Help with COB issues.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by crescent&pearls

33 are you being a bit harsh on the advisors there? Sometimes when we try to apply a cookie cutter solution from a...dare I say it..."binder" the people we're trying to help get the wrong message, and ultimately we don't end up solving the problem. Advisors usually have good intentions. The "national" absolutely has the chapter's best interest at heart- they want their chapters to be successful!

No, I'm not. If these advisors can't do a little research about the chapter and figure out that giant events aren't working and that all the pressure is demoralizing, then they shouldn't be advisors. Just plopping someone in a role and thinking "problem solved as long as they listen to this person" doesn't solve the problem.

Not being at total can a chapter, especially if you have housing to worry about. But what hurts WORSE is BEING TOLD EVERY SINGLE MINUTE OF EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT YOU SUCK BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT AT TOTAL. I mean, having people on your back is awful. If these girls could get the 30 new members they need as easily as the advisors and national seem to think it could be done, don't you think they would have done it just to get everyone to STFU? It's really hard to "sell" your sorority when you're in effect being told that all the good experiences you have had don't mean dick to TPTB because you don't have the numbers.

rushchair799 - You no doubt have some members in your chapter who like the fact that the chapter is smaller and don't want it to grow to the same size as the others. That's fine, that's their prerogative. That's probably part of why they joined. Don't push them. Concentrate on the sisters who do want to be more sociable and seen by the campus community. Make sure they have positions like social chair, PR, intramural chair.

However, if it's gotten to the point where some girls would rather pay fines than put on a letter sweatshirt, you might want to talk to them individually and ask them if they really still want to be members. It might just be senior burnout, it might be years of being nagged about numbers burnout, it might be no one tells me what to do syndrome, but if we're talking sophomores and women who have just joined, you may have to do some terminating. I know it sounds counterproductive, but ridding yourself of negativity is just as important as recruiting new members.