Eliminating Bigs and Littles?

[lyrica9]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

ADPi's Diamond Sister program was formed with this intention. On paper, the Delta (initiated sister) sponsors the Alpha (new member) through her new member period as a personal mentor and guide to acclimate her to Greek Life and serve as her sponsor through ritual. All new member gifts, on paper, are to be budgeted through the chapter so that more women can serve in this sponsor role without assuming a financial burden. On paper, there are no "families" and the Diamond Sister relationship formally concludes with initiation.
......

The Pride Program is a great concept-- rotating small groups to help members get to know one another better, serve on committees and support the chapter (IE. XYZ Pride takes on Task A, ABC Pride takes on Task B, etc...), but it's another system that really doesn't work well in practice when you have members who are already overprogrammed enough as it is with school, sorority and life. Getting together as a pride to bake cookies is sometimes just one more activity that can't be crammed in there-- it's like setting up a playgroup!

mmk.. from what i remember the diamond sister relationship is to continue after initiation, but you're right that a lot of people call them bigs/littles (i myself now have a great-great-grand litte, ack!).

and about the pride system, while good in theory, doesn't really exist anymore. the new leadership program which started the class coordinators system seemed to replace prides, and we're now supposed to do things with those groups.

[ADqtPiMel]

Originally Posted by lyrica9

mmk.. from what i remember the diamond sister relationship is to continue after initiation, but you're right that a lot of people call them bigs/littles (i myself now have a great-great-grand litte, ack!).

and about the pride system, while good in theory, doesn't really exist anymore. the new leadership program which started the class coordinators system seemed to replace prides, and we're now supposed to do things with those groups.

Adpiucf is correct that technically, the diamond sister relationship concludes at initiation - learned it at DLC two years ago from my DTD.

The pride and class coordinator systems are awesome in theory, but I was so unbelievably overprogrammed in college, I never had time to go to any events. And I was a very involved chapter member.

[sisterzip]

I dont think that elimanting Big/little would be a good idea. New members/ pledges need at least one sister they know they can always turn to. During the "last week" of my pledgeship it was my big sister that got me through. Big/little, Diamond sister It doesnt matter what its called. Unless we were calling them something degradig like "lil saves" I also dont see the point in changing the name.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by sisterzip

I also dont see the point in changing the name.

This is purely speculation on my part, but I assume the name change is simply because that's the current NPC trend. Rush is now recruitment, pledges are now new members, parties are called events, etc... I think our (I)HQs believe that it may seem more PC if names are changed to be more reflective of the specific sorority. Like ADPi's have Alpha/Delta members and Diamond Sisters; Sigma Kappa has Violet Sis; Tri Sigma has Pearl Pals; the list is endless.

But, like someone has previously said, even though sororities are unique, the women in them seem to want pretty much the same things. When I was VP-Pledge Ed, my Tri Sigma roommate was VP-New Member Education. On my campus, Sigma was the first org to use "New Member" instead of "Pledge", and those women WANTED to be called pledges. Probably just because all the other new members on campus were still being called pledges.

Like most others here, I think it would be a mistake for NPC to do away with the Big/Lil programs. While my Big's "responsibilities" ended upon my initiation, we're still extremely close. And, while I realize we might have developed this close bond without the Big/Lil program, it certainly helped start that bonding process. It would be a shame for that aspect of sisterhood to be lost.

[adpiucf]

I don't think Big/Lil is going anywhere, but chapters and Greek systems need to enforce the spending caps so more women will take on the opportunity to sponsor a new member.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

This is purely speculation on my part, but I assume the name change is simply because that's the current NPC trend. Rush is now recruitment, pledges are now new members, parties are called events, etc... I think our (I)HQs believe that it may seem more PC if names are changed to be more reflective of the specific sorority. Like ADPi's have Alpha/Delta members and Diamond Sisters; Sigma Kappa has Violet Sis; Tri Sigma has Pearl Pals; the list is endless.

As explained by the ADPis on here, Diamond sisters are supposed to NOT be the same as a traditional big/little relationship (theoretically).

And as for SK, they have about 3 different names, all of which are different kinds of relationships. ASA has a "Ruby Sister." She's NOT a big - it's a totally different thing.

I have no problem with calling things different names, if they are different things.