Prohibiting 1st Semester Freshmen From Pledging

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Do you mean if they tested out of courses and got the credits, took college courses while still in high school and got the credits, things like that?

That same thing can happen w/ NPC deferred rush too.

Yes. Also, many universities offer summer courses to incoming freshman so they are able to have a college GPA and at least 12 credits before the Fall. I was in such a program.

My point is that the NPHC as a whole does not forbid first semester freshmen.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

If there are no chapter or university-established restrictions, people can pledge an NPHC org as a first semester freshman. They have to have the necessary credit hours and GPA for the Fall line. Some of us had that as first and second semester freshmen but thank God we had to wait.

Pursuing membership as a first semester freshman doesn't happen too often but 2nd semester freshmen initiates are common, particularly for certain organizations with different credit hour requirements.

Is it? Chalk it up to regional differences, but almost every greek i know who came in on the UG level were sophomore/junior level. Im sure hypothetically it happens, but is it "common?"

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

I am against any school administration limiting the right of association. Do these universities allow 1st semester freshmen to join the ski club? the Baptist Student Union?

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Do you find your sorority to be comparable to "sign-up type" organizations like the ski club and BSU?

That may be an issue.

touche. i too am against first-semester froshies pursuing membership, and that's both NPHC and NPC. i know it's the norm for the latter, but i really do think that freshmen need some time to get acclimated to college life, as it is a HUGE milestone and life-changing event. and while i'm sure most of us would like new members to associate that milestone with XYZ, i think that coming-of-age stage should happen independent of a GLO affiliation.

case and point, one of my LS's (ok, im letting go of all PC here) came in as a freshman - had very little knowledge/exposure to greek life and well, she was 18 vs. 20-21 like the rest of us. believe it or not, a lot of maturation can happen in those short 2 years. and in the present-day, you can definitely see the difference in her connection to our chapter and to the organization than the rest of us. love her to pieces, but should she have waited? i think so. no, i know so. even a semester longer couldve made a difference.

then again, i see why NPCers would be/are totally for first-semester initiation, because (what i gather from GC), formal initiations are done once an (academic) year, and there tends to not be a chance for a second-semester freshman to join.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by tld221

Is it? Chalk it up to regional differences, but almost every greek i know who came in on the UG level were sophomore/junior level. Im sure hypothetically it happens, but is it "common?"

Yes.

Most undergraduate NPHCers came in as sophomores or juniors. This is because of the GPA and credit hour requirement restrictions for NPHC organizations, as a whole.

For organizations (or chapters) with lower credit hour requirements, they often get 2nd semester freshmen.

[NutBrnHair]

NPC has historically always been in favor of early 1st semester freshmen rush/recruitment.

I totally respect the fact that NPHC has a different opinion and it certainly works for them.

NPC groups can expect to see drastic decreases in numbers if a complete change was made to deferred recruitment.

[SthrnZeta]

Deja vu.... Anybody else feel it??

[33girl]

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

NPC groups can expect to see drastic decreases in numbers if a complete change was made to deferred recruitment.

In numbers of women signing bids/pledging, maybe. But what's the point in crowing about statistics like "our chapter has made quota for the past 90 years" if you can't retain more than half of those women throughout their collegiate career or as active alumnae?

I'd rather have 30 women pledge who will truly make a lifetime commitment, than have 70 women pledge and have half of them be gone by their senior year.

I'm obviously not saying that ALL women do that - but when I read things on here like "at my school, you're made fun of if you're a senior and still active" it usually is from the chapters that have first semester rush with huge pledge classes.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by 33girl

In numbers of women signing bids/pledging, maybe. But what's the point in crowing about statistics like "our chapter has made quota for the past 90 years" if you can't retain more than half of those women throughout their collegiate career or as active alumnae?

I'd rather have 30 women pledge who will truly make a lifetime commitment, than have 70 women pledge and have half of them be gone by their senior year.

I'm obviously not saying that ALL women do that - but when I read things on here like "at my school, you're made fun of if you're a senior and still active" it usually is from the chapters that have first semester rush with huge pledge classes.

Are there initiatives to get some consensus across NPC sororities regarding the "lifetime commitment" aspect? Or would that always vary by the sorority or even chapter?

It seems that many of you always acknowledged it as a lifetime commitment whereas many did not and even scoffed at the idea.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Are there initiatives to get some consensus across NPC sororities regarding the "lifetime commitment" aspect? Or would that always vary by the sorority or even chapter?

It seems that many of you always acknowledged it as a lifetime commitment whereas many did not and even scoffed at the idea.

Well, I think the alums on GC are as a rule the ones more likely to say "I am an ASA" not "I WAS an ASA."

I'm sure every NPC group would like to have the amount of alumnae participation and devotion that the NPHC groups have, but I think it would take more than just impressing upon the collegians that membership is for life...we need to offer programs that are relevant and real INCENTIVES to stay active as an alumna. Or it might mean a complete overhaul of the way we recruit members. I don't know, if I knew the answer I guess I'd have a palmino pony and a million dollars.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by SthrnZeta

Deja vu.... Anybody else feel it??

oh yeah. big time.

Originally Posted by 33girl

Well, I think the alums on GC are as a rule the ones more likely to say "I am an ASA" not "I WAS an ASA."

I'm sure every NPC group would like to have the amount of alumnae participation and devotion that the NPHC groups have, but I think it would take more than just impressing upon the collegians that membership is for life...we need to offer programs that are relevant and real INCENTIVES to stay active as an alumna. Or it might mean a complete overhaul of the way we recruit members. I don't know, if I knew the answer I guess I'd have a palmino pony and a million dollars.

the million dollars is doable, but where are we getting a palmino pony? lol

[PhiGam]

Thats stupid, another example of a university interfering in greek life. Traditionally pledges are supposed to be freshman in their first semester, this causes them to bond more with their pledge class IMO.

[lillady85]

I agree that having more time to spend with your pledge class is important and that being a first semester pledge will help with that but it's a big transition that many freshmen need time to adjust. I wish my girls had been required to wait at least a quarter before pledging. It would really help with retention as well.

[PhiGam]

Originally Posted by lillady85

I agree that having more time to spend with your pledge class is important and that being a first semester pledge will help with that but it's a big transition that many freshmen need time to adjust. I wish my girls had been required to wait at least a quarter before pledging. It would really help with retention as well.

I guess if you have a problem with numbers than it would definitely help to have a shorter pledge semester. My chapter usually starts with 50 and ends with 30-35 and it keeps our numbers perfectly in check so this would make us change our bid process a lot.

[lillady85]

Well, I don't think we have a problem with numbers. This was our first year with recruitment and so far, none of our girls have depledged (as far as I know and I'm the pledge mom). But, I think that many of the freshman have had issues with juggling school, commitments and sorority life. It would help with them being more comfortable in staying, realizing how much of a commitment they can handle and school life in general. Even having recruitment deferred by a quarter would help because they would have a better grasp of college.

All of this I think is good for my school. We're not like SEC schools or state schools, and I know they're systems are infinitely different from ours.

[TSteven]

I posted this in another thread regarding fraternity rush, but it applies here as well.

Having year round recruitment (Summer, Fall and Spring/Winter) has always been an effective and successful way to recruit. Summer Rush gets you the local pledges and the men already known to the chapter. Fall Rush picked up out-of-state guys, guys from summer rush who needed more time to make an informed decision, guys who - for what ever reason - did not attend summer rush events, and returning students now interested in fraternities. Spring Rush (winter rush) picks up the guys who want a semester of school under their belt, guys who could not devote time to rush (pledge) during the summer or the fall (for example - athletes, band), guys who didn't really have a clue about Greek life on campus before they arrived, and friends and class mates of current members.

Bottom line is that a year round recruitment system supports not only incoming freshmen, but also upperclassmen with rushing. No "one time to receive a bid or else" factor. Year round recruitment allows the rushee to pledge when - and how - he feels most comfortable doing so. It can even the playing field by allowing chapters to use their strengths when - and how - they rush. For example, a chapter might not have a house on campus, but can compete during summer rush. Or a chapter doesn't do well during formal rush on campus but does well one-on-one either during the more relaxed summer rush or recruiting one-on-one during the school year (and then pledging during the spring). Or a chapter may do it's best recruiting during the more formal structure of fall rush.

Restricting how and when fraternities rush is... restrictive. And not good for the fraternity system as a whole. Which is why the NIC (IFC) advocates no restriction and year round recruitment.

I would add that the NIC/IFC year round recruitment model could apply to NPC recruitment as well. That is if the NPC would allow it and the chapters weren't lazy.

Short version would be to allow chapters to hold open houses during the summer so that potential new freshmen members could learn a little about each chapter. No dirty rushing cause this would be done similar to those schools that have rush in the Spring and hold open houses during the fall - like Centre, Indiana and Vanderbilt. Come fall, those freshmen PNMs who want to rush could do so then. It could be the more formal and structured recruitment if that is what the campus wants. Then come Spring/Winter, there would be a more informal recruitment - similar to COB/COR. But to keep in the *spirit* of NPCism, you could still have PNMs sign up and have a quota set. And Panhellenic could still require a year long wait for the next recruitment if someone accepted their bid but did not initiate. This would keep a freshman from changing her mind and then trying to rush the following semester. It would still be from the time of acceptance of the bid thus no change in NPC rules. If a school wanted to have their formal structured recruitment in the Spring/Winter, then they would just reverse the previous and do so. Thus if the freshman PNM feels she is ready to join in the fall, she could attempt to do so. Since it is a mutual selection, she would know that she may not receive a bid depending on each chapter's and or organization's policy regarding class standing etc.

And this works well for the freshman PNM since she would be able to rush when she is ready and comfortable doing so. And the "one time to receive a bid or else" factor should be greatly decreased.

As for NPHC or any other organization (NPC and NIC/IFC included) that might require a PNM to have a certain number of college credits prior to receiving a bid, that wouldn't change. The individual organization's rules should always trump the councils and/or the campus.

[NutBrnHair]

Lazy? Excuse me?

The formal rush model is the most efficient way to add new members.

1. Promote the event
2. Have large #s of interested individuals line up outside your door in alphabetical order with nametags
3. Actives give 100%, for membership selection is the main focus for a set amount of time
4. Welcome a quality pledge class
5. Conduct a thorough new membership education with the entire group

And yes, I know there are some campuses where this doesn't work and NPC groups must recruit all year, but I do believe the formal rush model is the most efficient.