Pledges cause alot of internal problems! NEED HELP

hobyeup · #1 03-20-2008, 01:38 PM

My fraternity is having alot of trouble with our pledges. They dont listen to anything we say. They are never where they are suppose to be or where they say they are goin to be. They havent been learning anything about the brothers or about our history. They are most disrespectful pledges on our campus currently. And on top of that we havent recieved any of there pledge dues. Nothing we say or do has seemed to work so far. Due to the problem with the pledge, its causing internal conflicts among the brothers. If i could simply kick the out of pledging i would but, we are close to chartering and one of our requirement is to have a certain number of members and without the new pledges we would not have enough people to get chartered. . . What the hell do i do?????
Pleas, any suggestions would be really appreciated!

nittanyalum · #2 03-20-2008, 01:52 PM

Put off getting your charter and kick them all out. They may help you make your numbers but they will cause more trouble than they're worth in the long run and will probably keep you from have successful rushes in the future. And if future pledges hear how you let this class get away with not paying their fees, showing up, learning frat ed, etc., how will you ever "control" them? One class can turn a whole chapter around for good or for bad (faster for bad than for good, unfortunately).

If the campus sees that you took a stand and were selective in who you thought was worthy to charter with you, they're more likely to take you seriously as a viable house in the future.

adpiucf · #3 03-20-2008, 01:55 PM

Give them an ultimatum: Dues are due in X Amount by X date. If they are not paid by X date, please turn in your pledge pin and any fraternity paraphernalia by X date. Anyone failing to do either of these things will be contacted by a collections agency to pay the amount owed.

33girl · #4 03-20-2008, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

Put off getting your charter and kick them all out. They may help you make your numbers but they will cause more trouble than they're worth in the long run and will probably keep you from have successful rushes in the future. And if future pledges hear how you let this class get away with not paying their fees, showing up, learning frat ed, etc., how will you ever "control" them? One class can turn a whole chapter around for good or for bad (faster for bad than for good, unfortunately).

If the campus sees that you took a stand and were selective in who you thought was worthy to charter with you, they're more likely to take you seriously as a viable house in the future.

Absolutely agree 110%. A group at my campus made the mistake of putting up w/ a lot of crap from substandard people so they could get their charter, and as a result they never became truly strong and are not there anymore.

If your headquarters questions your decision, tell them exactly what you just told us.

bellwisdom · #5 03-21-2008, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

Put off getting your charter and kick them all out. They may help you make your numbers but they will cause more trouble than they're worth in the long run and will probably keep you from have successful rushes in the future. And if future pledges hear how you let this class get away with not paying their fees, showing up, learning frat ed, etc., how will you ever "control" them? One class can turn a whole chapter around for good or for bad (faster for bad than for good, unfortunately).

If the campus sees that you took a stand and were selective in who you thought was worthy to charter with you, they're more likely to take you seriously as a viable house in the future.

Right!! I co-sign on that.

paulam · #6 03-20-2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobyeup

My fraternity is having alot of trouble with our pledges. They dont listen to anything we say. They are never where they are suppose to be or where they say they are goin to be. They havent been learning anything about the brothers or about our history. They are most disrespectful pledges on our campus currently. And on top of that we havent recieved any of there pledge dues. Nothing we say or do has seemed to work so far. Due to the problem with the pledge, its causing internal conflicts among the brothers. If i could simply kick the out of pledging i would but, we are close to chartering and one of our requirement is to have a certain number of members and without the new pledges we would not have enough people to get chartered. . . What the hell do i do?????
Pleas, any suggestions would be really appreciated!

The inmates are running the asylum! What will you guys do when you become parents? Your job as actives is to lead, to teach, to set standards and to enforce them. Failure to do so will result in disaster even if these out of control pledges help you receive your charter. I agree with setting a time limit for dues and also for making attendance mandatory. Unless you regain the control you should have had from the beginning, how can you succeed?

Where are your advisors? Time to call them in.

Paula M.
Sigma Delta Tau
ΣΔTPatriae Multi Spes Una One Hope of Many People

Elephant Walk · #7 03-20-2008, 05:27 PM

Haze the hell out of 'em.

Lucky SC · #8 03-21-2008, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

Haze the hell out of 'em.

problem with that...

not that i dont' find construction in building a pledge class around hazing to an extent. But no offense to your fraternity, but if you are just now getting chartered i assume the older brothers in the fraternity, pretty much just started the fraternity without going through any kind of hazing or innitiation process.

Its hard to be hazed by and still respect someone who you know did not have to go through it.

I would just get the money or kick em out, you can't expect much dedication when still in the colony period, my friend became a founding father of a fraternity last semester as a pledge and they had the same problem, him and his pledge brothers really didn't do crap. Its slowly starting to work out now though.

Tom Earp · #9 03-21-2008, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucky SC

problem with that...

not that i dont' find construction in building a pledge class around hazing to an extent. But no offense to your fraternity, but if you are just now getting chartered i assume the older brothers in the fraternity, pretty much just started the fraternity without going through any kind of hazing or innitiation process.

Its hard to be hazed by and still respect someone who you know did not have to go through it.

I would just get the money or kick em out, you can't expect much dedication when still in the colony period, my friend became a founding father of a fraternity last semester as a pledge and they had the same problem, him and his pledge brothers really didn't do crap. Its slowly starting to work out now though.

What you said is so true, but usualy the ones who started the group are working their rears off to get it done.

But here again it just takes a few to ruin it for the many and the growth.

Live or die is the question isnt it?

macallan25 · #10 03-21-2008, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucky SC

problem with that...

not that i dont' find construction in building a pledge class around hazing to an extent. But no offense to your fraternity, but if you are just now getting chartered i assume the older brothers in the fraternity, pretty much just started the fraternity without going through any kind of hazing or innitiation process.

Its hard to be hazed by and still respect someone who you know did not have to go through it.

I would just get the money or kick em out, you can't expect much dedication when still in the colony period, my friend became a founding father of a fraternity last semester as a pledge and they had the same problem, him and his pledge brothers really didn't do crap. Its slowly starting to work out now though.

Depends on what you are doing to the little lads.

With that said, I wouldn't waste the time or effort coming up with inventive ways to bring the fear of God to little shits that act like that.

Chapter>ball>c'ya pledge

Elephant Walk · #11 03-21-2008, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macallan25

Depends on what you are doing to the little lads.

With that said, I wouldn't waste the time or effort coming up with inventive ways to bring the fear of God to little shits that act like that.

Chapter>ball>c'ya pledge

I agree.

If you're hitting them or something equally ridiculous, they won't respect you regardless but even more so if you didn't go through it yourself.

Be inventive in how you treat the pledges. Make it something that can become annual pledge activities.(since you're still a colony, events like this are important I think)

Matsimela · #12 03-21-2008, 03:04 AM

1 simple word...DROPPED!

rufio · #13 03-21-2008, 04:29 AM

If they don't take it seriously, kick em out. its not worth it. if you activate them just to charter, you'll spend most of your time fighting to keep your charter and stay afloat rather than doing any real growth.

FSUZeta · #14 03-21-2008, 08:47 AM

if they are not doing their "job"(attending meetings, learning the history, learning about the fraternity) as pledges, how can you depend on them to schedule a party, hold a fund raiser or get new members?

kick them out!

modorney · #15 03-21-2008, 08:57 AM

> Give them an ultimatum: Dues are due in X Amount by X date. If they are not paid by X date, please turn in your pledge pin ...

This is the way to go.

Are they all "united" in their behavior? Or are there a handful who are swayed by the masses, but really want to be responsible brothers? Since you are a new group, there may not be a lot of experience with big brother-little brother relationships?

Where are the alums (of other chapters) and the leadership consultants from national? Are they working closely with you?