A BIG TEN Recruitment Story

[DubaiSis]

You are justifiably annoyed. Being a colony on any campus is a tough thing to handle and not something just any girl can handle. Getting abuse from parents and/or people who should know better than to belittle the new kids is just ridiculous.

I think there is room for unhoused chapters or chapters who function similar to the rest of the known Greek world (where a portion, maybe not even the majority of the sisters live in for 3 years), even among the preferred system at IU. I'm sure there are great girls who choose not to participate in Greek life because they are practical enough to know that living with 150 girls under the same roof for 3 extremely stressful years may not be the best idea ever. Are those "alternative" chapters going to appeal to the traditional NPC member at IU? Maybe not. But it's a big school and providing an alternative seems like a good idea as far as I'm concerned.

[IndianaSigKap]

Originally Posted by brighteyedgirl

I know my organization is extremely proud of what we have accomplished, and hope to continue to do so - and i'm sure the same goes for the other unhoused sorority. But saying that we are not 'real competition' is just rude. I know great girls that chose to participate in recruitment specifically because not living in a house attended more to their needs.

You are exactly right! Sisterhood should not be measured by a physical structure. I only lived in my chapter for two years. I was lucky. We had a live out policy. Sisters could live out as long as the chapter house was full. I don't feel like my experience was any less for it. In fact, I enjoyed living out because I knew that when I was with my sisters, it was because I wanted to be at the house and not because I had to be.

Enjoy your new chapter, it is a special group of women who take on the task of starting something new! Don't let anything someone else says get you down. ASA chose you and you chose ASA for a reason.

[BAckbOwlsgIrl]

I totally agree what everyone has said about living out.
Thank you GC for opening my eyes to non-housed chapters.

Here is my take on it.
LIFE IS ABOUT EXPERIENCES. COLLEGE AND SORORITY LIFE IS NO EXCEPTION.
I think that not only living in the chapter house but living out including both the dorms and in off-campus housing such as apartments should be part of the experience.
However, I will add that at some schools like, I believe University of Washington and University Idaho, have freshman move directly move into the chapter house, bypassing the dorm all together. I am COMPLETELY against this. I made a ton of friends in the dorm. It helped me from having sorority tunnel vision. It also helped me establish friendships out of greek life. Some people hated living in the dorms and the house for that matter. Regardless, both were experiences. Even bad experiences are GOOD. Okay, I hate going to the dentist, and that is one experience that I don't need, but, I digress.
Living in an apartment my senior year was a trial for real life. It gave me ME TIME. I was running around with internships and campus activities, I just wanted my quiet time.
Hence, I am PRO Senior Live-Out Policy.
The only bad thing is that I wish that I got to know some of the younger members since I was never at the house. And the same as a younger member. Needless to say, I am still in contact with the Senior sister who was my Bid Week Pal.

I have friend who had her live-in requirement removed due to medical reasons. I don't know what they were.

I could see where women would NOT want to live in a house.
All sisters, all the time. It is an adjustment. We didn't let boys upstairs. I don't know what the rules are now.
I am assuming that the un-housed chapters have less expensive dues because of not having a house. Hence, possibly more appealing to those who are strapped for finances but want the sorority experience.

Do the two un-housed chapters have some sort of dorm arrangement like what we see at other campuses? Or women choose to take up an apartment building? Just curious is all.

I know of a colony that had daily lunch on the grass. Some brought sack lunches. Others grabbed a tray from the Union and brought it out. That was their "daily lunch/meal plan" It also showcased their sisterhood like no other. While other girls were walking to and from their houses, they were united at one on the grass for all of the campus to see.

Another colony at the same campus did not do this and it hurt them.

Keep in mind, there are campuses across the country where both fraternities and sororities are un-housed. They survive and thrive. Novel concept. sic.

And a big Congratulations to you and ASA. One my high school friends is an ASA. She is so sweet. I love her.

[glittergal1985]

I'm sure everyone means well, but it might be best if we stopped using words such as "alternative" to refer to the unhoused groups. They are simply without physical living quarters, and in my opinion we should let the PNMs decide how they feel about them. Its very possible that I'm oversensitive to the situation because my own group is involved, but I want it to be known that we are a traditional sorority. I'm sure that every housed group on the IU campus has many unhoused chapters throughout the country, and that doesn't make the unhoused chapter of ABC any less ABC than their housed counterparts. Additionally, this past recruitment appears to have been an overwhelming success for all 21 groups on campus. Its just my opinion, (and I know its not intentional) but it might be better if we go back to not discussing reputations and instead simply wish success for everyone on this snowflake campus, especially as it looks like more groups may soon be joining.

Don't want to ruffle any feathers, just my two cents.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by glittergal1985

I'm sure everyone means well, but it might be best if we stopped using words such as "alternative" to refer to the unhoused groups. They are simply without physical living quarters, and in my opinion we should let the PNMs decide how they feel about them. Its very possible that I'm oversensitive to the situation because my own group is involved, but I want it to be known that we are a traditional sorority. I'm sure that every housed group on the IU campus has many unhoused chapters throughout the country, and that doesn't make the unhoused chapter of ABC any less ABC than their housed counterparts. Additionally, this past recruitment appears to have been an overwhelming success for all 21 groups on campus. Its just my opinion, (and I know its not intentional) but it might be better if we go back to not discussing reputations and instead simply wish success for everyone on this snowflake campus, especially as it looks like more groups may soon be joining.

Don't want to ruffle any feathers, just my two cents.

THIS. Living in the house is NOT for everyone. Nor is it required for "sisterhood", a "sorority experience" or anything else. Women will still live together, have gathering spots, etc., like plenty of unhoused chapters across the country. Living in the house can be great, but it also comes with a ton of rules, shared sleeping porches, and all sorts of other things that aren't necessarily wonderful.

I remember visiting our chapter house at IU, and one of my friends was like "wow, I wish our house (at U of I) was this gorgeous", and I replied "yeah, you want to live in senior year?" and her response was "NO! Good point!"

Also, the unhoused chapters are still quite selective. It's not like getting a bid to one of them is some sort of consolation prize. They are picking the women they want to be their sisters, just like the house groups.

[DubaiSis]

But you can't deny that it is a VERY different situation than the vast majority of the sororities at IU. To not mention the difference is sticking your head in the sand. By pointing out that it is an alternative puts this difference in a positive light. Of course Theta Phi and ASA are traditional NPC sororities. But they are not the norm at IU. This is not condescension, it's stating the obvious. Is your situation unusual as compared to a lot LOT of chapters around the country? No. But it is different at IU. I say you celebrate that fact, not pretend that you're not different. Special. And I am never one to consider "normal" as the best way to go.

[IUHoosiergirl88]

'Unhoused' chapters at IU are just that, unhoused. That doesn't mean that they aren't special or are inferior, but they do not have formal housing as all other 19 chapters do. Thus, they're not going to be referred to in the same sense that the other 19 chapters are.

[WCsweet<3]

So, I understand the idea of bed rush. No set quota blah blah blah. How do Theta Phi and ASA decide their quota? Do they average and say "Hmmm the spread is from 6 - 34 so we will take 20 because that is the average?" I'm worried this may fall into membership selection so if it does, please feel free to yell/ignore.

[Old_Row]

Originally Posted by MaggieXi

Might not be the place to continue this conversation - but I just read that blog. While I understand that there is and has been some political issues surrounding the recruitment process at Indiana - Holy Super Special Snowflakes batman!

The comments are crazy! I can't believe there are parents on there calling out new members who got bids who they think shouldn't have received them due to gossip told to them by their daughters. They aren't saying names but it is still so hurtful and immature. I understand how upset they are because this rush sounds crazy to me but their behavior is really embarrassing.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by WCsweet<3

So, I understand the idea of bed rush. No set quota blah blah blah. How do Theta Phi and ASA decide their quota? Do they average and say "Hmmm the spread is from 6 - 34 so we will take 20 because that is the average?" I'm worried this may fall into membership selection so if it does, please feel free to yell/ignore.

I know that at places where a quota may not be set (for example, we have a chapter at VA Wesleyan, and for several years it was the only NPC sorority on campus, ergo no quota) that our national volunteers and whoever else is working with the chapter take all the campus and chapter factors into account to set a membership target. This probably includes things like campus retention as a whole, how many seniors are graduating, the size of the school blah blah blah. Knock on wood, it seems as though we are veering on the conservative side at IU, to which I quote Heather Duke and say PRAISE JESUS.

And DubaiSis, you have been SUPER condescending in every post you've made about unhoused chapters at IU. They are NOT an "alternative." They rushed with all the rest of the chapters and had the same bid day as the rest of the chapters. An alternative would be a social/service sorority like Gamma Sigma Sigma* or a social/professional fraternity like Delta Sigma Pi* - a group whose rush is conducted at a different time, who gives bids at a different time. ASA and TPA have NEVER said that they intend to stay unhoused or only rush women who don't want to live in a house. They are for now the unhoused chapters, just like some chapters are the "third street" or whatever chapters.

*Not trying to throw y'all under the bus, just needed an example.

[glittergal1985]

Dubaisis, I am not denying that there is a difference. I have no issue with groups being referred to as unhoused. When PNMs go through recruitment they will know who has a house and who doesn't. When we throw around words like "different" and "alternative" it can make the PNMs who signed up for traditional NPC recruitment feel as though they are being warned that this is not what they are looking for. Trust me, they are all going to be fully informed of the current housing situation, and we should let them make their own decisions about what housed v. unhoused means to them. Housing is only one of many aspects of sorority life and while that one may be different, the rest are the same. For the sake of propriety, when referring to the housing situation for an unhoused group, call it different all you want, but when discussing the chapter as a whole, it is a traditional NPC sorority. Period.

[brighteyedgirl]

GUYS I LOVE ALLL OF YOU

[AOII Angel]

I have to agree with you guys, 33girl and glitter. Most new colonies don't have housing when they come out the gate, but we don't make a big deal of them being unhoused. It sometimes takes quite a few years for them to line up housing depending on their situation...for IU it may take even longer. It doesn't sound as though ASA and TPA plan to market themselves as the unhoused, lower cost groups, so continuing to harp on that is offensive to these groups. Good luck finding houses. Sounds like it will be a tough job.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by brighteyedgirl

GUYS I LOVE ALLL OF YOU

Awww... so very happy for you. Hope you stick around. Your membership is for a LIFETIME. You will get as much out of it as you put into it (trite, maybe, but true). ASA is lucky to have you, IMO.

[cinder1965]

I have soured on the whole IU system, even though my step daughter had a great rush. It seems it is what it is and it's not going to change . A damn shame....makes me sad. Hope all the chapters are strong or get stronger.