New Member Education: What do you think?
 

I am wondering how this community feels about the intake process. Do people still want to keep on pledging people to near death because it make it seem like the worked for their letters and others didn't? Do people feel the the NME should be more about a holistic improvement in the pledges life?

I believe in the latter. I think pledging should be about improving yourself physically, mentally, and emtionally. I think that people should put more emphasis on the purpose of the organization, on the pledges reasons for pledging, on how to run a successful organization, on how to put on programming, and so on and so forth.

As far as hazing goes, if we are talking about getting paddle to death...uh...NO! That is stupid IT SERVES NO PURPOSE. If we are talking about pushing someone past their limits, the limits of who they are rigt now, well that to me has a purpose. As long as we keep that purpose alive, we would find that hazing wouldn't be a problem much longer.

Our new members are treated like princesses and showered with love and presents. You can real all about our New Member program online here.


The New Member period is 6-8 weeks where the New Members learn about the values and history of Delta Gamma. It get's them familiar with the women in the chapter and the things that we do...there is nothing negative about it at all.

There is no hazing, no paddleing, nothing. The worst part of being a new member is being kept in suspense the week before you find out who your big sister is! ;)

We are the exact same way, and we do not make our new members "work" for their letters. Matter of fact, they can wear letters as soon as they receive their bid. But our chapter was established last year. It seems to me that fairly new chapters shower new members with love and gifts, where as the older chapters (at least at my school) have a more strict new member period. I do agree that the purpose of the new member period is to learn about the organization's history and become familar with the sisters of the chapter.

Hazing is illegal.

Hazing does nothing but put the fraternity at risk.

I will say that the NPC sororities don't condone any sort of testing of new members "worthiness."

In ADPi, new members hold all the same privileges as initated members, except that they do not participate in ritual until their initaition. Otherwise, they may attend meetings, vote, hold office, wear letters and enjoy all the other rights and whatnot accorded to any member.

One thing I find troubling is the tendency to blame the media when a chapter is exposed for hazing. Why don't we jump all over that chapter for abusing one of our own and making us look like a bunch of cavemen, or worse yet, undisciplined children with a Lord of the Flies mentality?

Of course hazing is illegal, but I think hazing has to wide a definiation.

I agree when a chapter gets in trouble, it is no ones problem but THEIR OWN. The media amplify the situtation, BUT that is the chapters fault.

Re: New Member Education: What do you think?
 

I have a question. What year are you in college?

What do college kids really know about pushing people past their limits? They only have a HS diploma behind them. I don't care if they go to Harvard or left-elbow State U. Being in college is about growing as a person, the whole thing is a challege. The lofty terms of "pushing someone past their limits, the limits of who they are rigt now" what does that mean? I don't mean to be rude, but come on.

I don't mean to make college kids sound dumb, they aren't, but they are still growing up, they are not trained to do be drill sargents or life reprogramers in my opinion. NME should be about bonding with your chapter and class in a healthy environment so you can find your place within the group and use the entire college experience to grow in a number of ways. You pledge for a month and half, you can have a cold that long, not become a new person.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your comments, but these arguements irriate me.

One more item- hazing hurts more than just the chapter and individuals involved. We know that it hurts the greek community on that campus through perception and then it also hurts groups on a national level from PR to insurance rates. If you are stupid and hurt someone, the insurance companies see that and my rates go up. Greeks are a community, in many ways we share each others pains.

/soapbox

It's irrelevant what we think. I also agree with you that the definition of hazing is too wide. however, we are alone to blame for this. Ultimately, we have to follow the law so we will not be sued to extinction. No if or but about it.

Do you really trust 18 to 21 years old pushing other 18 to 21 years old to the limits? Most of these kids don't know what their own limits are. How would they know what other people's limits are?

Re: Re: New Member Education: What do you think?
 

What I was talking was self improvement. The tools you learn during NME teach alot about yourself and help you better your life. I feel after joining my fraternity, my whole life got better. And I have proof. I am becoming an outstanding leader, my grades got better, everything is going up. I attrubute this to my NME. I dont' really condone hazing at all. I don't think that hazed members are any better members, in fact some times they are the worst members.

wrussell, there are programs already implemented by many national fraternities that will make the members a better man without pushing them to their limits. My organization's particular program is the Balanced Man Project. You can find out about this program here:

Balanced Man Project

Re: Re: Re: New Member Education: What do you think?
 

Define 'tools'

edit- You didn't say what year you were.

I think that fraternities and sororities should educate the entire membership as to becoming a better man or woman. This process cannot be mastered in the short time of pledging!

That's why Alpha Delta Pi developed our TME program for the whole chapter, and I would imagine that most NPC sororities will soon do so, if they haven't already developed a similar program.





As for the word "tool", Little E, I'm trying to send you my thoughts telepathically! ;)

Re: Re: Re: Re: New Member Education: What do you think?
 

I'm assuming that wrussell is referring to life lessons you learn; time management, how to work as a team, leadership skills, etc.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Re: Re: Re: New Member Education: What do you think?
 

Just remember to emphasize your letters and the fact that you are in a Latino/Latina fraternity/sorority while "hazing" and it's what only you guys do. Heck emphasize that others don't if you can too.

Y'all keep on doing what you're doing and I'm sure others will feel insulated enough not to comment.

-Rudey