Quote:
Originally Posted by SWTXBelle
BACK ON TOPIC - The inability to mix with some fraternities is a real problem for struggling chapters. Fraternities hold a lot of sway with the ability to mix, and all other considerations aside, a fraternity chapter of 80+ is not going to be interested in having a mixer with a sorority of 20 - 30. PNMs going through rush will notice social pictures during recruitment - again, contributing to the inability of the group to successfully recruit enough quality pledges to turn it around.
It's amazing how who you date can impact a sorority's abilitly to mix with certain fraternities. If you are dating the right member (or members if we are talking about several girls) you may well be able to plan a social event with a fraternity you might otherwise not get to - but that's a very singular situation.
One change for the better I've noticed since I was an active back when dinosaurs roamed the earth is there are more sorority sponsored social events - so instead of having to wait for a fraternity to invite you the sororities are throwing more of their own events. This can result in good p.r. with a variety of fraternities - if you have a cross-section of fraternity men invited, and they get to see the sorority sisters in a good light it can help with their perception. I know of at least one instance when a non-top tier sorority ended up having a mixer with a top tier fraternity simply because several of the fraternity members had been at a sorority event and had a really good time. That's the kind of thing that can help build momentum in changing a chapter's reputation.
One of the toughest things to fight is the feeling of defeatism a poor recruitment can give a chapter.
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As to the first thing - that's what double and triple mixers are for.
As far as sorority sponsored social activities (this is back in dino times as well), we used to hold a bid day party instead of having a bid day mixer (i.e. the sisters & PNMs could invite anyone special, instead of just being at a mixer w/ fraternity guys you never met who mean nothing to you) and we held our own parties and happy hours at our house often. The other sororities did the same thing. This is one of the reasons I hate and resent the dry policies NPC imposes - it doesn't give the sororities any ability to create their own social space. They have to rely on the guys.