Quota Additions

[dukedg]

Sort of related question that I never thought of until now...

What happens if panhellenic estimates the lowest quota should be is 40, so chapters submit first bid lists in alphabetical order and then wants to lower quota? Is panhellenic then locked into a minimum quota of 40? If not, and they want to test out the effects of a lower quota, how do they know which PNMs would make it onto the chapter's first bid list if quota was only 37, let's say?

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by dukedg

Sort of related question that I never thought of until now...

What happens if panhellenic estimates the lowest quota should be is 40, so chapters submit first bid lists in alphabetical order and then wants to lower quota? Is panhellenic then locked into a minimum quota of 40? If not, and they want to test out the effects of a lower quota, how do they know which PNMs would make it onto the chapter's first bid list if quota was only 37, let's say?

There is a flex list that goes with the bid list and it's like the old second list and that is ranked also in the order in which you want them. And the chapters are giving a "quota range" and the list is submitted with the lower number and the flex list takes precedence after that to allow for a higher quota.

[ADqtPiMel]

Originally Posted by dukedg

Sort of related question that I never thought of until now...

What happens if panhellenic estimates the lowest quota should be is 40, so chapters submit first bid lists in alphabetical order and then wants to lower quota? Is panhellenic then locked into a minimum quota of 40? If not, and they want to test out the effects of a lower quota, how do they know which PNMs would make it onto the chapter's first bid list if quota was only 37, let's say?

While I suppose it could happen, it seems that the lowest quota estimate is usually way lower than what quota ends up being. For the chapter I work with, this year we were asked to set our A list at 33 and we ended up with 48 new members. I'm guessing panhellenic would probably call the chapter president and just ask.

As for PNMs going bidless rather than matching as a QA...I know that any woman who gets invited to pref at the chapter I advise is very much wanted, regardless of her position on the list. I'd hate to see PNMs who are liked by all of their preffing chapters go without a bid. And I really think the removal of the 5% QA cap HELPS smaller chapters, rather than harming them.

[carnation]

I can't help thinking of all the women who would now be Greek had QAs been in place back in the day. I knew so many who went to 2 prefs and didn't match, including direct legacies.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by carnation

I can't help thinking of all the women who would now be Greek had QAs been in place back in the day. I knew so many who went to 2 prefs and didn't match, including direct legacies.

Not to mention, if RFM had been in place back in the day.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by carnation

I can't help thinking of all the women who would now be Greek had QAs been in place back in the day. I knew so many who went to 2 prefs and didn't match, including direct legacies.

Were there no groups on their campuses that were below total? Or were they against looking at those groups post-bid day? Or just so burned out after rush that they were done with the whole thing?

I'm a believer that, on campuses with chapters larger than, say, 80 women, we could use a random number generator to throw women in chapters and it would work just as well as formal rush. That's why it is hard for me to understand how someone "belongs" in a top tier chapter and is too good to be in the smaller one.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Were there no groups on their campuses that were below total? Or were they against looking at those groups post-bid day? Or just so burned out after rush that they were done with the whole thing?

I'm a believer that, on campuses with chapters larger than, say, 80 women, we could use a random number generator to throw women in chapters and it would work just as well as formal rush. That's why it is hard for me to understand how someone "belongs" in a top tier chapter and is too good to be in the smaller one.

This may be true, but you can't convince an 18 year old of this...as much as we would like to.

[carnation]

Maybe all of the above. There were groups below total, especially at Auburn in the seventies (where quota was given after first or second parties, resulting in huge pledge classes for about half the groups and a year of COBing for everyone else). However, I don't think it would have gone over too well for someone to be told that she wouldn't be getting a bid to her mom's sorority, where she'd attended prefs, but that a sorority that she hadn't seen since the first of seven sets of parties wanted to give her a bid.

Looking back over years of recruitments, I can only think of one woman who accepted a bid right off from a third group after attending 2 prefs and not getting a bid from either. The rest either went through formal rush again the next year (some of those went Greek then) or never rushed again.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I'm a believer that, on campuses with chapters larger than, say, 80 women, we could use a random number generator to throw women in chapters and it would work just as well as formal rush. That's why it is hard for me to understand how someone "belongs" in a top tier chapter and is too good to be in the smaller one.

I strongly disagree. Just because a campus has large chapters does not mean that any PNM would fit into any chapter. At least at Maryland, this is certainly not the case because I feel like chapters have their own distinct "identities" and it's not just based on how "hot" chapters are perceived by guys. Out of the 14 chapters (chapters are 140ish after spring FR) at my alma mater, I still say that I would be a good fit in only 4 of them (all of which invited me to pref, one of which I joined), an okay fit in 4 more, and definitely not a fit in the remaining 6.

Could I have found SOMEONE to be friends with in any of the remaining 6 chapters? Of course, but I would feel like an outsider if I were in any of those 6. And in case it matters to you, 5 of those 6 are considered "top" or "middle" chapters, all of whom cut me at some point in the process, and the other is still a strong, viable chapter that doesn't have problems with numbers.

[33girl]

I would agree with DBB if that number was doubled to 160 - 175.