Texas A&M: To rush or not to rush?

[Titchou]

First of all, you can't spit in Texas and not hit an alum of all the groups at A & M. So getting recs in Texas is not that difficult. Second, there are always groups who can't take a segment of the PNMs who are allowed to participate(GPA - remember?).

Do you purposely take the negative side just to stir things up or do you just see the glass half empty? Maybe you just like to play devil's advocate. At least you're consistent.

[carnation]

I think it was done due to parent pressure, just like that formal spring rush that UGa did about 5 years ago for the same reason. Tons of smart and fabulous girls coming in at midterm due to numbers and then being cut in the fall bc they were sophomores.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Titchou

First of all, you can't spit in Texas and not hit an alum of all the groups arA & M. So getting recs in Texas is not that difficult. Second, there are always groups who can't take a segment of the PNMs who are allowed to participate(GPA - remember?).

Do you purposely take the negative side just to stir things up or do you just see the glass half empty? Maybe you just like to play devil's advocate. At least you're consistent.

I'm consistently negative? Seriously?? I hope it works, it just sounds like some things weren't thought through and that's not fair to the rushees or the chapters or the alumnae who spend their time writing recs.

ETA: I completely agree with carnation's post.

[CMDelta]

I just heard from our local panhellenic president that A&M has revised their bylaws or policies to clear up any confusion on whether BlinnTeam students are considered fully part of A&M's student body. It appears A&M fully supports this change to allow Blinn girls to rush and it was due, in part, from the sororities requesting it since so many girls were having to wait until sophomore year to go through recruitment. However, the sororities will know which girls are A&M freshman and which are Blinn so how each sorority chooses to handle it during voting (and if Blinn students will have heavier cuts) remains to be seen.

[SWTXBelle]

Here's some of an e-mail I received clarifying everything:
This morning I received a note from a confused mom. This led me to email Texas A&M’s Panhellenic to ask some questions about Recruitment for Blinn Team students. That resulted in a conference call this afternoon with Melissa Williams, CPC Advisor/Risk Management Specialist, Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life, Department of Student Activities, Texas A&M University. (That’s a long title!) Jennifer Ginn joined me on the call, and we want to share a few highlights with you. Please feel free to pass along to your alumnae as you wish, and let us know if you have additional questions about this.



First, to ensure we are all on the same page, I want to highlight this statement from NPC’s (thesororitylife.com) website: “To join a sorority, you must be a fully matriculated undergraduate student, as defined by the college or university you attend.”



In our conference call, we learned the following from Melissa:

·A&M Blinn Team (BT) students, although still currently called part-time students on the Blinn Team website, are now defined as “fully matriculated” by A&M’s Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life.

·A&M’s bylaws weren’t in accordance with NPC so A&M made changes to their bylaws to comply with NPC requirements. Including the “fully matriculated” language was one of the changes.

·The NPC Area Advisor, Donna, is okay with A&M’s BT recruitment plans. Julie Johnson of NPC gave her blessing as well.

·Melissa said Blinn Team program will show on a student’s permanent ICS record, so sororities will know who is in the program.

·NPC has asked A&M to identify BT women throughout the process so they will be identified.

·Everyone will visit all houses for first round; then they will be released as normal after that.

·According to Melissa, 250 sophomores went through recruitment last year and 1/3 were from Blinn Team. One of their goals is to get more freshmen to go through recruitment. Melissa hopes to be able to gauge success toward meeting this goal by year 2 of adding Blinn Team to recruitment.

·The Blinn Team program has about 250 new freshmen students each year, and Melissa expect about 50 to go through recruitment this year.

·Melissa noted that A&M is only the third campus to navigate through a program like this. (I presume that makes UT the second. Wonder who the first was?)

I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you hear any other information regarding this program from your respective sororities.

[shirley1929]

Well, I was "hearing" about BT girls being able to rush before May 1, so even though the OP said A&M CPC said they decided on May 1, I'm a little skeptical.

I'm not Nancy-in-the-know about A&M, so I think they've been talking about it for awhile... And I do think (for the most part) these BT girls know they will likely face hard cuts, but they are just grateful to participate in the process.

I was generalizing again, but I'm sure Sally Snowflake who barely made BT and doesn't know anyone, but is SURE she's going to be the top rushee is out there...

[adiisis]

I have had many friends do Blinn team and unless they tell someone they are blinn team no one knows. I realize the sororities will know they are BT. BT students can now do everything a direct admit can. Including living on campus, dining, sports pass, rec center, medical center and more. Also many students take basics at blinn even when fully accepted at TAMU. I think its a great move. In fact the rumor is by 2025 there will be no direct admit freshmen, bli n will be the freshmen campus. Blinn just purchased facilitiesto begin this process .

[ASTlady]

NPC does not have a policy stating you must be a full time student. They just say you have to be enrolled.

Each NPC organization however has differing policies on whether they accept part time students or not.

ETA: I noticed the College Panhellenic says they have to be full time, which is interesting. Again, because that is not an NPC policy. But they clearly are considering Blinn students to be full time due to the dual enrollment.

[Titchou]

"To be eligible to participate in Panhellenic recruitment and pledge an NPC fraternity, a woman shall:
A. Not be simultaneously enrolled in high school and attending college.
B. Be regularly matriculated according to the definition of matriculation established by that institution."

I stand partially corrected. The above is from the NPC MOI (aka Green Book), 19th edition, pulled from the NPC web site. The onus would seem to fall on the institution's back to determine this.

[Just interested]

Thanks, for clarifying the issue directly from Texas A&M Panhellenic. The only comment I think may be misleading a bit from CMDelta is that some chapters requested this to take place. I know, I can only speak for my own, but I think this is more hearsay. I do believe this came as a result from a "request" of the University than from the chapters themselves. Again, this is just from those I know in the know on that campus.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

What is retention like for Blinn team students, as compared to traditional freshmen? I would think that would factor into an NPC's decision.

[Just interested]

HQWest hit the nail on the head. So, here we are. Every Greek system on a campus with this type of program will have to deal with this situation at some point. A&M and Texas just happen to be among the 1st to test the waters.

[irishpipes]

And if I'm a very good student in the top 15% of my competitive HS class, I could pay in-state tuition at a school like Arkansas, and fully participate as a "real" university student without any stigma or being treated as a second-class citizen.

[HQWest]

^^^^
Or if you were at one of those competitive schools or an elite private school, you could try for one of those scholarships at Alabama or Arkansas or Auburn and take advantage of their top notch Honors college programs.

[TXGreekMom]

Originally Posted by HQWest

^^^^
Or if you were at one of those competitive schools or an elite private school, you could try for one of those scholarships at Alabama or Arkansas or Auburn and take advantage of their top notch Honors college programs.

This was our experience. Out-of-state honors programs showed real interest, and Univ of Texas did not. (Disappointing because TXGreekDad and I were both Longhorns, but in the end you want your kid to be happy, so we are learning how to be SEC parents!)

Friends of mine who are either NPC advisors or admissions staff at schools outside of Texas say their campuses and Panhellenics are all taking advantage of the influx of competitive Texas applicants. It will be interesting to see what the impact to the state is, in 5-10 years when fewer of these kids bring their educations home.