Rush at UCSC - Page 34

volgirl2376 · #1 03-13-2002, 07:25 PM

Not only the meetings and organization ideas maggie suggested (which were awesome) - but you all need to redefine what sisterhood is to each and every member. i can understand why you wouldnt want to drive 45 min to a club on a school night...but i can also see why they might be miffed because you dont join them.

it just seems these girls are...just very inmature and dont know exactly what being in a sorority means. i have a feeling that because all of the fighting going on that when elections come up again - they are going to run you out of office and take over...from their previous suggestions possibly haze new members etc...and everything you worked hard to accomplish will be down the toilet.

my advice would be to listen when they come to you with a suggestion. before cursing at them or getting angry because you think its absurd, suggest that everyone get together and discuss it as a group. maybe there are some other people who feel the same as you do and can back you up - so you wont look like the bad guy. let the little things go...before those little things destroy friendships and NBO. im not saying to just hand over all responsibility to them...but approach things more easy going - instead of saying no way, say lets all talk about it...state your opinion and let the others state theirs...if everyone out votes you, then so be it. this should be the best time for you all - and i hope through some organization it can be soon!

Peaches-n-Cream · #2 03-13-2002, 09:35 PM

I agree with everyone that your sorority has a problem with organization. You should check out the websites of other sororities and see how they organize their executive boards and their committees. I have a few suggestions for e-board positions-academics/scholarship, new member educator (or whatever they call it now

), recruitment/rush, treasurer, vice president, and president. The committees can be publicity/ public relations, sisterhood, social, community service/philanthropy, historian, formal/holiday party, and risk management among others. All positions and committees are very important to the running of the sorority. Every sister should serve on at least one committees. Each committee met weekly or as necessary and had a chairwoman who oversaw that committee. The chairwomen got together weekly for a minor board meeting overseen by the Vice President to discuss what the committees were doing. The Executive Board met weekly to discuss new business. At chapter, the v.p. would discuss the new business of each committee rather than each chair speaking. the time of our chapter meetings was cut almost in half when we started this. Chapter meetings are not a time to disect the picayune details that would be better hammered out in committee or minor board meetings. In other words, the E Board would determine two or three best options instead of dozens and bring them to the chapter meeting for a vote. Once a decision is made and a vote is taken, the sorority needs to stick to it. It's called order. It's an ineffective and inefficient use of your time and energy and money if sisters decide on their own to buy fliers because they are a good deal. No one needs 5,000 fliers unless you attend a school with 100,000 students.

Corina-now get to building those bonds of sisterhood by planning a lock-in or movie night for the weekend. Keep your chin up and breathe!

navane · #3 03-14-2002, 04:02 AM

Hi everyone,

I think that some of your suggestions are great! Though, I'm kinda wondering how NBO is supposed to have ten committees and a full e-board when there are less than 10 members. What kinds of organizational formats can you suggest for fewer people?

......Kelly

PenguinTrax · #4 03-14-2002, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by navane
Hi everyone,

I think that some of your suggestions are great! Though, I'm kinda wondering how NBO is supposed to have ten committees and a full e-board when there are less than 10 members. What kinds of organizational formats can you suggest for fewer people?

......Kelly

President (overall organization)

VP- Programming (social and other functions incl. philanthropy for right now.

VP- Membership (plans recruitment functions with her committee and approval of the entire chapter)

VP-New Member education (An older, mature sister should be tapped as New Member educator. I recommend that you do not start using the word 'pledge' - all the NPC groups have changed over to "new member".)

Secretary/Historian (records meeting minutes, maintains history and scrapbooks and serves as PR chair)

Treasurer (developes budget, collects dues and disburses funds as needed but only with approval of the President and one other EC member).

Other members should fill in as committee members under membership and programming. Once there are additional members (I'd say at least 5), add a Philanthropy chairman and split Secretary and Historian/Reporter across 2 people.

As the chapter grows, you can add things like intramurals chair, Panhellenic representative, etc.

Peaches-n-Cream · #5 03-14-2002, 10:26 AM

The above were some suggestions that can applied in a way that best suits NBO or any GLO. I think that recruitment, finance, scholarship/academics, sisterhood, p.r. and new member educator are priorities at this early stage in their development and ought to be the primary focus. With their small size, each sister will have more than one responsibility. For example, public relations can be the resposibility of the recruitment chair before and after rush because these two jobs go hand in hand. Also sisterhood, social, and formal chair (if they want one) can be the same committee chair because they involve similar skills- planning parties and special events. The treasurer can do fundraising and scholarship can do risk management. NBO can combine similar jobs until there are more sisters to fill the positions. NBO can have as many or as few committee chairs and E-Board members as the sisters deem necessary. The responsibility of president is to organize and oversee the executive board and the vice president to organize and oversee the minor board/committee chairs. I suggest that the new members also serve on committees in order to be prepared for the responsibilities of being sisters as part of their training.

I edited my post because I just read PnguinTrax's post so I'll add some more suggestions.
Executive Board:

President: leads and sets the tone for the sorority

Executive VP: assists the president and oversees the minor board committees.

Recruitment: plans recruitment parties and public relations

New Member Trainer: fosters a sense of sisterhood among new members and teaches them about the sorority

Treasurer: collects dues, sets budgets for committees, and fundraising

Scholarship: study hours, keep members up to date on resources available at your school, resume writing, and risk manangement

Secretary: in charge of correspondence in addition to recording minutes of meeting

maggieaxid · #6 03-14-2002, 10:56 AM

I think everyone here has great ideas!
One thing I wanted to add was this, (and this is just my opinion from being a past rush chair). Flyers are an ok idea to get the word out. However, flyers are not going to make someone want to join your GLO. There has to be more substance to it. Wearing shirts with your letters on it, putting "invitations" in peoples mailboxes that you think would be interested can work very well. And you don't have to hit the campus all at once, select a group of people, like sophmores who live in a certain dorm and start there. Inviting the entire women's population of the campus may make it seem less special, than if you "invited" them to join individually.
but thats just my 2 cents.
-Maggie

wishinhopin · #7 03-15-2002, 03:05 AM

Hey everyone,

Meeting highlights: We planned a sisterhood lock in for right before rush, a real chill mandatory event with movies and a slumber party or something. It should be nice. I definitely think we get caught up in the politics and forget that we're all sisters sometimes...so I'm glad we're working on that. We also decided to not go with the flyers. I was under the impression that everyone wanted the flyers but me, but as it turns out, not too many girls really thought that 100 for 5000 was a good idea. So we're going to compromise and come up with a couple different flyer ideas and do some research on the cost. Our meeting flowed really well, and I feel like we were productive. We definitely made plans for what everyone needs to do to contribute. So, thank you all so much for your help, and I'll keep you posted!

love, Corina

mmcat · #8 03-15-2002, 07:50 AM

it sounds like you guys are starting to get it.
congrats...
keep up the good work.
mmcat

justamom · #9 03-15-2002, 09:01 AM

I bet you are so relieved to know you aren't alone in your thinking!

The gathering you all are planning sounds wonderful and just in the "nick of time".

Like mmcat saidit sounds like you guys are starting to get it.

I'll add my congratulations too!

FuzzieAlum · #10 03-15-2002, 01:26 PM

Yay! It's good to hear when things are going well, too.

dzsaigirl · #11 03-15-2002, 06:34 PM

How many girls do you have now Corina?

TriSigmaTX · #12 03-15-2002, 06:49 PM

You go Corina! And remember fliers are not the only PR tool. Think of anything creative at all:
Wear your letters (stated, but now emphasizing)
Make table tents, put them in the cafeteria
Dorm Storm! Take smarties and tie little pieces of paper inviting women to a sisterhood event.
Sidewalk chalk the campus if you're allowed
Ask your profs if you can make announcements in class
Write on the chalkboards in class
Put announcements in your campus newspaper
Do you have a campus radio or tv? Use them!
Put an info table on campus weekly-consistency counts

Get out there and make yourselves known.

Have a great weekend and a great sisterhood event coming up!

wishinhopin · #13 03-15-2002, 07:19 PM

Hey everyone,

Right now we have 7 members, and at least 4 girls who are definitely planning on rushing in Spring. So that's pretty good right? But this is the thing that's bumming me out. Although I totally have a ton of respect for all the organizations who have sent us info, I just don't feel like we click with them as well as some of other favorites, who haven't expressed any interest in us. I think I really had my heart set on Alpha Xi Delta. I'm sure we will find a home in the organization that's right for us, but right now I'm a little disapointed. Do you think there's any last chance things I could do to somehow get my favorites in the running for us? We have to decide ASAP which two organizations we plan on inviting back to campus, so anything I do might have to happen fast. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
love, Corina

mmcat · #14 03-15-2002, 07:46 PM

look and look seriously at who you have and then pick the best of two to make their pitch. i would say strike while the iron is hot. you are on the threshold of something huge. don't let preconceived notions stop you. attitude is everything at this point.
don't ya know
good luck.
mmcat

FuzzieAlum · #15 03-15-2002, 09:11 PM

PMed you.