Do you think Pre-pledging is right?
 

I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I wanted to get your thoughts on whether or not you felt pre-pledging was necessary. Do you think people should get to know the members of the organization they want to join? Do you even consider getting to know someone or making phone calls hazing or pre-pledging?

what exactly is pre-pledging? how is it different from rushing? do some orgs haze new members before they even have their bids?

I don't agree with your definition of pre-pledging. To me, getting to know members of an org. is not pre-pledging. Nor is supporting their socials, seminars, or public service efforts. I think that it's essential that interested persons do these things. Why? It is a small indicator of how hard the person will work if they are extended membership and become a member. However, mandatory phone calls or anything along those lines in my opinion is pre-pledging. Also it doesn't serve a purpose. In the end, the interested person must make the call. They must also decide what they are willing to do to join their respective org. of interest. And keep in mind this. No NPHC org. supports pre-pledging activities of any kind. So for instance if you are caught by an advisor of that chapter, a neighboring alumni chapter, or anyone who has national's best interest in mind that could jeopardize your chances for membership forever. All interested person's keep that in mind.

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KAPPA ALPHA PSI FRATERNITY, INC.
SPR 97
XI LAMBDA

I agree w/ Nupe4Life. I think it's important for interests to get to know the members before hand. Being in a sorority or fraternity is different than just joining a club or another group. You're pledging your commitment and dedication to the organization and the members. Therefore, you should try to get to know these people as best as you can if you want to one day be considered a brother or sister of the org. If you have questions about what is considered pre-pledging/hazing, talk to the advisor of the chapter. They should be able to help you.

Twinstars,
Some orgs do still illegally participate in pre-pledging. Pre-pledging takes place before the interested person has accepted an invitation or bid to join the org. The person may be told to do certain activities that are usually considered hazing that may or may not increase their chance of becoming a part of the organization. For instance, an active might call an interest telling him/her to do XYZ activity or else he/she won't get in the org. So pre-pledging is vastly different than rushing. Rushing is simply the time in which a rushee finds out more about the sororities/fraternities that are on their respective campus. At this time, the rushee does not have an obligation to join or bid on a sorority/fraternity. They can pretty much drop out at any time prior to bids. I hope I explained that right. If not, someone please do correct me http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

Nupe4Life
I agree with what your saying. But isn't making phone calls to members of the interested organization a way of getting to know someone. I'm not talking about phones calls were the person has been made to do things, with the threat of not being selected. I'm talking about just regular phone calls where regular conversation takes place and maybe finding out why they are interested in your organization. Do you expect someone to know certain things about your organization when expressing an interest?

You hit it right on the head Nupe4Life. I don't see a need for prepleding, I think it can cheepen the pledge period experience. I also think that it kind of lessens the rights of passage as well. Sidebar-On my yard two of the other orgs pre-pledge, and everyone knows. Their pre-pledging goes beyond phone calls, they dabble into hazing activities. I hope for there sake their advisors never find out, cause if they do they're gone.