University of Alabama Recruitment 2007

[magnoliacurious]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

I truly never heard of "First Circle." It's just "Circle," and it was the sororities which were located on or very near the circle bounded by KD, AGD, DDD, and AXOmega. The term has pretty much fallen out of use in favor of "Old Row." And true, "Old Row" is not synonymous with the Machine. The fraternities of the Machine use to pretty much tell the sororities what to do, and NEVER backed a sorority member for an SGA office. That has changed...some. Really, the sororities have WAY more members than fraternities and ought to take over the Machine! (And yes, I admire Minda Riley for standing up to them!)

I've wondered for a while why Alabama sororities often have significantly more members than fraternities. Do y'all think if they traditionally recruited most of their members at a fall formal rush instead of informally over the spring and summer they would be much bigger? It would definitely seem so if they saw everybody and everybody saw them. Certainly with the Machine and all, it would seem they would be popular for those who could get in. They have been growing steadily since 2003 when they put more emphasis on formal rush and went to potential members in Alabama cities instead of having them come to them.

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by magnoliacurious

I've wondered for a while why Alabama sororities often have significantly more members than fraternities. Do y'all think if they traditionally recruited most of their members at a fall formal rush instead of informally over the spring and summer they would be much bigger? It would definitely seem so if they saw everybody and everybody saw them. Certainly with the Machine and all, it would seem they would be popular for those who could get in. They have been growing steadily since 2003 when they put more emphasis on formal rush and went to potential members in Alabama cities instead of having them come to them.

Fraternities rush in a totally different way...dare I say, DISORGANIZED way? LOL!!
Sororities are way more organized, both individually and as a group. NPC-style recruitment is geared toward placing as many PNMs as possible. Most fraternities sign up their pledges at summer rush parties. Very few pledge through formal recruitment. IMHO: stupid, but that's the way it's always been. And gosh darn, they aren't about to change!

[bamabelle99]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

Really, the sororities have WAY more members than fraternities and ought to take over the Machine! (And yes, I admire Minda Riley for standing up to them!)

Most of the sororities are already members of the machine. It doesn't matter how many members you have...each house has one representative that's 'tapped' each year...most members never have a clue who that person is.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by magnoliacurious

I've wondered for a while why Alabama sororities often have significantly more members than fraternities. Do y'all think if they traditionally recruited most of their members at a fall formal rush instead of informally over the spring and summer they would be much bigger? It would definitely seem so if they saw everybody and everybody saw them. Certainly with the Machine and all, it would seem they would be popular for those who could get in. They have been growing steadily since 2003 when they put more emphasis on formal rush and went to potential members in Alabama cities instead of having them come to them.

That's not just an Alabama thing - Sororities almost always have way more members than fraternities do.

[kk_bama]

Originally Posted by magnoliacurious

I've wondered for a while why Alabama sororities often have significantly more members than fraternities. Do y'all think if they traditionally recruited most of their members at a fall formal rush instead of informally over the spring and summer they would be much bigger? It would definitely seem so if they saw everybody and everybody saw them. Certainly with the Machine and all, it would seem they would be popular for those who could get in. They have been growing steadily since 2003 when they put more emphasis on formal rush and went to potential members in Alabama cities instead of having them come to them.

There's also just math involved... Bama has more female than male students. Also, there are 14 sororities and 20-some odd fraternities.

[Flora]

Originally Posted by MVisKD

The First Circle sororities are KD, DDD & AGD. I don't really remember the history behind it, I just remember thinking that it was because those were the first sororities on campus. But seeing as how I only know KD's history I cannot vouch for that. First Circle had a private party every year and that was pretty much the extent....I don't know if they still do this or not but I am certain no one refers to them as "First Circle" in everyday chatter.

The UA Alpha Gam website says, "The Psi Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta was founded on the University of Alabama campus on November 18, 1921. As one of the first three sorority houses on campus, Alpha Gam is a member of First Circle." http://bama.ua.edu/~alphagam/history.html

[azureblue]

According to the Alabama ADPi website:

The Eta chapter was founded March 21, 1907, making it the second oldest women’s sorority at the Capstone. It was the first active chapter in the state of Alabama. On February 24, 2007, Eta Chapter celebrated 100 years of sisterhood with its current members, alumni, and international officers.

I never see ADPi listed as an "Old Row" or "First Circle", even though only KD has been there longer (1904). Does anybody know why?

[MVisKD]

Originally Posted by azureblue

According to the Alabama ADPi website:

The Eta chapter was founded March 21, 1907, making it the second oldest women’s sorority at the Capstone. It was the first active chapter in the state of Alabama. On February 24, 2007, Eta Chapter celebrated 100 years of sisterhood with its current members, alumni, and international officers.

I never see ADPi listed as an "Old Row" or "First Circle", even though only KD has been there longer (1904). Does anybody know why?

I do not. Perhaps their house wasn't built until later?

[bamabelle99]

Originally Posted by azureblue

I never see ADPi listed as an "Old Row" or "First Circle", even though only KD has been there longer (1904). Does anybody know why?

That's because they don't pay to be considered an "Old Row" sorority...neither does ZTA which came to campus right after ADPi...

I don't know enough about First Circle to comment - when I was at Bama, I remember them having a First Circle party, but that's it. I think KD, Alpha Gam, and Tri-Delt were the first three physical houses on sorority row (not necessarily the first chapters established on campus)...at least where sorority row is now. I know when ZTA first came on campus they were in a house somewhere else on campus, but that house burned so they built their current house (years and years ago).

[Football Fan]

Magnoliacurious,
For those of us not familiar with Greek life at Alabama please explain what is "The Machine".

[nmaggie]

Originally Posted by dgdramadawg

So, I was under the impression from things I've read on GC other than the posts about Phi Mu-not-Kappa in this thread that Old Row is AGD, KD, Tri Delt, Kappa, XO, and AXO. So, according to what's posted here, either Kappa is Old Row, was never Old Row, or left Old Row. Which?

kappa is on old row and first circle is the first three groups to have houses on campus... and there are houses that are considered "new row" just because they don't pay the dues to be on old row.

[Fleur de Lis]

Originally Posted by Football Fan

For those of us not familiar with Greek life at Alabama please explain what is "The Machine".

I was curious about "the machine" as well so I googled it. Here is an informative link on wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Machine

[BabyPiNK_FL]

I just read the wikipedia article after googling Minda Riley. I have never been so disgusted by college activities in my life. All the racial tensions and exclusion sounds plain awful. I can't believe people put so much effort into controlling other people. I know that everything is calculated in greek life, but that is just extreme.

[triplefigs]

I was a student at Bama from 1987-1992 when all of the BIG Machine stuff happened (Bama Bino, Minda Riley). That article doesn't even begin to touch on what was happening at Bama.

[magnoliacurious]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

That's not just an Alabama thing - Sororities almost always have way more members than fraternities do.

Yeah, well at Ole Miss, fraternities don't have much less members than do the sororities, and they've traditionally had formal rush, although a few fraternities have ended up taking pretty much who they wanted at their summer rush parties. I've seen online at the Crimson White that the last few years fraternities have emphasized formal rush more to accomodate out of state students in addition to going to potential members in Alabama rather than having them come to them. I don't think it's just coincidence that their membership percentage has shot from 16 to 22% in just five years!