Need some reassurances...
 

Hi girls,

My sister was just dumped from the theta house during rush after one day despite her legacy status and 6 letters of rec... I'm really upset as she was dying to be a theta too and I am really disappointed... Can anyone make me feel better ;o(

Theta luv
Lex

Aww, that sucks, I'm really sorry. She must be really upset. I don't know what school this is at, but maybe there was some miscommunication, or some mistake happened. Or maybe it was just a lack of clicking with the personalities. It's very hard to say why something like that would happen. Is your sister still going through with recruitment? Because she might find a chapter she fits with better. Or does the Theta chapter COB usually after formal recruitment? Maybe she would fair better there. I wish I had more comforting words to say.

Well I cant really get into specifics here but our policies regarding recruitment and legacies have changed this fall. There was an article about this in the spring issue of the Theta magazine I believe. If you didnt get that issue, you can always see if the new information is posted on teh website in the passworded section or you can always email HQ for more information.

We had a sorta incident during our recruitment. A woman came through and was a legacy, but she didnt mark on her recruitment application she was a legacy, didnt have any recommendations, no letter of legacy introduction, and didnt tell anyone in the Theta party she was a legacy. Therefore the chapter didnt know she was a legacy. She was cut because of grade risk. Well then her sister was irate and called the chapter to complain that her sister was cut, but by then there was nothing that could be done.

I'm assuming in your case they knew she was a legacy. However, as you know legacies arent a guaranteed bid and there is the issue of chapter/pnm fit. I dont know if my post made you feel any better or worse. I do feel for you and your sister. I also know that the panhellenic formal recruitment process is not full proof and a lot of great women do sometimes slip through the cracks. :(

I'm really sorry for both you and your sister. I just don't think there are any great words to say that don't sound like platitudes. Just know that a lot of Thetas out there feel for you and wish it had worked out differently this time!

It's far from a perfect system, yet it's also just one very small aspect of life. As much as I love Theta and all that she has given me (and continues to give), I fear that we all get our perspectives and priorities hazy sometimes, especially around recruitment. Theta might be less for not having your sister right now, but not being a Theta won't make your sister any less the great person she is.

hang in there and lean on your sisters when you need it!
Jane

Legacy Policy
 

The new legacy policy is on www.kappaalphatheta.org if you want to see it.

Go to the Thetas Online section and sign in (HQ can help with your member number if you need it).

Go to The Bulletin and in the drop down list at the top choose April 2004 and click Go.

Click the Inserts link for the Vice President Membership office and a list will expand for all the inserts that came in that bulletin. The Legacy Policy is listed there and you should be able to open it and read it.

Hopefully the chapter was following it "to a t" and you'll be able to explain to your sister why she was dropped after first round. If you think that isn't the case, you may want to let the MDD in that chapter's district know about it. EVERY chapter is supposed to follow this policy.