[UNLDelt]

Tom,
I agree that sometime people run into trouble and can have difficulty adjusting to college, let alone greek life...I'm a believer in 2nd chances. That's why I like that my chapter offers most men who may have fallen short on some things like academics another opportunity through another pledging period to work with the chapter to improve in that area that may have initially held them back (which is also good for them individually, not just the chapter). Yes they do recieve much guidance and opportunity for assistance during thier first pleding period. But sometimes young people who are trying to establish their confidence in a new college environment can overlook the need for assistance and help the first time around. It might take some people the lesson they learn when they don't make it to understand the importance of something...or how to admit that they need help and how to ask for it. Not making initiation the first time can prove to be a good thing for some...one of my chapter's best presidents in many years was a pledge brother of mine that didn't make grades and initiate with us the first time...but he spent the next period really focusing on his grades and then spent the next four years and still even today giving to the fraternity that gave him so much after his 2nd chance.

But if opportunities to continue to work towards initiation are not respected (ie-if one doesn't meet academic standard 2nd time in a row, or doesn't utilize the resources availible-fraternity or other wise-to improve one's grades, or shows that they didn't learn lessons by repeating previous conduct violations), or if the reasoning behind being found not elligble is considered major (ie-big conduct violation or VERY low GPA resulting from general lack of commitment to academics) then best of luck...but it's not going to work out, de-pledged. The commitment and respect for 2nd chances must come from both the fraternity/sorority AND the individual it's being given to.

Sure, recruitment is the first stage in the process to 'weed out' those who may not meet the chapter's standards and expectations. But you cannot forsee all these aspects in what has become a very competitive recruitment process (at least at my campus) where many large chapters are competiting in a shrinking rush pool. You do have to take men who may be a little 'rougher' around the edges then your ideal member would be...but that means that you have to look for their potential...and do your best to help them realize and achieve it. In fact that's how it always is because no one is perfect. And our organizations are about bettering yourself. Creating and enforcing standards for initiation is how you start that process...
In years past we have had a pledge with a high school 4.0 not make a 1.5 TWICE. And he recieved every opportunity and assistance and even more that his pledge brother's did, who did very well their pledge semester. Obviously we had to part ways. But on the other side we've also had an individual with a 2.5 high school GPA initiate with a 4.0 and graduate with high distinction. If that's not evidence that you can't judge a potential member based just on recruitment then I don't know what else is...
That's why I am against some program changes that do away with some initiation standards just to be able to boast higher initiation rates. Eventually it will come back to haunt us when our standards are diluted and eventually gone. Delt has started their 8 week pledge program limitation that doesn't have an academic requirement for initation this year and my chapter is trying to keep the scholastic requirements to be initiated while our nationals is telling us we can't (there's a whole nother story about that on a different thread).

We are not 'sign up and join' organizations, and we never have been. Inherantly some people will not make it to full membership, it's just a part of the system. But yes, we should work to give everyone who desires membership, and who the fraternity/sorority offers it to, the opportunity to show they deserve it (through POSTIVE programming focused on academics, service, and brother/sisterhood...NOT through meaningless hazing activity) but never extending it to the degree that we end up lowering our standards to accomidate those who don't respect them.