Quote:
Originally Posted by alum
My parents wanted me to keep a single in the dorm so I would have a quiet place to study. My H and I feel the same way regarding our daughter remaining in the dorm vs. living in her house.
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I'm sorry you feel that way... Maybe it's a difference in schools/systems? Also coming from a Midwestern campus... I lived 2 years in the dorms and 2 years in-house. It was
far easier to ask my sisters to respect my study time than the random guy who happened to live a floor up from my dorm room. Our chapter house had a 24-hour quiet study room, a 'card room' that was great, and the dining room turned into study central during dead and finals week. Not to mention the plethora of quiet rooms on campus (library, student union, empty class rooms, lounges/commons in most buildings-upper floors were quietest). I truly felt part of the house when I moved in, not like some outsider that didn't really know what was happening. Everyone has different study habits. Finding study spaces is a part of living in
any college community (chapter house, dorm, or apartment).
Especially if their corp. board is failing to support them very well, these sisters need to be tight, which means living together. Build your sisterhood - our greatest Fall Recruitment whilst I was there (ah... the good old days!
)was when we spent a good amount of time on getting to know each other and bonding - seeing our sisterhood, the PNMs wanted to be a part of that bond. Also a bonus: "Oh, your majoring in Elementary Ed? We have seven in the house!" "You're interested in Business Club? My roommate is President of that." etc... knowing what your sisters do helps create that connection with the PNM and your chapter. Always a good thing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ForeverRoses 
Whatever you do, make sure that during recruitment, it looks like the house is full- so if you have 1 girl in a double- put a comforter or whatever on the spare bed so that it looks like 2 girls are there (especially during open house).
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I'll third that. If you have rooms that are completely or partially empty for one reason or another, decorate them. Some facilities, depending on the lighting, might be dark and intimidating to PNMs with shut doors... do everything you can to keep the facility open, welcoming, and looking like home... so there will be a few decisions for you there, too, depending on your facility. (...oh, and always put your name on anything you lend to an empty room...
)
Another thought... if you do have some vacancies, make
certain your members don't convey "we're desperate to fill spaces so you can move in right away" ... make sure everyone is scripted with something to to effect of "sometimes we have a few spaces open in the Fall for NMs, and I think this semester we might" ...mentioning if sophomores have priority. You're avoiding two dangers: a) appearing as if you'll take any warm body (which you're not) and b) potentially promising
every PNM they can for sure move in (which, I'm guessing if you hit quota, they can't).
Long Post! ...again, Good Luck!