Rushing as a SENIOR in the Fall, informal recruitment. Advice?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by groovypq

Call me crazy, but the chapter I advise wouldn't even be allowed to take a senior, regardless of semester.

Seriously?

Pardon me being judgmental, but that's fucked up.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Seriously?

Pardon me being judgmental, but that's fucked up.

Not if you have a house to keep full. A senior is most likely never going to live in.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Not if you have a house to keep full. A senior is most likely never going to live in.

Then if that's the case, there should be a chapter bylaw that says "all members regardless of class standing must live in the house for x semesters." If Suzy Senior can't fulfill that, then don't give her a bid. But don't not give her a bid because of her class status. That can really put you on the hook if someone wants to say you're discriminating. I mean, Frieda Freshman might not be able to live in the house and do her part, so she shouldn't get a bid either.

Nothing is a "sure thing."

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Then if that's the case, there should be a chapter bylaw that says "all members regardless of class standing must live in the house for x semesters." If Suzy Senior can't fulfill that, then don't give her a bid. But don't not give her a bid because of her class status. That can really put you on the hook if someone wants to say you're discriminating. I mean, Frieda Freshman might not be able to live in the house and do her part, so she shouldn't get a bid either.

Nothing is a "sure thing."

Class standing isn't a protected class when it comes to discrimination. There's nothing 'wrong' with it and the vast majority of chapters do it. Ideal world, it wouldn't happen, in a world of quotas and totals and beds, it does. Women don't get bids because they are seniors all the damn time. Some do get bids and that's awesome, but it happens all the time.

Stop acting like it's a shocking lawsuit waiting to happen.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Class standing isn't a protected class when it comes to discrimination. There's nothing 'wrong' with it and the vast majority of chapters do it. Ideal world, it wouldn't happen, in a world of quotas and totals and beds, it does. Women don't get bids because they are seniors all the damn time. Some do get bids and that's awesome, but it happens all the time.

Stop acting like it's a shocking lawsuit waiting to happen.

It is if people admit on a message board that their chapter does it, and have been told by a higher-up in their sorority to do it.

And yes, it IS wrong. If this was about a chapter being told that a Native American lesbian chem major shouldn't get a bid, you'd be contacting the ACLU yourself.

Many NPC groups and NPC in general have said over the past few years that they need to be more open to nontraditional students. IMO, that includes anyone other than the 18 year old freshman. Obviously, this has as much weight as the "recommendation" to get rid of frilly rush made 15+ years ago has had. DBB touched on this in the community college thread.

It's one thing to say "try to give bids to qualified women in a way that each class has an equal amount of members." I completely agree with that. It's quite another to say "you are forbidden to bid a senior, no matter what."

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by 33girl

It is if people admit on a message board that their chapter does it, and have been told by a higher-up in their sorority to do it.

No, because there's no protected class involved. Being a senior in school is not the same thing as being a minority of any sort.

And yes, it IS wrong. If this was about a chapter being told that a Native American lesbian chem major shouldn't get a bid, you'd be contacting the ACLU yourself.

Because our orgs have policies against racial discrimination and states have laws against it. Some states and some orgs protect from discrimination on sexual orientation, but chem majors, like seniors are NOT a protected class.

This is ridiculous on the face.

Many NPC groups and NPC in general have said over the past few years that they need to be more open to nontraditional students. IMO, that includes anyone other than the 18 year old freshman. Obviously, this has as much weight as the "recommendation" to get rid of frilly rush made 15+ years ago has had. DBB touched on this in the community college thread.

And yet, if a chapter refuses to take senior women, not a thing will happen to them legally. Only if it is violating an internal policy will there be problems.

Also, I really haven't seen such a push to be open to nontraditional students, where have you seen this outside of GC?

It's one thing to say "try to give bids to qualified women in a way that each class has an equal amount of members." I completely agree with that. It's quite another to say "you are forbidden to bid a senior, no matter what."

Sure they're different but there is no legal/lawsuit/civil rights issue here. Because there is nothing wrong with accepting only freshmen, just like there's nothing wrong with requiring membership in a 4 year degree granting institution.

No, it's not fair. But neither is recruitment, really; it tries to be equal, but it's not really about fairness. Number goals and requirements from HQ are real and create certain restrictions on chapters. It'd be nice if things weren't that way, but they are and pretending otherwise is silly.

[33girl]

http://www.kappakappagamma.org/Templ...CONTENTID=8225

Let's get off this "protected class" garbage - and just say it is stupid to say "you are not allowed to take a senior" because at some point it may bite you in the ass. I guarantee you if Selena Gomez or any of those chickie-babes went through rush as a senior, everyone would be falling themselves to bid her.

Absolutes of any kind with regard to member selection (other than being a girl or having a minimum GPA) are dumb and dangerous to implement because they contradict the fact that much of member selection is intangible. If it gets around that ABC is FORBIDDEN (there's a big difference between forbidding something and it just not happening) to bid seniors, this or that major, or anything else, it'll call into question what their exact requirements are. Basically I'm saying - if you're going to put one facet out thee, be prepared to be asked to put it ALL out there.

[groovypq]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Seriously?

Pardon me being judgmental, but that's fucked up.

Yes. I don't have a problem with it, but I'm pretty sure (unless I misunderstood something) that someone higher up the chain has told them not to do that.

Now, I could be off - it could be because of numbers in a particular class. Our upcoming senior class, for example, is huge. We're going to take a big hit when they graduate, unless next spring's recruitment numbers are pretty major.