Has the tradition of Legacies outgrown its usefulness?

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't most of our sororities already show courtesy to legacies on some level (even if it's just for the first or 2nd rounds)?

Granted, it doesn't guarantee them a bid, but at some schools, that courtesy is more than some non-legacies will get.

Yes, but I'm thinking deeper. If you have 180 legacies who were groomed to be an ABC with her first onesie, and quota is 60, how do you tell 120 perfect women that she can't pledge the same house as her mother, grandmother, ggrandmother, etc? It seems too cruel - and yet, there will be other women who doesn't have any greeks in her family, but everyone loves her.

Let's face it, we've all heard about women who register at two different colleges, so that if they don't get a bid at University1, they can rush at University2 - due to recruitment schedules.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by honeychile

Yes, but I'm thinking deeper. If you have 180 legacies who were groomed to be an ABC with her first onesie, and quota is 60, how do you tell 120 perfect women that she can't pledge the same house as her mother, grandmother, ggrandmother, etc? It seems too cruel - and yet, there will be other women who doesn't have any greeks in her family, but everyone loves her.

That's how life works. I mean, on the flipside of that, how would you tell the women without those ties that because they were not born into a family of ABCs, that they don't get the same chance to be one?

I think it would serve parents well to get up to speed on what it means to be a legacy in this day and age. Back when some moms were rushing, legacies may have been pretty much guaranteed bids. It simply doesn't work that way today.

I mean, I went to school in northern Ohio and saw legacies get get released from chapters at times. Depending on the year, there are just too many.

[dukedg]

I agree with honeychile: I would like to see this topic considered more thoroughly. I only see this problem getting worse unless we hit a point where interest in joining sororities starts to decline.

I also wish it was as easy as thinking we could tell these mothers to get over it and realize times have changed since they were in college. As someone who has had to make those calls to alums when their legacies were released, I can tell you it is often sad and heartbreaking. I do not think we should take all legacies, or anything like that, but some of these women have been thinking for the past 18 years that their daughters will be given the same consideration they remember giving legacies when they were in college.

[AOII_LB93]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I think it would serve parents well to get up to speed on what it means to be a legacy in this day and age. Back when some moms were rushing, legacies may have been pretty much guaranteed bids. It simply doesn't work that way today.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I agree with this. Even at schools where you don't get a whole lot of legacies, and there is not a super competitive recruitment, it disturbs me that some alums automatically assume that their daughter is going to be an ABC because they were. I'm sorry, sure they might get an invite to round 2, but is it really fair if you force a collegiate chapter to take someone that they don't want for whatever reason just because mommy might get mad?

If I have a daughter and someday she wants to rush, I'll be happy if she is happy. If she's an AOII, that would be awesome, but if not that's ok too...she'll just be paying her own dues. (I'm not kidding, she'd be paying them herself anyhow, AOII or not. )

[PhoenixAzul]

Coming from a local sorority...legacies have a bit of a special tie. It's so rare to have one! The two years I was a PX, I had at least 3 legacies in my groups...and oddly enough I can think of only 1 who went to her legacy chapter (direct, her sister was in the chapter if I remember correctly?). While each sorority has their own policy, generally legacies are offered an invitation to first round parties (although it is up to the PNM to accept or regret the invite...). And it is also the responsibility of the PNM to identify herself in her sign up form as a legacy. You'd be amazed at how many girls have no idea if they are or not. I don't know of any legacies in my sorority since I joined, although we were re-founded in the 80's so it is almost time for those first few refounding sisters to have children going through recruitment!

I think whoever mentioned legacies being important on a small campus was on to something. Because our chapters and campus are so small, I think that legacies take on a very special role. We've also got these massive families of alumni who send all their kids to OC, so I guess it really is an ingrained and innate thing. Our alumni are extremely loyal (and that's how we like 'em )

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by honeychile

Yes, but I'm thinking deeper. If you have 180 legacies who were groomed to be an ABC with her first onesie, and quota is 60, how do you tell 120 perfect women that she can't pledge the same house as her mother, grandmother, ggrandmother, etc? It seems too cruel - and yet, there will be other women who doesn't have any greeks in her family, but everyone loves her.

I can see your point; it does seem cruel. But I don't see how the problem can be rectified. As you've said, the potential number of legacies is huge (and getting bigger). How could we (NPC in general) possibly allow all of them to pledge their legacy house (and that's assuming the chapter wants them all)? Have no quota or ceiling?

[honeychile]

*migraine looming*

My thoughts of the current legacy system have nothing to do with rebelling against the NPC. I think that most of the Power Ladies of the NPC realize the same thing I'm seeing - too many legacies for the quota.

So far this season, one chapter of ADPi had 70 legacies rushing a chapter. Quota was in the 50's, and while the chapter took quota, only 17 of the legacies were offered a bid. One the other hand, I knew a legacy going through Recruitment at my chapter who was so insufferably rude, I might have hurled if she got a bid, no matter that her mother, two aunts, and 2 cousins were all ADPis!

Maybe there needs to be a Legacy/Super Legacy system? The Legacy is the woman born to a sorority, the Super Legacy is the woman born to a sorority whose mother/grandmother was actively involved (physically or financially) to a chapter or a direct descendent of a Founder - for example.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by honeychile

*migraine looming*

My thoughts of the current legacy system have nothing to do with rebelling against the NPC.

I think most of those types of comments were directed at DGTess, not you.

Originally Posted by honeychile

Maybe there needs to be a Legacy/Super Legacy system? The Legacy is the woman born to a sorority, the Super Legacy is the woman born to a sorority whose mother/grandmother was actively involved (physically or financially) to a chapter or a direct descendent of a Founder - for example.

Then we would run into the issue of asking "how involved is involved enough to be considered a Super Legacy?"

I can just hear the moms now:

"I was a housemom for 20 years, yet Amy Alpha's mom serves as National Officer for 5 and is a Super Legacy?! *^%^%$5%!!"

I promise I'm not nitpicking, just adding to the discussion. I don't have a better solution, lol.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Then we would run into the issue of asking "how involved is involved enough to be considered a Super Legacy?"

I can just hear the moms now:

"I was a housemom for 20 years, yet Amy Alpha's mom serves as National Officer for 5 and is a Super Legacy?! *^%^%$5%!!"

I promise I'm not nitpicking, just adding to the discussion. I don't have a better solution, lol.

I actually really like the idea of a "Super Legacy," because it indicates that the member has made a commitment to the organization. I'd prefer the "Super Legacy" idea to the idea that the daughter some woman who hasn't done anything for her sorority since college would get the same consideration as the daughter of a committed volunteer.

It wouldn't be THAT much of an issue, since even on a not-so-active alumnae level, most people are familiar with the local and national "Big Squirrels" (to steal a term from AGD) or a sorority's equivalent, that if their names came up in rush-related discussions, it would not be a surprise and that their daughter or sister would be considered a "Super Legacy." I know it's done in college admissions--the children of big donors and high-level alumni volunteers (class presidents, regional club presidents, interviewing chairs) do indeed get a second look.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I actually really like the idea of a "Super Legacy," because it indicates that the member has made a commitment to the organization. I'd prefer the "Super Legacy" idea to the idea that the daughter some woman who hasn't done anything for her sorority since college would get the same consideration as the daughter of a committed volunteer.

It wouldn't be THAT much of an issue, since even on a not-so-active alumnae level, most people are familiar with the local and national "Big Squirrels" (to steal a term from AGD) or a sorority's equivalent, that if their names came up in rush-related discussions, it would not be a surprise and that their daughter or sister would be considered a "Super Legacy." I know it's done in college admissions--the children of big donors and high-level alumni volunteers (class presidents, regional club presidents, interviewing chairs) do indeed get a second look.

I wasn't saying that I disagreed with the idea (I actually do think it would be good). I'm not a fan of the whole "I haven't lifted a finger for my sorority in 25 years but heaven forbid my daughter not be extended a bid" bit myself.

I'll probably get all kinds of flack for saying this, but I would fully support a system in which a dedicated alumna volunteer's daughter receives a higher legacy classification than the daughter of an alumna who hasn't been involved at all since graduation.

Just saying that I am pretty sure it would ruffle some Mommy feathers, as does anything that implies that someone else's kid gets extra consideration over their precious little darling.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I'll probably get all kinds of flack for saying this, but I would fully support a system in which a dedicated alumna volunteer's daughter receives a higher legacy classification than the daughter of an alumna who hasn't been involved at all since graduation.

Just saying that I am pretty sure it would ruffle some Mommy feathers, as does anything that implies that someone else's kid gets extra consideration over their precious little darling.

This system has pretty much been in effect for selective colleges and universities for some time now and, for the most part, it works pretty well. There will be the occasional angry alumna/alumnus threatening to pull donations but chances are they weren't giving that much in the first place. Those who have worked hardest as a volunteer or donor understand how selective things are and are less likely to cause a fuss. I expect the same thing would happen with the "Super Legacy" system.

People might get ticked off for a day, but they'd get over it.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I actually really like the idea of a "Super Legacy," because it indicates that the member has made a commitment to the organization. I'd prefer the "Super Legacy" idea to the idea that the daughter some woman who hasn't done anything for her sorority since college would get the same consideration as the daughter of a committed volunteer.

To play devil's advocate on that...there is also the "gorgeous man and gorgeous woman produce ugly baby" concept. I wouldn't be suprised if there are a few daughters out there of "Super Alums" who deeply resent all the time their mom gave to the sorority and are only grudgingly going through rush to please them, and who are going to be lukewarm at best members.