Phi Retro Recruitment

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by SmartBlondeGPhB

It's not the business of the chapter to tell the family of a PNM that she was cut.

I understand and agree with this generally, but most groups do have legacy policies of one kind or another which indicates that certain relatives of members receive a special level of consideration of some kind.

It's about the relationship or the organization with the member rather than the PNM, in my opinion. The organizations usually promote legacy introduction forms, don't they? They expect members to provide the chapter with information, so why wouldn't it also seem reasonable to expect that the information would flow both ways?

Again, it seems to me that notification isn't about the PNM really; it's all about the person who is already a member who has taken the time to make you aware of a legacy going through recruitment.

I can see that Gamma Phi Beta's policy would have several benefits to the chapter in the short term, and as I said, the phone call may not do any good in terms of long term relationships anyway. I think it's a perfectly justifiable policy to have, not that my opinion about it would matter anyway. I'm just trying to explain why I don't think the "it's no one else's business" is completely ironclad.

I don't understand what the "what if the member wants to get cut" question is about. Sooner or later in the process, the PNM is going to get to decide if she is interested in the group, even if it's just on the bid card. Can you explain what you mean more elaborately because I know I'm missing something here.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally Posted by Alphagamuga

I understand and agree with this generally, but most groups do have legacy policies of one kind or another which indicates that certain relatives of members receive a special level of consideration of some kind.

It's about the relationship or the organization with the member rather than the PNM, in my opinion. The organizations usually promote legacy introduction forms, don't they? They expect members to provide the chapter with information, so why wouldn't it also seem reasonable to expect that the information would flow both ways?

Again, it seems to me that notification isn't about the PNM really; it's all about the person who is already a member who has taken the time to make you aware of a legacy going through recruitment.

I can see that Gamma Phi Beta's policy would have several benefits to the chapter in the short term, and as I said, the phone call may not do any good in terms of long term relationships anyway. I think it's a perfectly justifiable policy to have, not that my opinion about it would matter anyway. I'm just trying to explain why I don't think the "it's no one else's business" is completely ironclad.

I don't understand what the "what if the member wants to get cut" question is about. Sooner or later in the process, the PNM is going to get to decide if she is interested in the group, even if it's just on the bid card. Can you explain what you mean more elaborately because I know I'm missing something here.

You're missing more than something. She may not WANT the person to know. There are such things as PNM's who continue through rush at houses they don't really like simply because they don't want to hurt someone's feelings by dropping the group. In which case, they are relieved when they are cut.

And you are correct. Your opinion about MY sorority's policy is irrelevant. It's a policy they have had for years and it isn't likely to change. I've never even heard it discussed before so it obviously works for us.

[alphagamphi]

AlphaGamUGa I did have a lot of help writing papers in college amoung other things for having dyslexia. It was a challenge for me but I am thankful that I was able to get it.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by SmartBlondeGPhB

You're missing more than something. She may not WANT the person to know. There are such things as PNM's who continue through rush at houses they don't really like simply because they don't want to hurt someone's feelings by dropping the group. In which case, they are relieved when they are cut.

And you are correct. Your opinion about MY sorority's policy is irrelevant. It's a policy they have had for years and it isn't likely to change. I've never even heard it discussed before so it obviously works for us.

Did you intend this to come of the way it does in terms of tone or am I reading something into it that isn't there?

I didn't appeal for your group's policy to be changed. I was originally asking to be enlightened about the policy itself because it seems different from that of mine and apparently other groups. I was curious if it was a more recent development and wondered what had contributed to the change if it was even, in fact, a change.

Gamma Phi Beta may have learned that the calls do more harm than good to alumnae relationships as well as compromising the PNMs privacy, and it might be a policy that other groups should consider.

Based on your never having heard it discussed before, it doesn't appear that you are able to provide that information.

Again, I don't see why the PNM's potential feelings about being cut change the group's relationship to the member who makes her a legacy.

Why would you all defer more to a young woman who wasn't a member of your group than you would want to communicate with the alumnae members you already had?

I'm not talking about keeping all the legacies here; I'm just talking about not understanding how a PNM's feeling about the group would matter in terms of notification of the member about dropping her. It would seem to me that it would matter less to the member if the PNM weren't really interested in the chapter than the chapter dropped her, but it doesn't really explain why it benefits the GLO not to notify.

We can pretend that all GLOs consider during recruitment is the benefit to the PNM if you want, but I'm not sure that's what happens in most cases.

[ForeverRoses]

I actually like Gamma Phi's policy of the chapter not calling. Honestly, when a chapter does call, do they really tell the "whole truth" or do they just say things to try and make the chapter sound good?
I can't imagine a legacy being cut for not being up to chapter "standards" (whatever those might be) and then the alumna actually being told the whole truth. I know from personal experience that the alumna is usually told something about the legacy being a "better fit somewhere else" or that "they didn't seem interested in us" or "they seemed to really love a different house". Bascially, the reason is sugar-coated. So why even call? Let the PNM call and if the alumna wants more answers, they can contact the chapter directly.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

I actually like Gamma Phi's policy of the chapter not calling. Honestly, when a chapter does call, do they really tell the "whole truth" or do they just say things to try and make the chapter sound good?
I can't imagine a legacy being cut for not being up to chapter "standards" (whatever those might be) and then the alumna actually being told the whole truth. I know from personal experience that the alumna is usually told something about the legacy being a "better fit somewhere else" or that "they didn't seem interested in us" or "they seemed to really love a different house". Bascially, the reason is sugar-coated. So why even call? Let the PNM call and if the alumna wants more answers, they can contact the chapter directly.

I can see all of your points on some level although I wouldn't think you'd want to set up the expectation that an alumna could call the house and hear about MS to her satisfaction.

The chapter making the call does kind of suggest that it's the time for the alum to ask her questions, sugar-coated as the answers are likely to be. But it certainly could be done as a follow up note, I suppose, as well, as as some other posters pointed out, you could soften the news by noting that the PNM joined another group.

As I've said before, there are a lot of practical reasons that I can see why not calling works during recruitment. I can only imagine how angry alumnae get when the chapter is supposed to call and then cuts someone without calling.
Gamma Phi Beta's may be the best practical policy.

[PeppyGPhiB]

It's my understanding that Gamma Phi Beta has the legacy notification policy that it does out of respect for the PNM's privacy. Alphagamuga, since you've persevered in asking WHY my sorority has the policy it does, I'll suggest this as a possible reason: maybe Gamma Phi Beta feels that collegiate recruitment should really be left in the capable hands of our collegiate sisters and the PNMs to decide. It is each PNM's recruitment, NOT the alumna's, and the wants/feelings of each PNM should probably be of more importance in the recruitment process than the alumna's. Some sororities' policies place more importance on the alumna's feelings during recruitment, wheras mine seems to keep that importance on the woman going through recruitment.