rush as a sophomore @ IU...

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

But it's a choice on the sororities' part to say that everybody has to live in for X number of years. Lots of chapters thrive with only the sophomores and officers (for example) living in.

Indiana isn't like other schools. I don't know why this is, but it is. There are no Panhellenic rules to prevent them from doing things this way, and I'm sure if it was crippling the system it would change.

Someone more familiar with housing and the Greek culture overall at Indiana could probably give more insight.

[IlliniMeg]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Indiana isn't like other schools. I don't know why this is, but it is. There are no Panhellenic rules to prevent them from doing things this way, and I'm sure if it was crippling the system it would change.

Someone more familiar with housing and the Greek culture overall at Indiana could probably give more insight.

I think that there will be a move to change it to a quota/total system in the next couple of years. NPC is aware of it and it really limiting the opportunities for women who want Greek Life.

The other problem is, it is filling beds, but more so the strongest chapters set their quota a good 20 - 25 women LESS than other chapters. This overall is about 60 - 75 bids that could be given out in a quota system a year that aren't. They want smaller PNM classes in order to have the cream of the crop. It's going to be a hornet's nest but I think you'll see IU move to doing quota/total.

To the OP who is originally posted - Don't let being a sophomore discourage you. I would suggest that you think about the reasons you want to be greek. It sounds like you have - sisterhood, friendship, lifetime connections to each other and campus. If you go into recruitment looking for Groups that match the same things you are looking for, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

The reality of the situation is that IU hands out limited bids so having a strong GPA and I would say recommendations might give you an edge. But there are plenty of sororities on campus that provide qualities that it seems that you are looking for, regardless of status, that you can't go wrong. You might also want to check out informal recruitment.

Good luck!

[33girl]

Originally Posted by IlliniMeg

I think that there will be a move to change it to a quota/total system in the next couple of years. NPC is aware of it and it really limiting the opportunities for women who want Greek Life.

The other problem is, it is filling beds, but more so the strongest chapters set their quota a good 20 - 25 women LESS than other chapters. This overall is about 60 - 75 bids that could be given out in a quota system a year that aren't. They want smaller PNM classes in order to have the cream of the crop. It's going to be a hornet's nest but I think you'll see IU move to doing quota/total.

I was wondering if this had something to do with it - if it was a status thing to say "well, WE only took 30 girls because we are more elite."

On the one hand, I think it is silly to bypass total & quota - esp at a school where even "smaller" groups could have big chapters - but on the other hand, I think it would be very freeing to be able to say "we filled our house. We like the girls we have. We don't want any more. We're done with rush for the year. Leave us be." I mean, if you don't want a big chapter, you don't build a big house. It's similar to how the fraternities operate.

It just kind of surprises me that the HQs of the sororities haven't pushed to go to a quota/total system - especially those who have chapters there who would have no trouble filling it.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Right now, they do keep all the beds full. I would imagine in a quota/total system, the less-popular chapters would have trouble doing so.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Right now, they do keep all the beds full. I would imagine in a quota/total system, the less-popular chapters would have trouble doing so.

I just hate that it fixes the size of the community regardless of demand. With a quota-total system, no one forces a chapter to take quota. Ok maybe they get pressure from HQ to take quota, but ultimately, they can cut more than the number recommended with the RFM. If a top tier chapter only wants to take enough to fill their chapter house, then that would help the middle and lower tier chapters by creating more spots in the chapter although not all members would live in the house.The quota-total system, while imperfect, is designed to place the maximum number of women and maximize the size of the chapters. I can only see their community growing as a result of a quota-total system. Until they change, there will be tons of women who ARE willing to join any chapter who can't for no reason other than space. Indiana is probably one of the few places where all of the members live in the house. If they have more sign up than chapters can take, that means that there are plenty of women who want to live in the houses.

/rant

[IlliniMeg]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Right now, they do keep all the beds full. I would imagine in a quota/total system, the less-popular chapters would have trouble doing so.

Quite honestly there are some chapters that cannot keep their houses full and they NEED to.

There is somewhat of an old row/new row feel - the older houses are literally older and smaller, the newer are mansions and on the outskirts of campus. No one has ever outright mentioned it to me but that's the only thing I can think of.

I think if IU did go to quota/total it will help the smaller chapters - they might actually even out. It seems like women are more likely to go heavy for the strongest chapters if they get cut they are out - and maybe a lot of other women with them (tent talk). If they increase quota, women will stay longer and have a chance for a bid.

Who knows though, if it's already socially stratified so much, it could be the same problem but now with a quota/total.

And to 33girl - the NPC HQs may not have thought it was a problem b/c their chapters are 120+ and they are excelling in every area of their own standards. Plus I think every national would want to be on IU's campus so why rock a boat?

There are a few I know that I think are going to put up quite a fight.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by IlliniMeg

And to 33girl - the NPC HQs may not have thought it was a problem b/c their chapters are 120+ and they are excelling in every area of their own standards. Plus I think every national would want to be on IU's campus so why rock a boat?

There are a few I know that I think are going to put up quite a fight.

That's true - even if they're in the toilet in IU land, they may be the queens of everything in Nu Mu land. I would hope the sororities would take the overall environment into account when handing out awards, etc. Then you have the other side of the coin - the chapters that excel on a campus where the competition isn't very fierce (i.e. there are only 2-3 sororities) receiving tons of accolades and national awards, and chapters at huge schools like IU who are probably doing 10 times the work getting shafted for those things because they are below quota at their school (never mind their quota is the size of small school chapter's whole Greek system).

I'm not sure which is worse. DZ I think has different "tiers" of national awards, i.e. there's a small system award for best programming and a big system award. Then again, they can do that because they've got a gazillion chapters.