Quote:
Originally Posted by melindawarren
One last idea: maybe new member programs aren't targeting the important information. Maybe, if retention really is an issue, the new member program needs to address the lifelong bonds of a fraternity or sorority. My best friend and I just had a conversation about how most people our age are very focused on what's going on right now. Today's Wednesday (yes, it's very early Wednesday, but it's Wednesday nonetheless), and I've barely heard discussion of anything going on beyond Friday (she hadn't heard discussion of anything beyond the weekend, either, and she goes to another school). The concept of "lifetime membership" or, well, anything lasting a lifetime seems intangible to this generation because everything gets upgraded and re-released as new tomorrow, the next day or the day after. The concept of lifelong membership thrills me, but I get how some people just don't get the "lifelong" part.
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I don't think it has anything to do with the shortened new member period. I think that this might be why we see more women resigning as members, but I think the more girls were resigning as new members early. I think MW hit it on the head when she mentioned the generational shift to a very now focused group in combination with huge recruitment numbers. I think there are a lot of girls who walk in on Bid Day and expect to have 100 new best friends, and when they aren't suddenly Miss Popular Elle Woods they are disappointed. They set their expectations so high that when we don't meet them or they don't get their first choice they get unhappy. RPW helps more women get placed, but still a lot of girls get their second choice, and its getting a lot harder to help them find their way and be happy in the chapter.
On the one hand we encourage women to go through recruitment to meet people, but some of them, once they do, that was really all they wanted to do. Others like the idea of a sorority, but once they found out about grade requirements, study hours, philanthropy hours, and that sorority women are expected to behave like ladies, they lost interest. Throw in a tough economy and that can be one more thing they are trying to juggle with college.