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My nationals as well mandates a less-than-8-week pledgeship... it's hard, but our NMs definitely learn the foundations of AXO and sisterhood before they are initiated. While it may seem like the girls do nothing more than "bake cookies, make posters, and sing songs," be assured that there's so much more.
There's a good deal of pledging that is not made public to the campus community, fraternities in particular. The reason for this is that they are SISTERHOOD events, designed by sisters for sisters with no room for boys or anyone else. There are sisterhood events at the house or a sister's apartment where NMs are exposed to the friendships generated by the Bond. There are sisterhood retreats where NM's leadership and organizational skills are encouraged. There are workshops held after chapter for the NMs to learn about our criteria and background. There are off-campus cultural events designed to cultivate an appreciation for music, the arts, and history. There are events held with & for alumnae, to give NMs a sense of what came before them, of who built the chapter.
The thing is, with a short pledge period, you must create a program that incorporates all the values of your chapter. No sister wants to see someone wearing letters when they have no idea what they mean... so you then have them pledge so they DO know what they mean.
The pledges, also, will only be as good as the sisterhood. If no sisters show up to events, if the only older sisters they know are their pledge moms, then, well.... no, they probably won't know what AXO or any other letters mean. BUT, if you have an active, dedicated chapter that participates fully in the pledge process... then you will build active, dedicated NMs and, as a result, new sisters.
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