DePauw Rush Results

[irishpipes]

So, no sororities made quota? Are you sure it was 36?

[AChiOhSnap]

That whole DZ situation seems like an unholy mess. I feel so bad for everyone involved.

[33girl]

Now, keep in mind what I'm going to say isn't an indictment in any way of DZ - I've heard of practically every NPC group doing similar "membership reviews" and things like what happened at DePauw.

First off, choosing the women who want to "commit to recruitment" often means the women who want to commit to the type of member, and the number of members, the national organization wants. Not necessarily what the chapter wants or even what fits with the school. When someone comes in and basically says they want you to change from (random musical
example) Beyonce to Korn, for lack of a better analogy, you might just decide to run out the door because they have no clue what you are about.

But here's what kind of kills me about the whole deal. It seems like there were a lot of rumors going around the Greek community about the chapter because they were small and that they weren't supported as much as they could have been, but then the campus gets all up in arms that they weren't treated well by their national. Maybe if that support would have been there previously, the chapter wouldn't have gotten to the point that it had. I guess it's a case of I can say someone in my family is an asshat, but if anyone else says they're an asshat, I'll beat them up.

[OleMissGlitter]

It does seem like a big mess. I hope something good will come out of it.

[irishpipes]

DePauw is ridiculously Greek, but even at that, it only has 2,350 students. Even if many of them are Greek (typically 80%+ of freshmen women rush, and 65%+ pledge), it is tough to support as many sororities as they have. There is another sorority there besides DZ that is significantly smaller than the others (although apparently had a good rush.) I think it hard to compete at a small school with very large chapters, 4 of them founded before 1900, 2 of them Alphas. I hope DZ works it out - that is an old chapter for them with a beautiful house.

[PeppyGPhiB]

It looks like the "starting fresh" approach DZ nationals took did not help the chapter during recruitment. Why did they decide to kick those women out just before formal recruitment? I assume DZ will be doing a massive interview/membership drive now?

"Image" keeps getting brought up. Were the decisions made on personal, physical image, or the collective image, as in reputation, of the chapter? I do think it's horrible for a GLO to kick members out of a chapter because they decide they aren't pretty enough. That's just mean, and is cruel on a very basic, human level. DZ is a strong organization, but can you really blame women for choosing not to join during rush if this is the new image DZ is presenting?

ETA: for the record, I would feel the same way if it was my org. that did this

[33girl]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

It looks like the "starting fresh" approach DZ nationals took did not help the chapter during recruitment. Why did they decide to kick those women out just before formal recruitment? I assume DZ will be doing a massive interview/membership drive now?

Apparently, they were under the impression that even if they closed the chapter, they would automatically regain a spot if Panhellenic opened up again. The school told them this was not the case. I sincerely hope that "Wow, OK. What do we do now?" was not a direct quote from an international sorority's executive director. They then had to scramble for winter/spring rush.

I believe the Green Book says you have a year to be dormant/reorganize etc, but I'm guessing the time line they laid out to the school was longer than that.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

You know what happens when the bottom chapter folds? Someone else becomes the bottom chapter. However, it seems a little strange that on a campus with only 7, there would be two weaklings.

[DeltaDZ]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

"Image" keeps getting brought up. Were the decisions made on personal, physical image, or the collective image, as in reputation, of the chapter? I do think it's horrible for a GLO to kick members out of a chapter because they decide they aren't pretty enough. That's just mean, and is cruel on a very basic, human level. DZ is a strong organization, but can you really blame women for choosing not to join during rush if this is the new image DZ is presenting?

Physical image was one of the main reasons most of the women of Delta Chapter were forced into alumnae status by DZ nationals. They weren't pretty enough to fit into their steriotypical image of what a "sorority girl" should be. They kept the pretty girls and the girls who partied and drank a lot. Suddenly, girls that were right for DZ last year were kicked to the curb.
Unfortunately, DZ at DePauw had the rep of being the "fat house" with the girls that did nothing but study and nobody wanted to join a house with a rep like that. So nationals took it upon themselves to kick out all of the girls who weren't perfect in hopes of reviving the chapter. Well, Nats, you got 3 girls. Seems like that was a stellar decision to make - make DZ the laughingstock of campus where no girl in their right mind would join a house that might kick them out for not being perfect some day instead of gracefuly sliding into the history books. So much for sisterhood being forever.

[33girl]

How big are the houses at DePauw? Were there enough girls in DZ before the membership review to fill the house? Oh, and what's being done w/ it now?

Originally Posted by DeltaDZ

Physical image was one of the main reasons most of the women of Delta Chapter were forced into alumnae status by DZ nationals. They weren't pretty enough to fit into their steriotypical image of what a "sorority girl" should be. They kept the pretty girls and the girls who partied and drank a lot. Suddenly, girls that were right for DZ last year were kicked to the curb.
Unfortunately, DZ at DePauw had the rep of being the "fat house" with the girls that did nothing but study and nobody wanted to join a house with a rep like that. So nationals took it upon themselves to kick out all of the girls who weren't perfect in hopes of reviving the chapter. Well, Nats, you got 3 girls. Seems like that was a stellar decision to make - make DZ the laughingstock of campus where no girl in their right mind would join a house that might kick them out for not being perfect some day instead of gracefuly sliding into the history books. So much for sisterhood being forever.

My sympathy to you and your sisters. I, too, know how it feels to be dicked over by your HQ.

The fact that officials have kept mum about the situation is sketchy, and I really don't blame you for being so upset.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by DeltaDZ

Physical image was one of the main reasons most of the women of Delta Chapter were forced into alumnae status by DZ nationals. They weren't pretty enough to fit into their steriotypical image of what a "sorority girl" should be. They kept the pretty girls and the girls who partied and drank a lot. Suddenly, girls that were right for DZ last year were kicked to the curb.
Unfortunately, DZ at DePauw had the rep of being the "fat house" with the girls that did nothing but study and nobody wanted to join a house with a rep like that. So nationals took it upon themselves to kick out all of the girls who weren't perfect in hopes of reviving the chapter. Well, Nats, you got 3 girls. Seems like that was a stellar decision to make - make DZ the laughingstock of campus where no girl in their right mind would join a house that might kick them out for not being perfect some day instead of gracefuly sliding into the history books. So much for sisterhood being forever.

That really is sad, and I hope some DZs who are upset by the situation let HQ know about it. It sounds like HQ drastically underestimated the women at DePauw, who observed what was going on and decided they wanted no part of it.

[dzchelsea]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Why did they decide to kick those women out just before formal recruitment? I assume DZ will be doing a massive interview/membership drive now?

"Image" keeps getting brought up. Were the decisions made on personal, physical image, or the collective image, as in reputation, of the chapter? I do think it's horrible for a GLO to kick members out of a chapter because they decide they aren't pretty enough. That's just mean, and is cruel on a very basic, human level. DZ is a strong organization, but can you really blame women for choosing not to join during rush if this is the new image DZ is presenting?

ETA: for the record, I would feel the same way if it was my org. that did this

No one was kicked out. The women of the Delta chapter voted (albeit not unanimously) to close the chapter in August 2006 and were granted Alumna status at that time. The "member reviews" were the result of DZ National Council members approaching university administration to negotiate terms for returning to the Depauw campus at a later date...after all it is the fourth oldest chapter in the organization with over 900 alumnae. Campus administration refused to agree to a return but suggested the "member reviews" as a way to allow the chapter to continue recruiting. After the member reviews it was clear that 12 of the 35 women were interested in returning to an active status and wanted to push forward with recruitment efforts. All other women remained on Alumna status. As far as I know, alumnae do not live in greek houses...and these women had been doing so for several months as alumnae. There is a lot of misrepresented information being presented by the press. Do not believe everything you read, see or hear. For one thing, image was obviously not the issue when one of the 23 women remaining on Alumna status was a beauty pageant winner...food for thought.

OMG CINDY MENGES VERSION 2.0!!!!

[valkyrie]

Originally Posted by dzchelsea

No one was kicked out. The women of the Delta chapter voted (albeit not unanimously) to close the chapter in August 2006 and were granted Alumna status at that time. The "member reviews" were the result of DZ National Council members approaching university administration to negotiate terms for returning to the Depauw campus at a later date...after all it is the fourth oldest chapter in the organization with over 900 alumnae. Campus administration refused to agree to a return but suggested the "member reviews" as a way to allow the chapter to continue recruiting. After the member reviews it was clear that 12 of the 35 women were interested in returning to an active status and wanted to push forward with recruitment efforts. All other women remained on Alumna status. As far as I know, alumnae do not live in greek houses...and these women had been doing so for several months as alumnae. There is a lot of misrepresented information being presented by the press. Do not believe everything you read, see or hear. For one thing, image was obviously not the issue when one of the 23 women remaining on Alumna status was a beauty pageant winner...food for thought.

The beauty pageant issue has already been discussed and dismissed, but nice try with your rehash of the B.S. that has been put forth on the issue.