Scary Quota Numbers

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by 33girl

When the sororities get large enough that the women are no longer enjoying themselves or feel like what they get for their money is just not worth it, Greek life will become less popular and the pledge class sizes will go down.

Respectful and curious lane swerve/

Do the GC NPCers think this is what it boils down to? Does this go back to previous GC discussions about how lifetime involvement is not stressed during some NPC recruitments? I'm probably using incorrect terminology.

/Respectful and curious lane serve

[33girl]

Well, I'm sure that there are presently women in large chapters who really wish they were in a smaller chapter - or vice versa - who are sticking it out because they know that they will get a lot from alumnae membership.

Is that what you were asking?

Of course, I could be completely off on that last post and women will keep joining sororities at Arkansas even if they get to 600-700 people in a chapter so they can wear the letters, because they feel that alone is worth the $$.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Well, I'm sure that there are presently women in large chapters who really wish they were in a smaller chapter - or vice versa - who are sticking it out because they know that they will get a lot from alumnae membership.

Is that what you were asking?

Of course, I could be completely off on that last post and women will keep joining sororities at Arkansas even if they get to 600-700 people in a chapter so they can wear the letters, because they feel that alone is worth the $$.

That is what I was asking. Let's see if I can word this correctly:

There are people who do not want to be a part of large chapters (maybe they have heard that it is no longer worth the money and time) so they may not go through NPC recruitment. The difference between that and councils and conferences that have alumnae/alumni/graduate initiation is that these PNMs are foregoing possibly their only chance to become a member.

[33girl]

You are correct.

To flip your curious & respectful question...Jane has decided she wants to be a DST, she's done her research, no questions about her choice. She gets to school and sees lines of 100 people. Jane does not like this concept so she decides not to pursue undergrad membership. When she graduates, she starts pursuing membership in a graduate chapter. Is "I didn't want to be in such a huge line" a valid reason if she's asked why she didn't join as an undergrad?

There have been a few NPC AI stories on here that basically went like that...the chapters at my school were huge and I was afraid to rush/didn't have the money/failed in rush. I think a lot of how this goes over depends on how the woman represents herself. That is, if she just says "I'm an XYZ! I went to BigStateU!" people might give her the Blanche Devereaux SideEye. No you don't have to tell your life story, but to represent yourself as something you aren't by omitting details is always bogus. This is why I think if NPC in general wants to make AI a bigger part of membership, all the groups need to have designated AI chapters.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Well, I'm sure that there are presently women in large chapters who really wish they were in a smaller chapter - or vice versa - who are sticking it out because they know that they will get a lot from alumnae membership.

Is that what you were asking?

Of course, I could be completely off on that last post and women will keep joining sororities at Arkansas even if they get to 600-700 people in a chapter so they can wear the letters, because they feel that alone is worth the $$.

I wouldn't say it is necessarily just to wear the letters, but you are on the right track in my opinion. At some schools, being greek is so desirable that the quality of the experience may be less of an issue than at other schools. I went to a school where it was very hard to be a non-greek. So, even girls that weren't OMG Sorority Girls! tended to join because it was expected socially. They took what they wanted from the experience.

[33girl]

Yeah, when I say "wear letters" I also mean be Greek, not just literally wear the letters.

I understand that more than I understand some of the "letter pimps" or "jacket sisters" at schools where Greek life is a take it or leave it thing - not a necessity but not looked down on, just an option - but they seem to think they HAVE to be in a sorority, even if they can't stand the sisters and never show up to things.

[Football Fan]

The University of Southern California is now open for expansion. Over 900 women signed up last year for recruitment at a private university where only nine chapters participate in formal recruitment. The tenth chapter does informal.

If you think it would be expensive to build a beautiful chapter house in Arkansas including the cost of land, imagine what a national will have to consider in Los Angeles. Land and building costs are much higher in California and a chapter would need to have a location on the "Row".

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by Football Fan

If you think it would be expensive to build a beautiful chapter house in Arkansas including the cost of land, imagine what a national will have to consider in Los Angeles. Land and building costs are much higher in California and a chapter would need to have a location on the "Row".

It's not so much just the cost of building the house. It's that coupled with the poor PH environment on that particular campus. If PH isn't supportive of a new chapter, you could be throwing a lot of money down a black hole. And the university, unlike Alabama, is not presently providing any bond money, etc. So the cost of the house, the cost of a mortgage on the open market, a negative PH environment don't add up to a promising situation.

[carnation]

I can't figure out Arkansas. On the one hand, every sorority member I've know there has bemoaned the huge quotas and associated problems. On the other hand, I keep hearing about the poor PH environment regarding expansion.

Wake up, Arkansas! You're shooting yourselves in the foot!

[wavycutchip]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Do the GC NPCers think this is what it boils down to? Does this go back to previous GC discussions about how lifetime involvement is not stressed during some NPC recruitments? I'm probably using incorrect terminology.

From a recruitment standpoint, as a wise woman on GC once said about Pref night, sororities are trying to find the right mix of messages that will 'speak' to the pnms through recruitment. Unfortunately, I would say the vast majority of 18-19 year old PNMs going through recruitment are not thinking about the lifetime involvement in the sorority (in fact, if you look at alumnae involvement across NPC sororities, I'm not sure that it is that important to most alumnae - but that is another topic for another thread), but rather how will joining any of these sororities help me through my college career (socially, academically, emotionally, etc). Making a big deal about lifetime involvement could be perceived as strange during recruitment and a turn-off to many PNMs, but should be a focus throughout the new member and member education program.

I will say that now that most sororities are moving towards a "values-based" recruitment, I think that lifetime involvement will have more of (and I would say should have) a place in the recruitment process.

Poor Hootyhoo, all she wanted to know was ways to help create sisterhood and manage large chapter and pledge class size. Hooty - I hope that you have gotten some answers!