I'm a little surprised this wasn't brought up already, but I'd guess that the length of the new member process also has some sort of affect on loyalty/retention. These days the new member program is a standard 6-8 weeks for most national groups. It's very structured (for example, week 2 is history: discuss pages 3-6 in the pledge manual, do XYZ ritual to honor founders, play "history jeopardy") and has the potential to really seem impersonal.
I'm TOTALLY not saying the going back to hazing is the right thing to do...but I think if a new member has a longer new member period and has more time to really learn about the sisterhood (both ideologically and socially) - and if she feels that she earned a place in the sisterhood (by putting time and effort into the pledging process), it would encourage long-term loyalty.
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There are friends who pass like ships in the night, who meet for a moment, then sail out of sight, with never a backward glance of regret...Friends we meet briefly then quickly forget.
Then there are friends who sail together, through quiet waters and stormy weather. Helping each other through joy and through strife. And those are the kind who give meaning to life.
~ ⚓ΔΓ⚓ ~
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