Your thoughts on AI: discussion goes here.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by blueangel

You can make that same argument about the recruitment forum.

AI IS NOT RECRUITMENT.

[ReachTheLimit]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Let's NOT zero in on women who have prior connections, because I clearly stated that was NOT who the question is directed at. If you HAVE prior connections, then I wouldn't HAVE to ask "Why a sorority?" because the answer is "Because I have a prior connection to Greek life". I'm talking about those who DON'T have a prior connection....and again I ask the "collective you of PNAI who decided OMG I NEED TO BE IN A SORORITY EVEN THOUGH I GOT REJECTED 80 TIMES BUT THERE'S STILL AI!!111!!eleventyone!!!!11"

You bring this up alot.

Why do you assume that everyone that wants to AI got rejected in college? That is not at all true. When your parents are paying all the bills because you have a difficult major, or if you attend a school that has no Greek system, those are very valid reasons for not joining. I was told I couldn't work, and as long as they are paying the bills, they get to make the rules. When you are not working, your parents control the cash flow and not all of them can see the benefit of sorority membership.

What about super-competitive SEC schools where if you don't get in as a Freshman you can pretty much give it up? These boards are full of women that went through as Freshman, that are beautiful, had recs, graduated with honors, but the bid matching system didn't give them a home. It happens! Are you saying these women can never be a valued member of your organization or have to wait on the random chance that they will meet an Alumnae member who will magically know their interest, and then even THINK about recruiting them for AI?

Do you go to work every day looking for women to join your organization? It's just not something that comes up when you are out of college and working a real job.

You are overlooking a very valuable resource that can be very valuable to your organization. I'm a single person with no other obligations. I am finally in a place in my career where I need something more, and this is what I have decided to do. If funds allow later, I would love to assist women financially in their persuit, I would also like to assist new college grads in finding jobs, which is getting to be more and more difficult.

Bottom line, it shouldn't matter how your sorority gets these women or the methods that they go through. If an AA makes the call to accept them as a sister after many meetings and possibly interviews and that AI is a fully participating member and contributing to the organization, what $!%* difference does it make?

Saying that a GC AI Forum will cause a flood of AI's to to bombard the nationals with phone calls is about as ridiculous as saying that if drugs were legalized tomorrow, everybody in America would be three sheets in the wind.

That isn't happening now b/c if it was, then the AA Chapters wouldn't appear puzzled and confused when AI is brought up.

I just think it's incredibly insulting that you just ASSUME that every single person that inquires about AI was rejected for membership.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

Do you go to work every day looking for women to join your organization? It's just not something that comes up when you are out of college and working a real job.

I work in Admin at a plumbing company. Most of our plumbers would make damn ugly sorority women.

[ReachTheLimit]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

But that's exactly what we're trying to tell PNAI's. Yes, ritual makes sororities special, but as an Alum, you MAY participate in ONE OR TWO rituals a year, if that, and that's if you happen to be in an active Alum chapter or are an active adviser.

And within sorority Alum chapters, you constantly have fluctuating membership. People show up or not all the time. There's not some special OMG I HAVE TO GO BECAUSE I'M A MEMBER FOR LIFE thing that keeps Alum chapters running.

I am not under the impression, nor have ever been told, that ritual was done on a regular basis, especially at the AA level.

However, I disagree with Penguin that this isn't what bonds them. Yes the people are important and the work that is involved is important, but to say ritual isn't a bonding process, a commitment, and a vow to that organization for life is the same thing as dismissing the importance of it.

And I have never, ever seen a sorority woman say or write that it wasn't something very dear and precious to them.

[ReachTheLimit]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I work in Admin at a plumbing company. Most of our plumbers would make damn ugly sorority women.

Ok...LOL...you win on that one.

[blueangel]

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy

OK, we get it, you're obsessed with the TOS and making sure that they are followed. You're not a mod, it's not your job. Get over it and get a hobby or something.

No, I'm not a moderator here.. but I am a MEMBER here, and would like to see the TOS universally enforced so that I, and others, can participate without unprovoked personal attacks like the one you just made in the above quote.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by blueangel

No, I'm not a moderator here.. but I am a MEMBER here, and would like to see the TOS universally enforced so that I, and others, can participate without unprovoked personal attacks like the one you just made in the above quote.

Does that mean that her post is reported??

[tunatartare]

Originally Posted by blueangel

No, I'm not a moderator here.. but I am a MEMBER here, and would like to see the TOS universally enforced so that I, and others, can participate without unprovoked personal attacks like the one you just made in the above quote.

It is the job of moderators and the administrator to make sure that the TOS are universally enforced. You are neither. If you don't like the way that things are run on GC, leave. No one's begging you to stay, really.

[blueangel]

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy

It is the job of moderators and the administrator to make sure that the TOS are universally enforced. You are neither. If you don't like the way that things are run on GC, leave. No one's begging you to stay, really.

I would think that by now you would realize that your unprovoked personal attacks are not going to run me off. I will just continue to report them as members are allowed to do.

Now, can we please continue this discussion without getting personal?

[tunatartare]

How is it a personal attack? Seriously, is anyone allowed to say anything on GC anymore without you crying personal attack on them. You try to prevent harassment on GC, when in reality, you are the one doing most of the harassment.

[adpiucf]

Originally Posted by blueangel

Do you not have enough faith in your GLO to be able to weed these women out? It's not for us to judge on the AI forum who is a good fit and who isn't... it is up to the individual headquarters and local alumnae groups.

We do have faith. We don't want to waste their time, however, and GC is a great beacon of light to Googlers everywhere, encouraging them to call up sorority HQ's and inquire about AI when that isn't the way it is done. GC has become an unintentional and unwanted PR vehicle for a rare membership practice. It isn't up to us to judge who is a good fit on an internet message board, but it is in our interests as sorority women to see that our sorority practices are being properly implemented. AI is not a promotional tool or recruitment method. This forum, although started with the best of intentions, is just one of the many reasons our Council's look down on GC.

Sororities do not want to publicize their AI programs to non-members. This includes GC. This includes limiting solicitation by non-members to HQs and AAs.

Originally Posted by blueangel

In my opinion, the answer isn't shutting down these forums.. it's about universally enforcing the TOS throughout ALL the forums in Greek Chat.

Good luck with that. That isn't the culture of GC and it never will be so long as John is running this site. He allows each mod to mod their forums as they see fit.

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

These boards are full of women that went through as Freshman, that are beautiful, had recs, graduated with honors, but the bid matching system didn't give them a home. It happens! Are you saying these women can never be a valued member of your organization or have to wait on the random chance that they will meet an Alumnae member who will magically know their interest, and then even THINK about recruiting them for AI?

Yes, and they got over it, moved on and got lives. Their life hasn't been one big, bad disaster because they didn't get to join a club in college. And yes, if someone is interested in AI, she will follow the proper channels and wait to be invited to membership because that is how the majority of NPC sororities do AI. Part of being a sorority member is following the sorority policies and practices. I would hope that a "Prospective" member hoping to join through AI would respect that the sorority has rules that have worked for well over 100 years because of their constant evolution at biannual voting conventions and the 1000s of members who adhere to these rules and the chain of command.

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

Do you go to work every day looking for women to join your organization? It's just not something that comes up when you are out of college and working a real job.

Exactly. Because NPC sororities are based on collegiate membership. That is how we bring in members. The AI program is limited to very, very few. It isn't recruitment and we have no need at this time to increase our membership base by such a large amount by developing a new component of membership programming/recruitment of new alumnae members through the AI programs.

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

You are overlooking a very valuable resource that can be very valuable to your organization.

Please don't presume to tell my sorority or any other how to run our organizations. We do things a certain way for a certain reason. The vast majority of us have AI programs and initate women through this program in very, very limited numbers based on our inital reaching out to the new member. When we are prepared to increase alumnae programing, promote the AI program more aggressively or change our sorority focus, we will. Not before.

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

I'm a single person with no other obligations. I am finally in a place in my career where I need something more, and this is what I have decided to do. If funds allow later, I would love to assist women financially in their persuit, I would also like to assist new college grads in finding jobs, which is getting to be more and more difficult.

There are a great many activities you could become involved with that you would enjoy. You can also mentor collegiate students in ways other than sorority membership. There are 100s of college activities requiring mentors and advisers. You can also join a service organization, a church group or a NON-COLLEGIATE SORORITY. Adopt a dog. Get a PT job to fill the void. Sit on the junior board of a philanthropic organization or join a professional society within your field.

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

Bottom line, it shouldn't matter how your sorority gets these women or the methods that they go through. If an AA makes the call to accept them as a sister after many meetings and possibly interviews and that AI is a fully participating member and contributing to the organization, what $!%* difference does it make?

Exacltly right. If the AA wants to invite someone to join though AI, they can get the paperwork going and then it will pass through the approvals process. The bottom line is that once initated these women are sisters. However, in the meantime, we as sorority members follow the rules of our organization and we would expect that anyone wanting to join would respect that we have rules and standards in place for a reason. Please stop asserting what our sororities should or should not do. It is not your place to tell us to change our policies.

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

Saying that a GC AI Forum will cause a flood of AI's to to bombard the nationals with phone calls is about as ridiculous as saying that if drugs were legalized tomorrow, everybody in America would be three sheets in the wind.

That isn't happening now b/c if it was, then the AA Chapters wouldn't appear puzzled and confused when AI is brought up.

I am a former alumnae officer. GC has created a lot more problems in this regard than you would imagine. Again, please don't presume to tell us what our organizations should or should not do. A sorority is a constantly evolving entity, and when and if the time is right, the AI programs and alumnae programming with evolve and change. In the meantime, please stop asserting how you believe we should run these programs. And get involved with another activity. AI comprises a very small percentage of a sorority's programming interests and your obsession with how and why it should change is not healthy. Clearly you have a lot to offer an organization. Why would you waste your time with a program that clearly states that a personal connection for sponsorship is required if that connection does not exist? It seems like a waste of time and effort, and it is holding you back from leading a rich and fulfilling life in service and friendship to others.

[KunjaPrincess]

Originally Posted by blueangel

No, I'm not a moderator here.. but I am a MEMBER here, and would like to see the TOS universally enforced so that I, and others, can participate without unprovoked personal attacks like the one you just made in the above quote.

If you feel that is an attack you seriously need some thicker skin!!!

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by KunjaPrincess

If you feel that is an attack you seriously need some thicker skin!!!

Careful...she'll report you too for telling her to get thicker skin.

Where's that reported thread when you need it?? Can one of the Mods just set up that thread to filter all of blueangels posts directly to that thread??

[ReachTheLimit]

adpiucf,

Are you making the claim that you are privy to the AI membership policies of other sororities? You shouldn't, everyone on here keeps stating that it's ritual and top secret, so I doubt you have this information.

The bottom line is that women women make the initial contact, the AA are calling these women and setting up meetings. So your argument that "most sororities" are not open or hate this method doesn't hold water because I have heard, and experienced, the same.

Alpha Delta Pi is one of the NPC Organizations where it is more rare than in other sororities, so please don't assume that all of the other sororities work like yours, because it has been stated many times by other GLO Members, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW!

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

Alpha Delta Pi is one of the NPC Organizations where.......YOU WOULDN'T KNOW!

Since you're not a member...

I think she's more privy to what ADPi does and doesn't do. You needn't tell her about it.