retaining new members

charli1740 · #1 03-24-2003, 01:00 AM

what the heck is the problem here??
i want some input from other chapters b/c i'm getting really discouraged. half the girls we pinned this semester have dropped.

as far as i can see, nobody is doing anything majorly wrong and they seemed pretty happy before.

and i'm tired of actives threatening to quit. arghhh... what is the freakin problem??

-sw

Andee4321 · #2 03-24-2003, 01:04 AM

Our chapter is having that same problem. Some of the girls that dropped though, weren't meant to be here, and we were not too sad to see them leave. Our problem has to do with housing though. We tell them about our requirement, and the girls seem excited, then when it's time to sign contracts, that act dumb, like they had no idea they would have to live in and already have other housing obligations. How can we get our girls to stay?

AGDZO Susan · #3 03-24-2003, 01:36 PM

There are lots of things to look at:
1. Sister-Mothers - how involved are they with their Sister-Daughters? If they have a good relationship the SM should be aware from conversations w/ her SD that she is having second thoughts. Did the SM tell the NMC that the SD was having issues so that it could be addressed and a good solution worked out?
2. Were all the requirements truly and fully explained to the new members? Was this done quickly and maybe glossed over or was time taken for Q&A? How early in the new member period was this done - so early it didn't stick or the week prior to Initiation? Were the new members encouraged to ask their SM's, NMC, or chapter officers if they had questions or concerns later in their new member period?
3. How is the chapter integrating their new members? Are they coming to programming meetings? Are they on committees? Are they participating in sisterhood and philanthropy projects with the chapter? Sadly some chapters do not do this which means the new members have no idea of the true time commitment involved nor does it help make these women feel like a part of the chapter.
4. When the new member requested to depledge, did anyone ask her why and see if there was a way to address any of her issues?

wenderz99 · #4 03-25-2003, 11:38 PM

We have the same problem. This year we hit rock bottom during formal recruitment. All the other chapters took 18+ we took 6. We also have the same problem retaining members old and new. I like what agdzo Susan said you have to have great sis-moms and a great sisterhood. YOu need to fix the inside of the problems in your chapter before you try to fix others. Hope this helps

Alpha Gamma Delta

AGDPrincess70 · #5 03-25-2003, 11:49 PM

Thanks for asking the question I was afraid to ask

ilovemyglo · #6 03-26-2003, 12:35 AM

SISTERHOOD!!!
We had a problem one term and we sat and realized we had focused so much on recruitment and getting the new members we forgot about our bonding and keeping members.
We had some sisterhood retreats and started asking the New members to come over to the house- DAILY! We would pick them up and go to lunch, go to dinner, go for ice cream, whatever! We found an excuse to have them around. It got to where they were all piled up on the couches sleeping the weekends away because they didn't want to leave and couldn't move in the house! It has greatly improved things from what I hear.

ilovemyglo · #7 03-26-2003, 12:37 AM

Oh and by the way for those members that "threaten to quit" let them. They are not helping your sisterhood, they are hurting it, and if they have that little respect for your chapter, and our purpose, along with our ritual, then maybe they need to reprioritize and decide what is right.

Sometimes you are either part of the solution or part of the problem- draw the line and rebuild from there. It is tough, but who wants a sister that doesn't want to be there?

charli1740 · #8 03-26-2003, 10:00 PM

thanks for the advice girls. since you say those things i can see how they apply to my chapter. our chapter doesn't get together to goof off enough and i can see how that can cause us to lose members. the only time everyone gets together is for meeting or other tedious stuff it seems like, and that's the side of our chapter that the new ones see.

i'll have to relay the input.

thanks again!

-sara

AGDPrincess70 · #9 03-27-2003, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LeslieAGD
Ding, Ding, Ding...we have a winner.
Sara, sisterhood has always been a problem for ZA.

I respectfully disagree, babe. It's gotten waaaaaaaaaay better in the last year, but like sara said, when you only see each other during mandatory events (that girls usually don't want to be at in the first place), sisterhood goes down the drain. I do admit that there is a clean divide between a couple different (nasty word coming) "cliques," but when we're all together, things are okay.

I was just over at the house tonight. we hung out and worked on Greek Week stuff. I think everyone had a good time. We need to have more stuff like that.

And besides, things have changed now that some of the OLDER girls (we won't say which ones) are going alumni...

AGDZO Susan · #10 03-27-2003, 09:54 AM

can't help myself here....it's alumnae, not alumni! Alumnae ("alum-nee", rhymes with knee) is the feminine version. Alumni (rhymes with guy) is used for males and in the generic sense (as in I'm an alumni of XYZ University). Since we are a women's organization, it's alumnae! Spread the word!

AGDPrincess70 · #11 03-27-2003, 11:23 AM

you're right! I always forget!

AGDLynn · #12 03-27-2003, 10:06 PM

Reminder...an alumna is still a sister no matter her age or chapter (here on Earth or Chapter Grand) excluding those who have been expelled etc. Even those who "oops" never participate in anything again.

I'm sure that every chapter has a member or two or more who may have been a "problem" but later turned out to be a very dedicated alumna and/or member of society.

AGDLynn · #13 03-27-2003, 11:16 PM

I figured I would get a response from you, lol.

Point understood.