Retention
 

I have a major concern about the way ADPi puts together its programing. It seems to be so New Member focused that its difficult to figure out ways to keep the members you already have.

Right now, the chapter that I advise is above total but was are starting to have Sophomores drop mostly because of housing issues. They don't want to live in the house as Juniors. I really don't understand it. What do you find effective to keep the members you already have?

One thing to consider, it might not be that they don't want to live in, but in these hard economic times they might be able to afford to live in. Houses are expensive, sometimes they are more expensive then dorm living or apartment living.

Now, I understand when they joined they probably understood that living in was a requirement (was it told to them that it was a requirement? Were they told how long they had to live in?), but I also understand where the girls are coming from not wanting to live in their Junior and possibly Senior years.

Another question, how are girls placed in the house? Had I stayed at U of A when I was a freshmen, I would have lived in my sophomore year, how come the sophomores aren't being able to live in as sophomores?

But on the other hand I've heard of sisters who were able to move in as freshmen and stayed all 4 years because they love living in.

Look at the house? Is it modern (like wireless capabilities)? How is the furniture? These may seem like odd questions, but when DG closed the furniture was kind of tacky (IMPO), but when the chapter reopened in 08, omg we did so much work to make this house look amazing and up to par with the houses.

I hate to say it, but girls are superficial, it could be they don't want to live in because they don't like the house. Doesn't mean they don't like or love ADPi, they just don't like the house.

I know girls have to live in, but have you guys considered allowing some girls to not live in (based on circumstances) to keep the members?

I'm not an advisor, I'm not on house corp, I am just asking questions based on what limited knowledge I have.

I have thought a lot about the issues that you have brought up, but I still am unable to come up with an answer.

Over the summer the main floor of the house went through a major revamp and it looks amazing - all of the girls were so proud to show it off during recruitment. The corporation is in the process of getting some wanted items for the house. It already has most of the "must haves" on campus, a cook, wireless, cable, etc.

Sophomores are expected to and are generally exctied to live in the house. Due to University and Greek Affairs agreements, only 2-3 Freshman per year are allowed to move in, if you have the room.

Quota isn't high enough to get the house full of sophomores only. The women simply want to move out - due to the need to fill the house they drop. I don't get it.

But I don't think the house is the full answer, how do you re-recruit the members that you already have? What kinds of traditions, programing can you put into it to keep the women?

pardon my crash...

Does not wanting to live in have anything to do with the no booze/no boys restrictions? If that's the case, these girls would be unhappy in ANY sorority with a large house, not just ADPi. Are any of the other sororities on campus having this problem?

Have the social options become stagnant? i.e., do you hang out with one fraternity all the time? Have there been any recent chapter dramas or upsets?

At any rate, don't cave and allow members to get out of their housing obligations just because "they don't want to." That's a slippery slope and you will end up with a mountain of debt.

I see that your location is Iowa. Would this be at the University of Iowa, or another school in the state? I was an adviser at Iowa for five years and we had some similar retention issues. I can PM you if you'd like to know how we dealt with those issues.

FWIW, I understand that retention is one of the biggest problems among all of the NPC sororities, and has been since the Jurrassic period when I was a sister. We had a part in our bylaws that, if there was an opening in our suite, it had to be filled by someone. Sometimes, two sisters would take turns (one doing the Fall Semester, the other doing the Winter). Whatever works, without breaking the hard and fast EO rules.

I (and my fellow advisors) have this conversation with the chapter I advise here, as well (and housing likely plays a role for us, as well).

We as advisors (and as an executive board) really try to drive home the fact that recruitment of members doesn't end when they accept their bid, as they're going through their new member period, or as soon as their initiated. You have to recruit your current members just as much as you recruit new women to join your chapter, and it takes a very fine balancing act (between studies, chapter obligations, etc). I don't know that we've figured out the right answer, but I just wanted to let you know you're not alone. If you want to try and talk more, go ahead and shoot me a PM - I'm the ME advisor here, gearing up for DLC in about a month :)

We kicked around the idea of having one informal meeting a month on Life Skills - like resumes, etiquette, interviewing, etc. The concept was that actually learning something that they'll need immediately might be interesting and worth sticking around to see. Obviously, we didn't do it, but the chapter never did hear the idea to say yes or no.

While that could certainly be an issue, I know of chapters that have had the opposite problem. Is the chapter only offering date parties and fraternity swaps/exchanges/whatever for social activities? Sometimes what is lacking is the fun sisterhood stuff. Bonding and commitment doesn't always happen spontaneously. It may take someone scheduling/arranging events (and maybe even at first requiring people show up). Then afterwards everyone is like "Wow, that was a blast! I'm so glad I went. When can we do it again?"