just wondering
 

I realize that a great lot of research went into changing the terms pledge, rush and rushing and instead we say new member and recruitment BUT

considering we rush to get in and out of houses,rush to meet new girls, rushto get to meetings, and most importantly, we do PLEDGE OUR ALLEGIANCE to a particular fraternity or sorority

I have heard and agree that recruitment sounds like joining a military branch, or football team, it isn't very "tea and white gloves" as all our chapters began.

Just wondering others feelings about an alternative phrase....:cool:

Everyone pretty much agrees that the new terms are stupid especially since the process hasn't really changed.

While I agree that most of the terms don't really fit, "tea and white gloves" is not how most NPC groups started. Do a little research. You'll probably find that that most required the presentation of a research paper and other more intellectual pursuits as part of the process. I know Delta Gamma did. "Tea and white gloves" were the furthest things from Anna, Eva and Mary's minds.

Hayzelle, you might want to read Bound By a Mighty Vow for a history account on the founding of women's NPC Greek Letter Organizations in the late 1800s. "Tea and white gloves" was the farthest thing on Bettie, Hannah, Alice, and Bettie's minds in 1870.

The Founders of Alpha Xi Delta were strong powerful young women (one was only 15!) who needed a voice. They were fighters for social justice. I think the only reason those social restrictions were put in place is because they were so common as to have seemed the only way to do it.

But back to your point, you'll notice I never use the new terms as my own little "fight the power" moment. Recruitment gives a wholly incorrect explanation for the process.

NPC changed the terms back in the 1990's to modernize the process. I know 2 women personally responsible for the change.
If you remember, numbers across the country were dipping in that decade (low "pledge" quota and chapter numbers, MANY chapters closing for ALL sororities) and since the change, have been increasing ever since (though slowly at first). Is it the reason for the increase -- couldn't tell you -- but I'm not going to knock it.

The reason for the increase is baby boomers' kids all coming to college and the swell of a conservative movement when W was in office. Simple statistics - more people born equals more people in college equals more people pledging. Numbers will probably start dropping within the next few years.

I for one wouldn't complain if the process actually fit the word - i.e. sororities sit down, figure out what they want in a member and then seek out carefully selected women with those qualities. But it doesn't. In formal rush, sororities pledge who shows up at their door. There might be a bit of work trying to get specific women, but they're women who are already in the process.

I hate "recruitment" and "potential new member-PNM". A mouthful to say.I hate the abbreviated pledge period( hate "new member")-kudos to XO for keeping theirs intact. And although I have no evidence to the contrary, I have a hard time believing that more women enrolled in rush because of different terminology. 33 's explanation is more plausible.

GC's resident curmudgeon...now get off my lawn!

Ladies, appreciate your responses, as I said "tea and white gloves" I did not mean that as the origin of our fraternities/sororities...meant that our chapters are more ladylike than "recruiting" like in the armed forces....

Really enjoyed being considered a pledge when I was given a bid by Alpha Xi Delta cause
we"pledge" our hearts to our sisterhood.

Wish there were an alternative to the phrase "formal recruitment" but maybe that's just me.

Best luck in filling quotas in everyone's chapters!

FSUZeta
THANK YOU!!! I hate these terms too....they sound dumb,look dumb on bid day shirts, on and on....glad to hear that Chi Omega kept their terms so maybe eventually we all will agree on better terms. I too doubt the terms brought the new interest into pledging but definitely think that Moms with Greek links have sparked them into considering following in their footsteps and classy pins!!

33girl has the best explanation for the increase in women interested in joining sororities. When my kids were little, out school district was opening schools at a rapid rate due to the swelling enrollment. Today, the district is closing schools as the numbers are beginning to dwindle. This decrease will affect the numbers for all sororities in about 10 years. By that time, the the boomlet members of the 80's will increase the numbers again.

DaffyKD

With our one year deferred rush, we DID have this period to carefully look at potential rushees and determine which ones would be good fits for our fraternity. Freshman girls planning to go through rush did the same, of course. We also had informal rush functions where we invited the young women we were interested in to breakfast, sporting events, pizza nights, and the like. And continued to do this over the summer until right before formal rush and silence began. This seemed to work well for all the GLOs, and retention rates were very high.

I am very happy that Chi Omega did not go along with an abbreviated pledge period. Ours was one semester, until after grades for the Fall semester were posted. In addition to our weekly meetings with our pledge sisters, we also participated in other activities, including activities we planned with other pledges as well as with the chapter as a whole. By the time we were initiated, we had a very good idea of what membership and sisterhood was all about. The only thing I didn't like was having to surrender my pledge pin!