Bid Lists 2011

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I do encourage pnms to write; I am not going to contact them personally in case they did NOT have a successful recruitment and the last thing they need is a reminder. I would like to see the CHAPTERS be pro-active. Usually there is an alumna who is responsible for handling recs - she would seem to be the perfect person to do it. After recruitment she should have a little time to express the appreciation each chapter should have to those alumnae who write recs.

Some Gamma Phi chapters are pro-active - I send a self-addressed stamped envelope with a sheet listing all the young women for whom I have written recs. Some chapters return it, and some don't, so I think it fair to say that IHQ doesn't have a policy on it. Claiming privacy issues makes no sense. Sending me the results of those for whom I have written recs is in no way, shape or form a privacy risk for the girls - I already have their information, don't I? And it's not just idle curiosity. Our alumnae panhellenic has actives come and speak to pnm high school seniors in the spring, and we try to get a mix of chapters and campuses. Knowing where local girls are enables us to provide the best possible information to our high school seniors.

eta - and the "sad sad" was a "Daria" reference. Yes, I am old.

Do you mean Sick Sad World the news program that played on Daria?

So why not contact their family if they are local if you don't want to ask the young woman in the event she wasn't successful? Ask one of those local actives invited by your alumnae panhellenic for the information? Use all of your resources instead of counting on collegians to mail back your sheet or contact you? Find out who the alumna is who handles the recs and contact her (totally foreign to me, and not specifically for Alpha Gam, must be a thing where you live for bigger recruitment's) instead of the current situation.

The information is obviously very important to you, but the way we think our collegiate sisters should act, behave, and respond is not going to realistically change or happen so to get the information you're going to need to get creative while realizing we're not their priority and privacy is a factor, whether you believe it or like it. I'll own that I am currently a bit more sensitive to privacy and safety as a former professor murdered an alumna of my chapter last week, but frankly between that and the alumna perp thread it is obvious people aren't always what they seem.

[SWTXBelle]

Thank you - "Sick, Sad World" is what I meant.

If you will read my responses, you will see that it is not the collegians who I think should be doing this, but the alumna in charge of recommendations. I will take the suggestions to write BEFORE recruitment to encourage the pnms to contact me after recruitment. I wouldn't contact the families for the same reason I wouldn't contact the young women after recruitment. Also, I clearly stated why I was interested. I understand that you are sensitive to privacy concerns, but those don't factor in to my request that alumnae advisors let those sisters who send recs know the result of recruitment. Some Gamma Phi chapters even have pre-made cards they send. It doesn't take a great deal of time to check ___ did not pledge __ pledged Gamma Phi ___ pledged _____. That's it - you can do it under a minute. Those chapters who have crazy-go-nuts pledge classes also tend to be the chapters who have alumnae committees dealing with recs, so it isn't even a case of one woman being overwhelmed.

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Thank you - "Sick, Sad World" is what I meant.

If you will read my responses, you will see that it is not the collegians who I think should be doing this, but the alumna in charge of recommendations. I will take the suggestions to write BEFORE recruitment to encourage the pnms to contact me after recruitment. I wouldn't contact the families for the same reason I wouldn't contact the young women after recruitment. Also, I clearly stated why I was interested. I understand that you are sensitive to privacy concerns, but those don't factor in to my request that alumnae advisors let those sisters who send recs know the result of recruitment. Some Gamma Phi chapters even have pre-made cards they send. It doesn't take a great deal of time to check ___ did not pledge __ pledged Gamma Phi ___ pledged _____. That's it - you can do it under a minute. Those chapters who have crazy-go-nuts pledge classes also tend to be the chapters who have alumnae committees dealing with recs, so it isn't even a case of one woman being overwhelmed.

Idea...maybe a bad one, but...why don't you have those printed up and sent along with your rec to the GPhi chapter? Filled out with the PNM's name, a stamp and your address to return to? Then just send a sticky note on it to have the chapter please check the appropriate box and send to you once they know her status? Then all the "work" is done for them & they just have to check the box?

[SWTXBelle]

Originally Posted by shirley1929

Idea...maybe a bad one, but...why don't you have those printed up and sent along with your rec to the GPhi chapter? Filled out with the PNM's name, a stamp and your address to return to? Then just send a sticky note on it to have the chapter please check the appropriate box and send to you once they know her status? Then all the "work" is done for them & they just have to check the box?

That's basically what I do - I send a list of the pnms with a line to fill in IF they pledged - if it's blank, they didn't pledge. I send it with a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Again, some return it; some don't.

[shirley1929]

Sadly, I've just resorted to Facebook creeping when I want to know and am too scared to ask. 90% of the time, there's a photo of the girl wearing Bid Day gear up as her profile picture within 48 hours. (creeper...)

[Benzgirl]

Originally Posted by aualum

One addition to Auburn bid list that was missed from the AU site list:
Meredith Gerlach Plano, TX. Alpha Chi Omega
I only noticed because I knew everyone made quota (62) and you list had them as 61. What an undertaking you took on with your list and it was interesting to see the breakdown of IS vs OOS!
Also, Auburn is also drawing in more South Florida students because of their wonderful scholarship programs - full ride for the students that began last fall with the required stats. They get a smaller school than FSU, UF or UCF with a great student body!

True, but one thing I noticed about Auburn was the few number of out of state new members in my Chapter and all were from adjacent states.

[carnation]

There are several sororities at AU--KD and AGD come to mind--that have traditionally taken mostly Alabama girls.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

True, but one thing I noticed about Auburn was the few number of out of state new members in my Chapter and all were from adjacent states.

I found myself wondering if the out of state girls were legacies.

Generally, I've been delighted about the Alpha Gam results on a personal level: an awesome girl I know went Alpha Gam at Bama, and a couple of awesome girls I know went Alpha Gam at UGA.

[vol_mom]

Just a little firsthand info about Tennessee since i felt a little insulted by the "nontraditional SEC" comment. I have one daughter there (and another in high school who will apply). My daughter had NUMEROUS friends who did not get in and ended up going to Alabama or Ole Miss. These were both back up schools for my daughter also. I was actually quite surprised when the guidance counselor shared the stats with me. Apparently Tennessee has gotten very competitive since the HOPE scholarship. I am not putting down these other great schools, but it irks me a little that people have an incorrect perception of Tennessee!

Obviously the sorority house are only now in the process of being built (they did break ground!), but the greek system there is very traditional and very competitive. There were over 900 girls signed up for recruitment this year.

Just my two cents! I attended another SEC school too many years ago to count. I can also tell you that my daughter's recruitment experience was every bit as stressful as I remember mine being. I've enjoyed reading these threads as I've had several rec girls, especially last year and this year...and I expect next year too!!