If No Deferred Recruitment, What's A Good Alternative?

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

I'm looking for opinions here.

Through the fraternities (mainly) on campus, Penn State Behrend is looking to do away with deferred recruitment. While I'm back and forth about where I stand on this issue right now, if this does pass, the administration is looking for a kind of "deal", where the Greek organizations work to improve themselves and/or the new member process in exchange for allowing first semester freshmen to receive bids.

One of the options is a kind of "tier" system, where chapters are evaluated and then placed within 3 different tiers which would determine how many first semester freshmen they could bid. For example, the first tier would be your basics (have at least a 2.5 chapter GPA, have a minimum number of philanthropy hours and educational programs), which would be set at marks that basically all chapters should be at right now. Tier 2 and 3 would be more difficult to reach (like having a 3.5 cumulative GPA for tier 3, for example). These higher levels would allow a chapter to bid more first semester freshmen.

Another option that was brought up is to have a supplemental new member program. From what I've heard, it would consist of one meeting a week, for 6-8 weeks, and all of the new members from all the Greek organizations would be required to attend. There would be fun activities and icebreakers, but for the most part, these meetings would cover things like time management, study skills, budgeting your money, risk management issues, etc., in order to prepare new members for being a part of Greek life, as well as to give them information regarding living and working in college, and beyond. And again, this would be a supplemental "new member program" that wouldn't conflict with or hinder our individual chapters' programs.

What are your opinions about these proposed systems?

I think both sound like bad ideas. Putting GLOs into a tier system is just begging for some chapters to close. Who wants to join an officially labeled "third tier" organization? It's good for the school to have standards and goals for the greeks, but I think it's bad for the school to slap a label onto a chapter...PNMs can judge chapters for themselves. And by restricting numbers of new members, the school will make it impossible for some chapters to ever build themselves up.

I'm not really in favor of the "supplemental" new member program either if it's really 6-8 weeks in length. New members are already forced to attend one new member meeting and one chapter meeting per week, and you want to add a third meeting? In addition to other new member activities? Maybe one afternoon workshop is appropriate, but a weekly meeting is a bit much. Plus, why does the school feel that greeks should be singled out to receive those lessons in time management, budgeting money, etc? All students can benefit from that information, and it's usually what schools cover in a New Student Orientation. If your school doesn't offer NSO, perhaps it should.

[Kansas City]

I agree with both of PeppyGPhiB points and particularly thought that this ...

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

I'm not really in favor of the "supplemental" new member program either if it's really 6-8 weeks in length. New members are already forced to attend one new member meeting and one chapter meeting per week, and you want to add a third meeting? In addition to other new member activities? Maybe one afternoon workshop is appropriate, but a weekly meeting is a bit much. Plus, why does the school feel that greeks should be singled out to receive those lessons in time management, budgeting money, etc? All students can benefit from that information, and it's usually what schools cover in a New Student Orientation. If your school doesn't offer NSO, perhaps it should.

... sounded like a freshman orientation/seminar type of class. The university I advise at has one program for new Greek members (BANG = Becoming a new Greek) on what to expect from Greek life (anti-hazing, grade requirements, etc.) but it is a one time presentation and not part of a semester long curriculum in an already busy new member schedule. It is beneficial in that it helps new members to meet people from other organizations that are going through a similar experience but I don't see a need for continued lectures on the subject.

Perhaps if the OP could better explain the reasons for these potential requirements? I'd be curious to hear what they are.