NALFO Orgs. Changing Focus

[LatinaAlumna]

Just listened to that pod-cast.

There is something to be said about putting the needs and best interest of your fellow students in front of the desires of your organization. I'd rather see Latinas/os (in this case) become well-acclimated to the college environment, and focus on establishing a strong GPA during their first semester/quarter than join my sorority, even if my chapter was low on numbers. If the majority of NALFO organizations saw fit to restrict the membership process to 2nd semester/quarter freshmen, they all can't be wrong (and some of these orgs. are hurting for numbers, too).

[FIA1931]

Originally Posted by LatinaAlumna

Just listened to that pod-cast.

There is something to be said about putting the needs and best interest of your fellow students in front of the desires of your organization. I'd rather see Latinas/os (in this case) become well-acclimated to the college environment, and focus on establishing a strong GPA during their first semester/quarter than join my sorority, even if my chapter was low on numbers. If the majority of NALFO organizations saw fit to restrict the membership process to 2nd semester/quarter freshmen, they all can't be wrong (and some of these orgs. are hurting for numbers, too).

I see it this way too. As a current undergrad it's more important for me to see my fellow community members succeed than to have them pledge my org right away. I've seen way too many of my friends struggle with the transition to a university setting and class load. Many(not all) Latinos on my campus aren't even well-acclimated to a college environment until their second year. It's unfortunate, but that's part of our reality.

A few years back many NALFO member orgs at my school were getting a bad rep with Latino administrators because there were students pledging LGLO as freshmen and "suddenly" ending up on academic probation the semester they crossed. It kind of defeats the whole purpose of coming to a university. I'd say, without speculating on any induction process, that a lot of this had to do with those students needing more time to learn what it takes to succeed academically in a college environment.

Personally, I prefer that interested individuals are in their second year most of the time. This is a life time commitment that I'm not sure most(Not all) 17/18 year old first semester freshmen still learning the proper way to play Beer Pong can always comprehend. An entire semester can at least give the chapter and the individual more time before deciding if they are a good fit for each other. Just my opinion based on my campus...

[Little Dragon]

Even though this is not the topic for the thread, on the 1st Semester Freshmen question, I would like to say a couple of things.

1. Don't NIC/NPC ors recruit freshmen? YES. Don't Greek student have better graduation rates than non-Greeks? YES. This being said, isn't the LGLO's critic for freshmen recruitment a critic on mainstream greek recruitment? It may appear so. That's my opinion and I admit I could be wrong. Still, how can this be so wrong? Wouldn't 100 years of college experience prove them a point? I know Latino students live a different reality, let's talk about it.

2. I will speak about my experience. I joined SLB as a 1st semester freshman (I was a 1st semester freshman when I joined the interest group that became the founders at my school), so I think this gives me the right to speak on the subject. When I joined as a freshman, coming from out-of-state, I barely knew anybody. In the fraternity, I found men who quickly became my friends, who help me, who taught me about time management, who gave me study tips, who guided me through my first years and help me become well-acclimated to the college environment. I would have had it very hard to becoming well-acclimated without them. Could I have done it alone? YES. Is that better? I say it depends on the person, for me, it was better my joining SLB. Did the fraternity take time? YES, but had it not been the fraternity, I would have found another extracurricular activity that would still take off my time. SLB did take a lot of my time, specially during the educational process (No, SLB founders are not skaters, we do pledge), but it gave me a lot more back. Everything I received, made me love my letters and love my fraternity. Today, I am a post-graduate alumni. I don't think there is anything wrong with freshmen recruitment, even 1st semester freshmen.

3. Even though SLB does allow freshmen to join, allowing is not the same as only recruiting freshmen. Most men who join SLB are not freshmen, some are, and none of them that I know of, ever regrets it. Freshmen can join, but they are but a part of the new members.

As an addendum, for the GPA requirement, read #2 again. In the fraternity, there is academic support, free tutors, second hand materials, etc. Again, can you find help to raise your GPA outside the fraternity? YES. Nevertheless, I was helped, and helped back many of our new members to bring their grades up. How do you help a Latino student more? Telling him to come back once his grades are better? Or, helping them raise them yourself? You could say we could help him before he joins. That's true, but as a member, he would get the whole experience I talked about in #2.

I know my experience will not convince everybody who is against the freshmen recruitment or will not change anybody's opinion on SLBs GPA requirement, but let's not demonize these two points.

[Greektruth]

Originally Posted by Little Dragon

Even though this is not the topic for the thread, on the 1st Semester Freshmen question, I would like to say a couple of things.

1. Don't NIC/NPC ors recruit freshmen? YES. Don't Greek student have better graduation rates than non-Greeks? YES. This being said, isn't the LGLO's critic for freshmen recruitment a critic on mainstream greek recruitment? It may appear so. That's my opinion and I admit I could be wrong. Still, how can this be so wrong? Wouldn't 100 years of college experience prove them a point? I know Latino students live a different reality, let's talk about it.

2. I will speak about my experience. I joined SLB as a 1st semester freshman (I was a 1st semester freshman when I joined the interest group that became the founders at my school), so I think this gives me the right to speak on the subject. When I joined as a freshman, coming from out-of-state, I barely knew anybody. In the fraternity, I found men who quickly became my friends, who help me, who taught me about time management, who gave me study tips, who guided me through my first years and help me become well-acclimated to the college environment. I would have had it very hard to becoming well-acclimated without them. Could I have done it alone? YES. Is that better? I say it depends on the person, for me, it was better my joining SLB. Did the fraternity take time? YES, but had it not been the fraternity, I would have found another extracurricular activity that would still take off my time. SLB did take a lot of my time, specially during the educational process (No, SLB founders are not skaters, we do pledge), but it gave me a lot more back. Everything I received, made me love my letters and love my fraternity. Today, I am a post-graduate alumni. I don't think there is anything wrong with freshmen recruitment, even 1st semester freshmen.

3. Even though SLB does allow freshmen to join, allowing is not the same as only recruiting freshmen. Most men who join SLB are not freshmen, some are, and none of them that I know of, ever regrets it. Freshmen can join, but they are but a part of the new members.

As an addendum, for the GPA requirement, read #2 again. In the fraternity, there is academic support, free tutors, second hand materials, etc. Again, can you find help to raise your GPA outside the fraternity? YES. Nevertheless, I was helped, and helped back many of our new members to bring their grades up. How do you help a Latino student more? Telling him to come back once his grades are better? Or, helping them raise them yourself? You could say we could help him before he joins. That's true, but as a member, he would get the whole experience I talked about in #2.

I know my experience will not convince everybody who is against the freshmen recruitment or will not change anybody's opinion on SLBs GPA requirement, but let's not demonize these two points.

I know I said I wouldn't respond but ... I want to point out the GPA requirement for SLB is a HIGH SCHOOL GPA of 2.35 (Note this is flexible) this person barely got into college. The grand majority of mainstream Greeks have a much higher GPA requirement for 1st semester freshman. I disappear once again...

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by Greektruth

I know I said I wouldn't respond but ... I want to point out the GPA requirement for SLB is a HIGH SCHOOL GPA of 2.35 (Note this is flexible) this person barely got into college. The grand majority of mainstream Greeks have a much higher GPA requirement for 1st semester freshman. I disappear once again...

Are you a Beta?

If not, you don't need to be speaking so definitively about the organization. If so, you are stupid for putting your business on the street.

[Greektruth]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Are you a Beta?

If not, you don't need to be speaking so definitively about the organization. If so, you are stupid for putting your business on the street.

It's on the website http://www.sigmalambdabeta.com/index2.html

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by Greektruth

It's on the website http://www.sigmalambdabeta.com/index2.html

The website doesn't say 'high school GPA'