Consequences for Recruitment Infractions
 

Other than fining, what kind of consequences have you guys seen that are effective? Fining does not work on my campus - and from what I hear, doesnt work on most campuses, since the problem houses who dont know how to play fair will set aside money in their budget or call on an alum to pay for their fines since they know they will dirty rush anyway. I need some ideas to take to panhellenic for constitution and rules revisions.

The best idea I've heard so far is forcing the problem chapter to go to the other chapters on campus, with anapoligy - with their new members in tow - and to give a panhellenic program - give examples of dirty rush techniques that are not acceptable (examples of things that chapter actually did). This makes the problem chapter eat their humble pie in front of their new members, and makes the new members realize that those things are not acceptable so when they start recruiting the following year, they dont say 'Well, I joined because you did X, Y and Z for me...." when X, Y and Z were rush infractions that shouldn't have been done in the first place... but obviously, this kind of consequence can only be used so often...

I'm curious - what kinda of consequences do you have on your campuses - consequences that actually make chapters scared enough to not break the rules?

Thanks.

Social probation - no mixers or homecoming/greek week pairings. I think this is the only thing that would work.

The apology scenario you proposed just makes the NMs feel bad about their decision and want to quit, and they are pretty screwed if they do because they can't rush again for a year. The other chapters are going to know the apology is full of poo, and the sororities who violated the rules are just going to treat it as a big joke.

They wont treat it as a joke if their new members DO quit because those new members dont want to be associated with a group who wouldn't play by the rules. If enough of them quit, the chapter will realize they screwed up and their dirty ruishing bit them in the ass. Granted, some girls wont care, and wont quit - and that's fine. But it's going to suck for that chapter if the new members realize they could have had abetter greek experience if they had made the decision for themselves, rather than being influenced inappropriately.

How does the mixer thing work? I mean, how can you force them to not have mixers? They'll just end up having off campus "unofficial" parties anyway. and we dont pair up for homecomng anyway. Preventing them from participating in Greek Week or PowderPuff would be about the only thing I think would work...

But the thing is - the NMs going around with the sisters would make them feel like they were guilty, even if they're not. It's kind of like a scenario that was talked about on here - a chapter screwed up rush rules and gave out more bids than they should have. By the time the error was discovered, pledging was underway. It would have penalized the NMs even more than the sorority to take those bids back.

If you don't think the mixer thing will work (I wasn't sure what kind of campus you were at) then forbid them from Greek Week/Powder Puff participation.

I like the idea of panhellenic programs .. and up the ante .. first infraction 1 program, 2nd infraction (cumulative from previous years) 2 programs, etc. ..

how about restrictions on the number of times the group can use university meeting facilities?

fines can be punitive if high enough and cumulative, but are, by the unanimous agreements (assuming these are NPC groups you're referencing), reserved for objective types of infractions, such as $50 for each ten minutes late with formal recruitment invitation lists.

I agree with the social probation.

Maybe it's just the cultures of schools that I am personally familiar with, but your idea of parading the guilty chapter around with new members (in the hopes that it would humiliate the NMs, have them drop, keep them from same infractions, etc) would never work. Ever.

My experience with chapters that dirty rush is that they are already chapters that PNMs come into Recruitment wanting to be a part of. These are typically chapters that can be very selective in who they choose, and therefore the PNMs who get bids are proud to be a part of the organization because of the name/status and really don't give a flying crap about rules having been followed in the process of getting them there.

Again, I recognize that chapters are different everywhere, so your campus culture may be different. But I still stand by the social probation... that would be much more punitive and thus ideally more likely to prevent the infractions.

So how do you control multiple offenses time and time again? This one chapter does anything and everything they can without any regards to panhellenic spirit. They act like some fraternities - pledge as many as they can and let the ones they dont want will weed themselves out - after all, the other sororities cant have dibs on the "sloppy seconds" until next year anyway.

It's to the point that the other chapters on campus think they have to play dirty in order to play with the big dogs, and it shouldnt be like that. The other chapters shouldnt have to be planning what sneaky things they can do next year to doublecross the bully chapter.

I mean - can you prevent that org from being present at the freshman orientations over the summer? (i like that idea, but I dont know how well over it would go..) or force them to take members who commit individual infractions off the floor for a certain night of recruitment - or something. Seriously, there's got to be more that just a monetary fine and no participation in greek week. Greek Week isnt as big on our campus as it is on others....it's kind of a joke in my opinion, but that's just me....

The biggest deterrent would be limiting/reducing the number of new members the group can take. Unfortunately, I don't know how that could work, nor do I know whether that's 'legal'.

But, to echo the others, the apology/skit would probably not have the desired effect. I think social probation is the way to go if fines don't seem to work.

I know! But even if this could work (which I doubt) they would just convince the PNMs to drop out of formal so they could COR/snap bid them. :(

*Edit* Yeah - what Violet said...^^

as SydneyK said, limiting the number of new members the sorority can take in might be an idea.

On my campus, about 2 years ago, the Greeks as a whole started to form a Greek Judicial Board, addressing problems among the Greek community. It is made of up certain members from Panhellenic and IFC. If your campus doesn't already have this, it might be a good idea. That way, you can actually impose sanctions (decided on by the board and approved through the Greek advisor and student activties), that will force the chapter to act appropriately.

that is true. fines and punishments should be listed in the campus panhellenic rules-to add additional punishments would call for a vote. sounds like some additions need to me made.

there is no quota set on your campus? are these NPC sororities?

These are both fabulous ideas. This often is a certain few key members who do it, and to take them off the floor for pref would really make a dent.

FSUZeta - if the chapter total is set artificially high then it could be that even if there's quota it's a moot point - no one is ever at total and formal rush doesn't attract enough women to get them there. All the HQs see is that the groups are under total (never mind total has been the same since 1982) and they get penalized for it and will do anything to remedy the situation. Voila - dirty rushing out the ying yang.