[Miriverite]

Hey Paula,

I've served on executive boards for a plethora of organizations and have seen this same problem constantly prevalent. For example, in AXO last year I believe two girls de-pledged and three others de-affiliated. In the MIT Asian Dance Team, we lost over 10 girls in the span of a year, which was nearly 50% of the team at the time. The MIT Chinese Choral Society used to consistently have 30-40 members, and now we're down to 10.

It's really difficult to set up an organization in a way that it accommodates everyone, and arguably some people are going to have to make sacrifices in order to continue participating. It's just that some people cannot make the sacrifice (sometimes for very good reasons), and it's just difficult to press them to remain. The ones that are willing to stay and stick it out are the ones we will bond the most with, and they are the ones that will help shape the chapter into the great entity we want it to become. Not to say the departing members are bad people, but they may just have different priorities in life right now.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. The ones who choose to stay are the types of women that we are hoping for; BSP membership is a self-selecting process, and I am confident that everyone will eventually find what is right for them. If you ever need any help, I'm always here =)