Does a shorter associate program lead to more drop-outs?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

The thing is, nothing says this has to be done before initiation. I think it would be great if the older girls planned "coke dates" throughout the first semester or year or whatever. That would help to cut down on the "I just initiated and don't feel connected" that we see so often.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it has less to do with the actual length of the pledge period, and more to do with the way you pledge, initiate, and then....nothing...In housed chapters, you generally don't move in until the following year, and in unhoused chapters, you may not start to hold offices and stuff until later. I think a short pledge program is fine (if it really does cut down on hazing), but then it needs to be followed up with a new initiate program or something.

We had a program called KROP - Keep Rushing Our Pledges (I guess now it would be Keep Recruiting Our Pearls) that addressed these concerns.

I think that kind of disconnectedness is a lot worse in chapters where formal rush, homecoming and Greek week are all in the same semester. We had 2 rushes a year so the newest girls were doing it right away, plus they had (depending on when they initiated) either homecoming or Greek week to look forward to. I mean what do you do in spring at Ole Miss? Go on spring break?

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

That's oversimplifying, but I think we have just as much trouble losing seniors as New-I's. Seniors may not leave, but they pay their dues and only show up to totally mandatory events.

I know we've talked about this before, and I think that sometimes the programs that are supposed to help seniors "look to the future" are more likely making them feel like they're being pushed out of the chapter.