retention rate

frailicks · #1 03-24-2003, 03:27 AM

Does anyone else have a shitty retention rate besides My chapter? I mean does phi phi come with a price to anyone else?

Firehouse · #2 03-24-2003, 07:37 PM

What's the competition? Do you mean retention of pledges, or of brothers? This is a problem that can be solved, and probably more easily than you expect. Are you on a commuter campus? There are a lot of factors at play.

frailicks · #3 03-26-2003, 12:40 AM

retention for Pleadges

Firehouse · #4 03-26-2003, 01:02 AM

Every chapter is different, but some situations are more common than others. Probably the most common cause of the problem of pledge retention comes from choosing the wrong pledgemaster. Usually, the guy who wants it the most is absolutely the WORST guy to put in charge. The wrong guy wants to lord it over the pledges. He thinks its his job to 'weed out' the unworthy. He drives pledges away and then suggests that it shows how tough he is. He tells the chapter how 'cocky' the pledges are. The assumption is that those who stick it out are the ones who want it the most.
This is really, really bad thinking for a chapter that wants to compete and be strong. Here's the answer: pick someone from the rush committee to be pledgemaster - he has a stake in getting trhem all initiated - then make the goal to initiate them all. Be sure to have initiation the same semster you pledge them; too many get lost over the break.
The next most common problem is with chapters at commuter schools. VERY hard to retain numbers there, unless you put charismatic Brothers in charge of the pledge class, initiate them as quickly as practical, and make it clear to them that the fraternity is a big deal. I know this sounds obvious, even silly, but one of the reasons they drop out is that they have no emotional investment in the chapter. They must be made to understand, and quickly, that the Fraternity is a lifelong commitment that will give them benefits as long as they live. It is serious as well as fun.
The third most common reason they bail is, unfortuately, the most difficult to solve. When the guys pledge at parties in the glow of the moment and then realize quickly that the Fraternity really doesn't have much to offer, then they drop out right away. The way to beat that is: 1) you and your pals decide that you want to build the chapter into a great Fraternity, 2) you and your pals recruit the pledges, individually, into this effort - you inspire them with your passion; 3) go around the chapter as a whole; you'll beat yourself to death trying to motivate a bunch of lumps who delight in pouring cold water on your enthusiasm. They are losers and they want you to be one too, and they want to BE IN a loser fraternity. If this is the case, NEVER try to lead them during chapter meeting. Chapter meetings are the only place some of these loser types have any influence. You and your pals stake out a course, and move in that direction. Boldly. You'll be surprised: most of the rest of the chapter will follow. Everyone wants to ride on the bus that's moving.
Everything I've said is true. If you need any help, Bro, contact me.

AWDpike · #5 04-14-2003, 12:07 PM

BIG BROTHERS!!! i think we kinda overlook at how much a big bro can help with retintion. Let them (pledges) meet all the members early and pick a big bro soon. My big bro was never around and now is inactive but luckily another member saw i was kinda fallin out and "adopted" me, and got me back into it and i love it now. That has been the best way ive seen to help retintion. Its hard here (university of central oklahoma, edmond okla.) cause we are a dry commuter campus that is often over shadowed by university of oklahomas greek life. so be creative and just keep them involved, make them feel a part of something bigger, like working on the house (something fun, not cleaning the bathrooms) Anything to help them feel pride in bieng a pike is good....

sorry i kinda rambled a bit....

steelepike · #6 05-20-2003, 06:03 AM

yeah in the past our retention rate was poor and it is getting better. I know we lost two of my newly initiated brothers the semester after initition because of grades and now a few are taking a military reserve route to pay for school so they are gone for a year for training. and then there is me who is transferring.

zetabetapike · #7 07-03-2003, 02:03 AM

I know what you are talking about. And YES IT DOES. In my chapter we have usually around 30% retention rate. We usually pledge around 27 and initiate around 12 or 13. PHI PHI.