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

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by melindawarren

Aside from the bold portion, I see no reason why chapters shouldn't expect everyone to do this. How else do you get to know people?

Originally Posted by 33girl

Because of the bold portion - this is why interviews were banned by NPC groups. Too many people went overboard with what you should have to do to "earn" the interview or signature. We NEVER used them in that way, even something mild like what ree-xi mentions makes me uncomfortable.

Of course, it would have been nice if the people abusing them would have been the only ones punished with their elimination and everyone else could have kept what was for many people their favorite part of pledging...but that would make too much sense.

I was originally going to answer, but 33girl did it for me. I see both sides and was one of those who had to do the interviews thing. It wasn't abused in my chapter when I was a pledge, but I saw it go bad in my chapter and in other chapters on my campus. It would have been nice if the ones who abused it were the only ones punished, but sometimes it became a whole chapter culture to abuse it, so nobody was going to squeal because they were all doing it. The abuse became too wide spread and the insurance companies said "no more". The vast majority of our risk management policies are dicated by what the insurance companies say.

Originally Posted by 33girl

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

We used the KROP idea in Alpha Gam also.

We also have a test. Back in my day, it was an oral exam, in front of the whole chapter and was pretty intimidating, honestly. Now it is written with a certain required score to pass and it can be taken as many times as needed. I don't see a test as hazing under these conditions: 1) It's a test that is pushed out by the inter/national organization, not one that is made up by the chapter, 2) it is documented as part of the inter/national program, 3) consequences of not passing the test are known and sanctioned by the inter/national program (not being Initiated versus doing a shot, etc.), 4) new members get multiple opportunities to pass the test, 5) new members know exactly when their test will be and 6) the test is taken in a private way (paper/pencil or online, not in a line-up).

We are also one of the NPCs that has moved toward Member Development rather than new member education. We have an Alpha Experience (for new members), Gamma Experience (2nd and 3rd year) and Delta Experience (senior year). It refocuses programming on our Purpose and educating members throughout their collegiate experience. Some aspects of Delta can include getting to know the alumnae chapters/clubs but it also focuses on their development level in college. It is a more values based, personal development based program that actually reduces overall programming for the members but targeting it toward living our Purpose.

I personally didn't see a big difference in retention when we shortened our new member period (early 90s). I do see big differences when the economy is rough. The other big factor I've seen make a difference is the study abroad phenomena. I see a much higher drop out rate for schools where almost everybody goes away for a term. We all know that one new member class can really change a chapter dynamic and I think when women get back from a semester abroad they are 1) more financially strained and 2) feel out of the loop of chapter happenings. Combine that with the "what's in it for me" trends of the millennials and you see some member loss.

The trend that concerns me more is the lack of alumnae volunteers and international level volunteers. I hope that our Delta program helps turn that around but in general, I'm not seeing younger members joining alumnae groups or volunteering like they used to. I think several trends have led to this ... it used to be THE way to stay in touch with sisters or hear chapter news but with social media, we can know everything that's going on and stay in touch without ever actually talking to anybody from the chapter. We, as women, are busier than we ever have been before. More are going to grad school, more are working mothers with overscheduled kids so it is harder to find time to dedicate to this kind of volunteer work. We are also a more mobile society so we aren't in the area where we went to school. We used to tend to volunteer because we felt a connection to our local chapter. We don't feel those same connections to other chapters and might be hesitant to volunteer where we don't know anybody.