link to the webspace the university gives each student.

Our RC name was Holly, which is a fairly unique name. We then looked at each of the links to webspace and found a Holly that had a webpage on her university webspace. On this page she had pictures (yes it was our RC) with her wearing her letters. The page was also decorated w/ moons and stars so it wasn't to hard to figure out she was a GPB.

I think if you want to figure out bad enough then you'll find a way, but I agree that facebook accts should be changed so that only your friends can see it, b/c otherwise it just makes it too easy!

FYI to everyone --
 

It actually IS possible to make your facebook profile viewable to ONLY friends.

(Click the "My Privacy" tab on the left side)


Through that same tab it is also possible to restrict yourself from being shown when people do searches, and what parts of your profile non-friends can see

Since fraternities have different rules for recruitment, facebook membership won't be an issue for my chapter.

However, I agree that deactivating your account when there is a much easier & faster way to resolve the situation is pretty excessive. For all those who are saying how lame thefacebook is, and how it's got people's priorities totally out of whack, that's a little "lame" on YOUR part. Just because you might be anti-facebook, you don't have to be judgemental towards others. Especially if they follow the suggestions in this topic and restrict their profile to friends only / change their picture & name, etc!

I know a number of people that have found love or new friends simply through the facebook. It's become a great social tool for college students, and also a great recruitment tool for some fraternities (using their campus announcements to advertise rush events). Granted, I'm not as "addicted" as some because I'm not a current student, I'm registered as an alum. thefacebook has made a big impact at my school though, and I think it's a great tool.

This option works really well.

OTW, we are being judgemental because we are anti-facebook {insert evil laugh here} -- besides, we could find love or even more friends by using FB. And then and then and then... you know what... and then we could sign up for kddani's 12 step program TOGETHER -- WOO girl - fun times ahead for us.

{AXO Alum singing} Come on ride the train - and ride it... come on ride the train - its the facebook train (choo-choo) ;)

Giiiiiiiirl you are too much.

I don't know which is worse: this, or the FRIED CHICKEN incident.

As LL Cool J said (cuz I love me some HIP HOP),

"I NEED LOVE."

Even if it gets me banned, I have to say you both are assholes.

Son, based on the number of posts so far, yer still new here on GC. Best to take OTW and a few others' posts with a grain o' salt.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, though.

And they're likely to think the same of you. :)

Besides, your post supporting facebook wasn't doing anything different than their posts. So pot, meet kettle.

That is what we told ALL of our members to do as far as clubs go. We also have told our members not to put anything on their Facebook profile that would discredit our sorority.

We've actually had a case at Ole Miss recently where some students got in trouble because of a club they had started.

I think Facebook is a NIGHTMARE.

Puhlease - it takes more than calling a couple of mods a-holes to get yourself banned. If that was all it took, well, then most of the mods would be banned ;)

Thanks for your post - OTW & I enjoy reading enlightening posts such as yours, in our constant search to become better people.

Now -- weren't we talking about facebook somewhere around here... :p

It's a trainwreck. I'm sure it's fun and a good way to waste some time. But putting all your personal info out there is NOT smart, and you can easily embarass your organization. If you can't make a small sacrafice of doing what's been suggested, your priorities really need reexamined :) And maybe you should spend less time on facebook and more on your org or schoolwork.

Being that addicted to ANYTHING is NOT healthy, especially when it's just a friggin webpage. Get off the computer and go find love in the real world, or if that's what you're looking for, at least diversify and use a personals site ;) People are defending it to the death. Go outside and get some fresh air!

This conclude's kddani's 12 step presentation for the moment.

Lesson of the day: It's JUST THE INTARWEB

KDDANI,

Is there not a way for sororities and fraternities to do something so Facebook cannot list groups under the "house" search of Facebook? I mean, I know AOII's letters are trademarked...just wondering. I think some of the clubs are scary for example, "Girls who like to drink beer, the Yager shot club, I like to drink before I go to class, etc." Those scare me. I mean, maybe I'm old fashioned or something, but I have an account so I can monitor our girls! AHHH!

Maybe you should place a little more trust in your sorority sisters to make good choices and not affiliate the sorority with bad stuff, instead of wondering whether or not Facebook can forbid chapters to make their own Facebook groups.

Phi Mu has addressed the Internet issue very recently, regarding Facebook, personal websites, and even Webshots. Does it all feel a little too Big Brother? To me, yes- but after hearing some of the stories about the girls who were reprimanded, maybe not. It seems outlandish to me because by and large, my chapter's members aren't out there on the Web, tarnishing my sorority name. We've been told numerous times to be sure and represent Phi Mu in a positive manner.

But to be "scared" of Girls Who Like to Drink Beer seems a little excessive to me, as an over-21 sorority member.

I don't think Facebook is a nightmare- I am not "addicted", but I've used it for lots of positive Phi Mu/recruitment purposes since it came out.

I think that things like webshots, personal websites, and myspace should be regulated more closely than facebook. At least with facebook it's easier to limit the people who can see your profile. My friends and I have found some pictures on webshots that have made us wonder if the girls putting them up knew what a risk management issue this was or how much trouble they could get into if nationals ever saw them.