Sorority Shopping?

[LPIDelta]

Just out of curiosity--what would everyone's view be of an NPC sorority that did open its doors widely to AI? That publicly solicited women, made it an official initiative and said, "hey alumnae/older woman, come join us!"

I am not talking about just taking anyone who signs up and pay--there would still be exacting standards--but that they did encourage women to pursue membership with them rather than the other way around.

[adpiucf]

Then it becomes alumnae recruitment. Nothing wrong with that, but that sorority would have to offer substantially greater opportunities for alumnae involvement--- which means mandatory membership obligations across the board for alumnae members. I don't see that happening any time soon, as the collegiate chapters are where 90% of the resources and interests lie. Alumnae life is more of a support system.

[LPIDelta]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

Then it becomes alumnae recruitment. Nothing wrong with that, but that sorority would have to offer substantially greater opportunities for alumnae involvement--- which means mandatory membership obligations across the board for alumnae members. I don't see that happening any time soon, as the collegiate chapters are where 90% of the resources and interests lie. Alumnae life is more of a support system.

I find this very interesting--because do we not spend a majority of time as alumnae members of sororities, rather than collegiate? Just food for thought.

I've been to several Panhellenic Luncheons over the past few years and walked into rooms where there are by far more alumnae than collegians. There are organizations with more than 300 alumnae chapters to 125 collegiate chapters. I would argue that this drastically changes the focuses of those kinds of organizations--that they do have to be significantly more focused on alumnae needs and programming, than a group with only a few alumnae chapters.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Heather17

I find this very interesting--because do we not spend a majority of time as alumnae members of sororities, rather than collegiate? Just food for thought.

I've been to several Panhellenic Luncheons over the past few years and walked into rooms where there are by far more alumnae than collegians. There are organizations with more than 300 alumnae chapters to 125 collegiate chapters. I would argue that this drastically changes the focuses of those kinds of organizations--that they do have to be significantly more focused on alumnae needs and programming, than a group with only a few alumnae chapters.

Isn't that usually because it's an alumnae Panhellenic luncheon? I mean, I'm thinking of the one we have here where the alums who never do anything else all year turn out in full force because they can wear giant hats and drink martinis at noon.

You also have to look at how the alumnae chapters are set up. Maybe an org has 300 ACs vs 125 CCs - however, the average membership of the ACs is 10 and the average membership of the CCs is 75. Plus sometimes ACs can overlap for a myriad of reasons that I don't want to get into or my head will pop off.

Sometimes I think we'd have more alum involvement and stronger alum chapters if we made it more difficult to charter them - i.e., more like chartering a collegiate chapter. For a lot of groups, it's give us X number of names, send in your money, you're ready to go. Can you imagine chartering a collegiate chapter like that? I doubt very much that any of the NPHC graduate chapters operate that way either.

If we want alums to be as involved as collegians are, maybe we have to treat alum membership a little more like collegiate membership.

[LPIDelta]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Isn't that usually because it's an alumnae Panhellenic luncheon? I mean, I'm thinking of the one we have here where the alums who never do anything else all year turn out in full force because they can wear giant hats and drink martinis at noon.

Sorry--didn't make it clear. I was speaking about panhellenic luncheons during Convention. The alumnae there are representing chapters, not necessarily locals, although I understand they are there too.

[adpiucf]

It is a funny situation, yes, because you are right. We do spend more time as alumnae than as collegians. BUT these organizations were founded for the benefit of collegiate women, and the alumnae phase of membership exists as a "remember the good times." Put it in the context of your university alumni association -- the programming of the university and the reason for the university's existence is the collegiate opportunity. The alumni arm is there to solicit money, update the alumni on what's new in the university and provide warm fuzzies to help alumni connect.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Heather17

Sorry--didn't make it clear. I was speaking about panhellenic luncheons during Convention. The alumnae there are representing chapters, not necessarily locals, although I understand they are there too.

Oh, do you mean like a Panhellenic Luncheon during D Phi E convention?

Sorry, head fuzzy today.

[LPIDelta]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Oh, do you mean like a Panhellenic Luncheon during D Phi E convention?

Sorry, head fuzzy today.

Yes like that...but we do not have anywhere near 300 alumnae chapters!! I have been guests to 4 panhellenic luncheons during convention for Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Gamma Phi Beta and Kappa Alpha Theta. When I've walked in, there are many more alumnae present than collegians and that is VASTLY different from my organization where you will see almost entirely collegiate members.

[AchtungBaby80]

Originally Posted by Heather17

Just out of curiosity--what would everyone's view be of an NPC sorority that did open its doors widely to AI? That publicly solicited women, made it an official initiative and said, "hey alumnae/older woman, come join us!"

I am not talking about just taking anyone who signs up and pay--there would still be exacting standards--but that they did encourage women to pursue membership with them rather than the other way around.

I'll be honest--I don't think AI should be a common thing. I believe it's something that should be initiated by the sorority when a member knows a woman who would be an asset to that sorority, not something that an interested woman can "pursue" on her own. I realize that's probably not a popular view, but it's only my opinion.

Because I feel this way, I wouldn't view a sorority who had an open-door AI policy in a very good light.

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by AchtungBaby80

I'll be honest--I don't think AI should be a common thing. I believe it's something that should be initiated by the sorority when a member knows a woman who would be an asset to that sorority, not something that an interested woman can "pursue" on her own. I realize that's probably not a popular view, but it's only my opinion.

Because I feel this way, I wouldn't view a sorority who had an open-door AI policy in a very good light.

Ditto!

[_Lisa_]

Originally Posted by AchtungBaby80

I'll be honest--I don't think AI should be a common thing. I believe it's something that should be initiated by the sorority when a member knows a woman who would be an asset to that sorority, not something that an interested woman can "pursue" on her own. I realize that's probably not a popular view, but it's only my opinion.

Because I feel this way, I wouldn't view a sorority who had an open-door AI policy in a very good light.

Agreed!

[CutiePie2000]

I think, in general, most people are not comfortable with being approached by someone on their own recommendation. I liken it to this:
Would you hire someone with no references, and with no one to vouch for them? You MIGHT, but you're taking a huge gamble and you might live to regret your decision.

[adpiucf]

I'll vouch for that. When I'm hiring I usually ask my colleagues and friends to refer candidates to me. I'm more likely to look at those names more closely and bring them in for an interview.

This is very different than large-scale recruiting for---say--- an accounting firm like PWC who does a large cattle call of recent grads in the spring, wines them, dines them and has members of their team conduct interviews to select a "class" from among the hopefuls with the most potential.

[Drolefille]

Such a sorority would have to be run more like the NPHC groups where alumna membership is just as active as undergrad, and the process would likely be similar. Thus AI would still be highly selective, but would still be more common.

[adpiucf]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Such a sorority would have to be run more like the NPHC groups where alumna membership is just as active as undergrad, and the process would likely be similar. Thus AI would still be highly selective, but would still be more common.

That would be the ideal, and we'd have a lot more involved members for the long haul. But I don't see it happening in the forseeable future.