I hold a position where I have access to my chapter's member database. The increase in resignations increased dramatically in the immediate years after the shortened iniation period was instituted and has held steady since that time. I won't release the exact numbers, as I feel that should be member info only, but suffice it to say that I think there is a statistically significant link.
For context, this is a chapter where total was 120 in the 90s, now 150. Dues are not astronomical, as the chapter houses are owned by the university and the 36 students who live in them pay the housing portion of dues. Any student who worked even 10 hours a week would be able to cover her dues each semester.
Quote:
Originally Posted by melindawarren
First, I have a question: when did the shift from longer NM periods to shorter NM periods begin?
I ask because I wonder if maybe-just maybe-the economy of the last few years could be a cause of larger post-initiation dropouts. But I don't know when the NM period went from a semester to a few weeks, so I could be totally off-base.
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I pledged in 1992, and my Theta chapter was among the very last to switch to a shorter new member period. By Fall 1993, when we switched, I believe all Theta chapters were shortened. At that time, ADPi nationally had completed (or almost completed, not sure) their switch. None of the other 8 chapters on my campus had switched, but many of them were being encouraged to do so by their HQs. I suspect the switch really ramped up by the mid 90s.
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