sorority names?

[shadokat]

Is there a reason that we're not posting sorority names in the new member threads?

I think they're being careful not to offend anyone from their school that may be reading the boards.

I know I would be rather pissed if I was reading a thread, and the girl turned out to be a rushee from my school, and said

"next I went to XYZ house, and they were such b*tches!"

I think that could EASILY ruin that person's future in Greek Life...

[violets]

Yes, I think they're being rather tactful. It's pretty sweet I think. I still get a lot out of the "anonymous sororities" Rush threads.
As an alumna (who is too swamped with work to advise this year, although you'd never know that from the time I spend on GC--this is so addictive!) I'll take any sort of Rush story! I love 'em all!

Originally posted by Ginger
I think they're being careful not to offend anyone from their school that may be reading the boards.

I know I would be rather pissed if I was reading a thread, and the girl turned out to be a rushee from my school, and said

"next I went to XYZ house, and they were such b*tches!"

I think that could EASILY ruin that person's future in Greek Life...

How very true.

That being said, I can say that it HAS happened before and it resulted in a VERY unfortunate situation for both parties involved.

Campuses aren't as big as we think they are, and we really don't know who's reading our posts.

I think it's great to play it safe this way.

[aprilxo]

I totally support NOT using sorority names. On our campus, it's agreed upon to just not talk about other sororities etc on our campus around recruitment, not even in good ways because you never know how things will be heard or misunderstood, etc. It is just a rule we have, and I think that it's good to keep that sort of attitude here, too. I would be depressed if some new member got on here and put Chi Omega down, even if it was a chapter no where in the vicinity of my own--so I like hearing where people end up, but if ABC or XYZ were big losers, I don't want to hear about them

Good job so far in the rush threads not throwing around names too much!

greek love,
april

[valkyrie]

I disagree. Really, I would rather hear names. Even if a PNM doesn't like my organization, it's not going to hurt my feelings.

I think that it actually might be valuable for groups to see what PNMs are saying about them, because it might give insight into what they could improve in the future. For example, a rushee might say that at ABC she talked to two sisters and she didn't like that as much as talking one on one. If someone from ABC read that, maybe they would reconsider their procedures.

I don't think that any of the women posting their rush stories here this year have said anything without tact and class. As such, there would be no harm in attaching a name to a story. Nobody is saying that any group is bitchy or anything; it's all stuff like "I didn't connect with so and so" or "so and so talked about [whatever] the whole time and I'm not really interested in that." As a member of one of those organizations, I think it could only help to get this feedback. I also think that it is more interesting to hear stories when you have a group to connect to the story. Especially if you're familiar with a campus, it's much more interesting to know what groups a PNM is discussing.

[RockChalk]

I don't see any problem with using sorority names as long as it's done tactfully. Most people will understand if you say something like, "I went to the Mu Mu party today and I just wasn't feelin' it." On the other hand, most people would probably get offended if you said something like, "I went to the Mu Mu party today and they were a bunch of bitches."

It's OK to dislike a certain chapter, and there's nothing wrong with saying so as long as you're polite.

[FuzzieAlum]

I think that mentioning names is fine from *our* perspective as long as it's done tactfully. I won't be offended if someone feels that AXD is too down-to-earth, too intramuraly, or just not for them. (Obviously, being "bitches" would be different, like Rockchalk said.)

However, for the rushee's own sake, it is probably better not to mention organization names in the thread if she is still rushing. The sororities in some cases may be able to figure out who the rushee is (because there ARE rushers reading this site), and if she is saying, "I'm not sure if I want AXD yet," they may cut her. Or they may see that most of the other chapters have cut her, and wonder if they know something their chapter doesn't.

[IvySpice]

I agree that the PNMs seem to be very tactful and respectful. Honestly, even if they had a negative experience I think it would be all right to report some observation like, "My rusher at ABC asked me where my summer house was and complained that her daddy bought her a Benz instead of a Porsche." Whereas it would be rude and inappropriate to say, "ABC struck me as a bunch of spoiled princesses."

In other words, I think reporting specific, objective facts is OK; subjectively labeling the entire house or stating conclusions about the character of the sisters is a whole different matter.

Ivy

[violets]

Honestly, I'm perfectly happy with whatever makes the pnm comfortable. I am impressed with the tact that the pnms who have used proper names have used when posting, they have all been extremely lovely and careful. However, if they feel funny even saying "I really didn't click at ADPi" because they know that women on their campus read GC posts, then I support their decision to keep the chapter names secret. The pnms are the ones who have to go to school and interact with these women for the next four years. (And they have no idea how the actives at their college or university might recact to seeing that, "ADPi was nice but we had nothing in common." That actually could be hurtful to a new sister recruiting for the first time.-You really never know.)
I see the point about it being very helpful to the chapters, it provides them with a pnms view of their recruitment (as a rush advisor that would be a dream tool to have), it is a nice benefit but again, only if the pnm is comfortable providing this "help". I think pnms post here to get support and advice which they get a lot of, and in return I get a lot of pleasure out of hearing even the vaguest of details. But that's just me.
Basically I have become a full-fledged addict of these threads and like I said before, will take them anyway I get them!

[sugar and spice]

I think that it's fine to mention organization names as long as both of the following are true:

1) you don't say anything rude about any group

and

2) you haven't given away your identity in your posts. i.e., if you've mentioned your name, your school, and what you're planning on wearing each day on this board, it's probably not a good idea to mention individual sororities because it'll be easy enough for any of your rushers who read this board to figure out who you are.

The problem isn't so much to protect the feelings of the girls in sororities -- it's self-protection on the part of the rushees. The rushers shouldn't know the opinions the rushees have of all the various sororities on campus -- it gives them an advantage over the rest of the groups, and can lead to unfair rushing. For example, let's say a PNM posts, "Well, I feel like I'm clicking with the ABCs, but the XYZs are definitely my first choice." If an ABC from her school reads that, she might decide that her sorority should drop the girl, since they're not as high on the PNM's list as the XYZs. Then, if the XYZs drop the PNM as well, she'll have gotten screwed over even though the ABCs might have been running a very close second, and the PNM would have been happy to accept a bid from them. Also, meanings can be misconstrued in posts -- maybe you say something like, "I liked the ABCs, but I don't really feel like I clicked with them," and an ABC reads that and believes you're planning on dropping them when all you really mean is that you want to go back and get to know them better.

I believe it's happened in the past and it's quite possible that it could happen again, so I think it's a great idea that the posters are doing this.

[Hillary352]

I feel like I get a better feel for the whole story if I know names, however as violets said, whatever makes the pnm comfortable. I just feel like naming the chapters makes it all more dramatic. (especially when your chapter is in "in the running")

[cmichelle]

I'm rushing this week and reading ya'll's comments have been so helpful. Thanks girls!!!

[SparkliiQTMTSU]

I dont see why we dont use the names. It gets kinda confusing to me when they are like next I went to house B I mean really would it truly offend you if someone didnt like a certain person they talked to or a certain house even if it is yours?? I know that I wouldnt care I mean whats right for them is right for then ya know?


Nichole

[GPhiBLtColonel]

Violets says it best -- I am addicted and will take the rush threads any way I can get them BUT I do find the ones who use actual names to be a lot more interesting!