All Greek Council Sponsored New Member Retreat
 

I am the president of All Greek Council on my campus and lately we've been having issues with members being lazy as well as a lack of Greek relations. We are trying to nip this in the bud so this year we will be hosting a new member retreat for all new members of all Greek organizations on campus. I was hoping to get some input on content that should be presented, activities, etc. Any suggestions are appreciated! Thanks!

When I was a new member, Panhel held a new member tea to try to get sorority NMs to socialize with NMs of other sororities. It didn't work. There were five little islands - people chatted with other members of their own NM class rather than others. It was only a week or so after bid day, so NMs were still trying to meet everyone in their pledge class vs. meeting other people in other sororities' pledge classes.

So I suggest breaking up people into small groups and starting off with icebreakers to force people to interact with members of other chapters. I'd also suggest waiting a little longer than a week after bid day...!

We had a new member institute that was meant to instill our community-wide Greek values. They had it set up so that no more than four members of one pledge class could go together. It was about two to three hours long. There were a bunch of different sessions, so it guaranteed that the new member classes would mix. We talked about issues like hazing, drinking, and stuff like that. It would have been better if it wasn't so serious and if it had been more about getting to know everyone.

I wouldn't confine anything that is supposed to foster all-Greek relations to just new members. Like aephialum said, you're still trying to get to know everyone in your class and chapter. Plus if the NMs see the current members being lazy, what are they going to do - say "well at our retreat we learned blah blah and that is why you're wrong." No one wants to hear that.

The Greek community there is small enough for everyone to be able to gather together at once. "NM only" things are only essential at big schools with big pledge classes (and even then I really question how necessary they are). Plus confining this to NMs only could be considered hazing (especially if it's an overnight event).

How about making a Greek Unity Weekend of it - Saturday everyone works for Habitat for Humanity or another charity function, Sunday have an all-Greek picnic. At the picnic, divide into teams that have members of all the groups on them and have some athletic events (nothing too serious, just fun). You bond the most with people just from doing fun things together, not from seminars and sermons.

"How about making a Greek Unity Weekend of it - Saturday everyone works for Habitat for Humanity or another charity function, Sunday have an all-Greek picnic. At the picnic, divide into teams that have members of all the groups on them and have some athletic events (nothing too serious, just fun). You bond the most with people just from doing fun things together, not from seminars and sermons." 33girl

This sounds so much better.
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Greek Unity events sound good as long as all councils and conferences will be included from start to finish. Meaning, don't design it based on NPC and NIC but expect other councils and conferences to assimilate and get with the program. Also, don't preface it with "lately we've been having issues with members being lazy as well as a lack of Greek relations." My Sorors and I would've shunned the event because it isn't the All Greek Council's job to check our laziness (we definitely weren't lazy).

Absolutely. Also, judging by the school's evaluations, the NPHC ladies are doing a lot better than the NPC ladies.