Alabama recruitment fall-out

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Very few chapters anywhere actively recruit any specific target group because they are dependent on which women the College Panhellenic in general recruit to participate.

To make this a productive conversation- let's ask - What could College Panhellenics do to get more women of color to go through recruitment? Since most schools promote recruitment through the organization fairs at the beginning of the school year or at freshman orientation, what would help?

Brain-storming here:

1. Some schools have orientation days for non-majority students. They get a lot of information targeted to those students. If Panhel tabled during those days at locations where that orientation was happening, it would be a way to draw in a more diverse crowd for formal recruitment. Doing a "Meet the Greeks" or information session during that orientation period could be helpful. Invite all of the NPC and non-NPC groups to participate. If there's an activity fair, table at that.

2. At some schools Panhel sends out information re. registering for recruitment by email or regular mail over the summer. It might be helpful to make those materials include information that indicates that all NPC chapters are open to all qualified candidates and which includes information on the process for both women of color and first generation college students who might not otherwise have access to information about recruitment.

3. Target qualified women of color during COB. Every university in the US in integrated. All of our collegians know women of color through their classes and other organizations. Chapters should target the women they are already friends with. Even if she says "no," to COB or a bid the active courting is going change the climate and make it more clear that NPC is more open than it used to be.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by KDCat

Brain-storming here:

1. Some schools have orientation days for non-majority students. They get a lot of information targeted to those students. If Panhel tabled during those days at locations where that orientation was happening, it would be a way to draw in a more diverse crowd for formal recruitment. Doing a "Meet the Greeks" or information session during that orientation period could be helpful. Invite all of the NPC and non-NPC groups to participate. If there's an activity fair, table at that.

2. At some schools Panhel sends out information re. registering for recruitment by email or regular mail over the summer. It might be helpful to make those materials include information that indicates that all NPC chapters are open to all qualified candidates and which includes information on the process for both women of color and first generation college students who might not otherwise have access to information about recruitment.

3. Target qualified women of color during COB. Every university in the US in integrated. All of our collegians know women of color through their classes and other organizations. Chapters should target the women they are already friends with. Even if she says "no," to COB or a bid the active courting is going change the climate and make it more clear that NPC is more open than it used to be.

Thanks for putting some thought into this. I think those would be great ideas for almost any campus, though it also seems as if the nature of recruitment at Alabama involves some unique "rubs." Orientation seems to be a great way to "get the word out," but the time frame involved for preparation really places PNMs who find out at orientation at a disadvantage.

I can't vouch for the specific info incoming freshmen receive, but the info on recruitment is easily located (and perhaps pointed out in info incoming students receive). However, it has not had info targeted at first generation or women of color in the past. It will be interesting to see if there is any mention in the recruitment brochure for 2014.

I agree with what you said about COB, though many chapters at Alabama do not participate in COB. This may be another "rub" unique to Alabama - I don't know what this looks like on other campuses.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by KDCat

Brain-storming here:

1. Some schools have orientation days for non-majority students. They get a lot of information targeted to those students. If Panhel tabled during those days at locations where that orientation was happening, it would be a way to draw in a more diverse crowd for formal recruitment. Doing a "Meet the Greeks" or information session during that orientation period could be helpful. Invite all of the NPC and non-NPC groups to participate. If there's an activity fair, table at that.

2. At some schools Panhel sends out information re. registering for recruitment by email or regular mail over the summer. It might be helpful to make those materials include information that indicates that all NPC chapters are open to all qualified candidates and which includes information on the process for both women of color and first generation college students who might not otherwise have access to information about recruitment.

3. Target qualified women of color during COB. Every university in the US in integrated. All of our collegians know women of color through their classes and other organizations. Chapters should target the women they are already friends with. Even if she says "no," to COB or a bid the active courting is going change the climate and make it more clear that NPC is more open than it used to be.

I like plan 1 and plan 2. I don't like plan 3. If you're a chapter that has to do COB, it means you're under total and need to get up to total with members that will fit in quickly and be committed to YOUR group, not just A group. If a woman such as that happens to be A-A, that's fine. But COB is not the time for a teachable moment or diversity for diversity's sake.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I like plan 1 and plan 2. I don't like plan 3. If you're a chapter that has to do COB, it means you're under total and need to get up to total with members that will fit in quickly and be committed to YOUR group, not just A group. If a woman such as that happens to be A-A, that's fine. But COB is not the time for a teachable moment or diversity for diversity's sake.

I disagree. I work with a WRC that does COB year around. Recruiting diverse women at ANYtime is a great idea. Those women can be great additions and work towards strengthening the chapter as much as any white woman can. Thinking you can't bid minorities during a time of weakness is shortsighted. Minority women can be and are as strong and dedicated as white members. Holding off becoming diverse or integrated until you are stronger is a cop out.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

I disagree. I work with a WRC that does COB year around. Recruiting diverse women at ANYtime is a great idea. Those women can be great additions and work towards strengthening the chapter as much as any white woman can. Thinking you can't bid minorities during a time of weakness is shortsighted. Minority women can be and are as strong and dedicated as white members. Holding off becoming diverse or integrated until you are stronger is a cop out.

That isn't what I said. If you have 5 COB spots and the 5 women the chapter likes most and wants to give those bids to are all Black, that's fine - even if the chapter might get looked at funny for it. What I don't agree with is "targeting" Black women for COBs if there are other women the chapter would rather have. When you have numbers issues you don't need to throw accusations of tokenism into the mix. Plus, at some schools COBing is so looked down on that bringing in a Black woman that way would make things harder for her.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by 33girl

That isn't what I said. If you have 5 COB spots and the 5 women the chapter likes most and wants to give those bids to are all Black, that's fine - even if the chapter might get looked at funny for it. What I don't agree with is "targeting" Black women for COBs if there are other women the chapter would rather have. When you have numbers issues you don't need to throw accusations of tokenism into the mix. Plus, at some schools COBing is so looked down on that bringing in a Black woman that way would make things harder for her.

If pledging an AA woman is that controversial, the timing of when a chapter chooses to give a bid to an AA member (during COB or during Formal recruitment) would make no difference. It will make no difference. Having five open spots for COB at a campus that looks down on COB does not mean a chapter is struggling. The groups that take members during COB aren't suddenly on different standing when they are in formal recruitment. Their position in the Greek system is the same year round. Holding off pledging an AA woman because OMG it's a COB bid and people look down on those bids so we can't possibly diversify the chapter during that time. Choosing to recruit a wide range of members rather than just all white members doesn't mean that a chapter is being forced to take black women instead of the white ones they'd rather take. It's about deciding to make an effort to meet people outside your regular group of friends and finding women of other ethnic groups that would make good members because they may expand the experience of your chapter. The benefits of such an approach are the same as when a chapter chooses to select for any other trait such as academics, dancing ability, singing ability, appearance, etc.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

It's about deciding to make an effort to meet people outside your regular group of friends and finding women of other ethnic groups that would make good members because they may expand the experience of your chapter. The benefits of such an approach are the same as when a chapter chooses to select for any other trait such as academics, dancing ability, singing ability, appearance, etc.

So would another good reason to select a woman be because her brother is a member of Popular PQR and the chapter can finally get a mixer with them and "expand their experience"? This sounds like "we need to win intramurals so give Sporty Sue a bid, even if we like someone else more."

And I don't know about anyone else, but I would be offended as hell to feel I was chosen for a bid solely to "expand the experience." Not only that, the assumption that an A- A member (especially one from the same region/socio-economic background) will provide that is rather hilarious.