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Risk Management - Hazing & etc. This forum covers Risk Management topics such as: Hazing, Alcohol Abuse/Awareness, Date Rape Awareness, Eating Disorder Prevention, Liability, etc.

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Old 03-24-2013, 12:10 AM
adpiucf adpiucf is offline
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How exactly are the new members being disrespectful? If someone is being rude to another, the slighted party needs to speak up and say, "I don't like the way you are treating me." Have a sisterhood workshop about communication, respect for one another, and role play some scenarios so that members feel empowered to speak up to one another. Openly talk about the problems members have been having and how they feel. Brainstorm solutions and set goals.

You can also utilize your standards board if individual members are not being sisterly (but I prefer you to encourage members to be direct and not passively aggressively run to standards if a fellow member hurts their feelings). Remind members that standards is there and why; perhaps have the standards chair and adviser discuss respectfulness and communication at a new member meeting, as well as at a chapter meeting. Standards can also talk about what happens when someone gets called to standards, the penalties, and the process.

As a group activity, have everyone sign a pledge that they will be friendly and respectful of one another and themselves. Post the signed pledge in a visible place in your chapter room. You can also do a weekly activity with members during the meeting where people give others a shout-out for something nice they did for a sister that week. People like being recognized, so play to this need.

To boost sisterhood, have a town-hall style meeting in lieu of a chapter business meeting. Brainstorm your challenges and discuss possible solutions. Set attainable goals that the majority can agree upon. When people feel like their opinions matter, they feel empowered. Set a timeline for your goals. Follow up and continue these town hall meetings as needed.

Cliques are always going to exist. You can discourage them by pairing people in groups for activities and breaking the chapter into subcommittees. Address the cliques issue at your sisterhood meeting and brainstorm ways to combat the issue. For example, you can form a sisterhood spirit committee that finds ways to cheerlead and motivate sisters. People feel special when they are recognized and when they feel needed. You may find a series of membership education workshops and girls' night in type mixers to be helpful to motivate and help members to break outside of the cliques.

Talk to your advisers and go through proper sorority channels. They have dealt with these issues before and will have constructive solutions and resources. You might invite a sorority traveling consultant to come spend some time with your chapter to facilitate some activities and to help you through these growing pains.

Your campus Greek Adviser is another great resource to discuss these issues. S/he has dealt with these matters many times, and may be able to help you put together some goals and workshops to motivate members, help everyone respect one another, and deter cliques.

Also reach out to your local alumnae association. They can come in and talk about chapter history and what things were like when they were in school, challenges the chapter faced and how they overcame them. Ask for help and advice. Maybe start a pen pal program with collegians and alumnae. This will help members feel more motivated and to see the sorority is more than a four year experience.

You mentioned in a prior post that there is no budget for sisterhood socials. I would address this with your advisers and exec board. There needs to be some calendar with social interactions: ice cream parties, an overnight sisterhood sleepover, a volunteer project, etc.

Chapters on probation don't get there overnight. These issues existed on some level well before your time and, unfortunately, you are the one stuck doing the cleanup. Everyone is feeling unmotivated because they are angry about being punished. Open up communication and air the dirty laundry within the four walls of your chapter meeting room. Celebrate as a chapter as you meet probation goals and terms.

Things won't improve overnight, but allow everyone a voice and problem solve as a team.

ETA: Keep your advisers and national officers in the loop about your chapter and your plans. Some things may be applicable to one sorority that are not permitted by others. E.g., some sororities have a national policy where members can't wear letters; others have a national policy that new members must be allowed to wear letters. Stick to sorority policy to a "T."
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Last edited by adpiucf; 03-24-2013 at 11:12 AM.
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