Quote:
Originally Posted by Kansas City
First of all, I agree that the lowered total should have been advertised and voted on in a more open manner than it apparently was.
This being said, if your campus is moving toward a more structured recruitment, then total will mean a lot more to the chapters now than in the past. The total (30, 40 or whatever) helps to level the playing field between the three groups so that PNMs will be required to look at all of their options when it sounds like before each chapter could take as many people as they wanted no matter what their current membership numbers were. Also, with a more structured recruitment, you will likely be looking at a quota system that helps to maintain this level playing field that the campus total is being set to. Just because you had one semester or year of great growth in Greek interest does not equal a trend and this could be why your campus lowered total to 30.
In my opinion the lower total allows the one smaller chapter to attract more members to keep the numbers amongst all the chapters near the same level. PNMs who might have been closed minded and open to accept only one chapter may now have to expand their horizons a bit more and look at other options if they want to experience Greek life. The chapter that is now allowed to only accept 2 will have the option of being more selective when giving out bids.
With an enforced total number, it is more fair to all chapters because instead of each taking say 10 PNMs (a quota without total?), they are allowed to take the number that will get them to the 30 member total. Over the next few years I believe that you will find that the numbers will work themselves out where all three chapters are taking and loosing (through graduation, etc.) a similar number year after year.
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And I would COMPLETELY agree with this... IF they were moving toward more structured recruitment right now. They say they will, but right now, it's not happening. PNMs are not encouraged to visit all of the chapters. They don't understand the "see everyone, find your home" concept, because they generally aren't familiar with the Greek system at all. I'll admit, when I first got involved with Greek life, I never thought that way, either. I was fortunate enough to end up where I belonged, but that doesn't happen with a lot of girls on our campus because they don't even really know that they have other options. That might sound weird, and it's hard to explain, but that's how it is. Because for 90% of the girls on this campus, they don't think "I want to be Greek!" Instead, they are generally asked to attend recruitment events by individual chapters.
I'm afraid that girls will visit only specific chapters, be left out, and not understand why. Greek life isn't a way of life around here, and the rules aren't understood by everyone.
I guess that the best way I can describe it is to relate it to fraternity recruitment.. with a total.
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