Indiana University 2014 Recruitment

[ConfettiCupcake]

I have been following this thread with curiosity and empathy and am impressed at y'all's determination to advocate for changing this system that seems so stubbornly hurtful. Coming from a "competitive" SEC recruitment world, I feel like my experience was all rainbows and marshmellows compared to this craziness!

I do have one silly question - What in the world is a "cold dorm"?

[phialum]

A cold dorm is a large bunk room that sleeps multiple women--and it's often unheated!

[ConfettiCupcake]

Originally Posted by phialum

A cold dorm is a large bunk room that sleeps multiple women--and it's often unheated!

Wow...just wow.

Thanks, I feel so warm now!

[pinksequins]

Four years of live-in cold dorm? Okey dokey.

[midwesterner1]

A lot of the houses also have warm dorms (with heat and AC). And the girls can always sleep in their beds in their rooms, though rooms are not the quietest places at some hours.

[Lalucas]

cold dorms are common both sorority and frats at IU and many other big schools about 40 sleep in one room in bunks....cold because needs lots of fresh air to compensate for all the warm bodies

I'm wondering if the Greek on this page can better explain the numbers "game" to the moms/readers. it seems to me that a better feedback system or grading if you will...would help girls see where they really stand within the process. for instance if a PNM gets invited to 3 pref rounds she could be in the bottom half of all three? and have very little chance of getting a bid if all the girls in front of her accept?

Isn't the best way for landing in a sorority (as long as you are more interested in sisterhood rather than a certain sorority) to target the ones that like you- that want you. if girls knew who was ranking them highly wouldn't that help?

1.how many more girls come to pref round at a given sorority? I'm guessing 3 times the pledge class?

2. doesn't it seem like the same 300 girls are being chased by many of the same sororities? and the shifting occurs from an "on the bubble group"

3. isn't there a term for the girls that are listed on all the sororities "want list"? and when they choose a sorority then girls move up on the unchosen sorority's list? is it cross matching or something?

I guess i'm proposing making the system more responsible or transparent but still honoring each sororities right to choose.

and lastly, isn't it in the best interest of each sorority to choose wisely- poorly matched situations would lead to drama and bad feelings.

I am anxious to hear responses from the women that know the process... and I"m not asking for secrets etc hah ah

[Katmandu]

A lot of people like cold dorms. It is always dark, quiet and cold for sleeping only. It is not where the girls spend their active time. It allows for 2 and 3 girl rooms for study, chatting, and working on projects and space for sleeping and silence only. there is method to the madness....

[TennisMom]

Originally Posted by Justhere

Why do we want our daughters to rush at IU? I've been looking at the threads here and trying to figure out the process because my daughter wants to rush next year there. Given that this has been going on for years and doesn't seem to be getting any better why should we encourage our daughters to rush here? It must be a good experience for those lucky enough to get in but given what it does to so many women emotionally it appears to border on abuse....I know I'll get slammed for that but that is my perception on the outside looking in. Why does the University allow its students to be treated this way? I hear people saying the university has no say in it but can't the administration say....open up to more students or leave? No offense to all the wonderful sorority women on this site as there appear to be many. But perhaps IU would be better off without a Greek system if they are so against change? Let the tomatoe throwing begin. My daughter will do as she wants but I am re-evaluating my support. Any other University I would say go for it, but I'm struggling to justify my support of joining an organization that not only allows this to happen but structures it to ensure it happens. I know this isn't a popular view but I think you can all relate to my position. Thank you.

Your instinct is on target. If your daughter really wants to be in a sorority strongly encourage her to choose another school! The IU Greek culture is very strong and appealing. My daughter is a sophomore and rushed again this year. I couldn't believe she would put herself through it twice but she really thought the outcome would be different this year. She maximized her options and wasn't shooting for a top tier. There is nothing "wrong" with her it is simply a numbers game. I understand that but it is VERY hard for a 19 year-old to understand that without her self-esteem taking a big hit. Disappointment happens in life, she'll survive. But based upon what I've read on GC, every other school has a much more reasonable recruitment process.

[Lalucas]

It should be at least informed consent... all of these girls volunteer to put themselves in this situation...I think the travesty is that they don't realize what it will be like.. both emotionally and the "numbers game".

And unfortunately the rho gams can't tell them the full story...can't tell them that they have "no chance at DDD because you are brunette and since they got in trouble for having too many brunettes/NYC/Jewish girls...take your pick... last year they are only looking for blondes this year... tall skinny blondes...

or you don't' come from the "right" neighborhood for that sorority...they all come from Chicago or Carmel etc... yes they can google and zillow your home to see if you have enough money to join Visa-Visa-MasterCard sorority.

Unfortunately, the low down on the sororities is not transparent.. enough to be a level playing field.

But then again who said it was supposed to be?

[AZTheta]

Lalucas, your questions are delving into membership selection territory which we do not discuss. Please scan this thread for the posts that speak to the chapters' right to select their members.

Truthfully, I believe that these PNMs do know what the selection process is like; they have been on campus for the Fall semester and they have discussed it and heard it talked about. They may choose not to accept the reality, or choose to believe that they will be the one(s) chosen. Because there are PNMs who are selected.

I am not endorsing anything, I am simply expressing my opinions - stressing that membership selection is private to each chapter.

ETA: please consider carefully what you write about any chapter. We are Panhellenic here on GC.

[als463]

Originally Posted by Lalucas

It should be at least informed consent... all of these girls volunteer to put themselves in this situation...I think the travesty is that they don't realize what it will be like.. both emotionally and the "numbers game".

And unfortunately the rho gams can't tell them the full story...can't tell them that they have "no chance at DDD because you are brunette and since they got in trouble for having too many brunettes/NYC/Jewish girls...take your pick... last year they are only looking for blondes this year... tall skinny blondes...

or you don't' come from the "right" neighborhood for that sorority...they all come from Chicago or Carmel etc... yes they can google and zillow your home to see if you have enough money to join Visa-Visa-MasterCard sorority.

Unfortunately, the low down on the sororities is not transparent.. enough to be a level playing field.

But then again who said it was supposed to be?

Wow. You sure are down on Greek life at IU. Maybe you need to step away from the keyboard for a while to cool down before you further your nasty statements about the sororities (and particular ones). This just makes you appear really bitter. I'm sorry. This has to be said. I get it that IU doesn't have the best way of doing things with the bed rush and things of that nature but, guess what??? SOME GIRLS ACTUALLY GET INTO SORORITIES THERE! No, it may not be perfect but, to pretty much throw the baby out with the bath water is just ridiculous. You are essentially claiming that girls that aren't "rich" or "beautiful" have no chance at all. We get it. It's competitive. Also, as someone who has her sorority represented at IU and knowing the types of philanthropy these young ladies do (along with the other sororities on campus), I have an issue with some of these posters calling out EVERY SORORITY GIRL THERE by saying they are hateful/ cruel because someone's daughter didn't get a bid. It sucks! I know. I'm sorry. Maybe some girls didn't maximize their options. Maybe they look good on paper but, have the personality of a wet mop. Who knows? Don't lump all the sorority women at IU together and make harsh statements about them as a whole because when you do that---you are also putting down the lovely ladies who just went through recruitment and received a bid. It's like you are telling those ladies, "Well, I know why YOU got in. You don't belong there. My daughter does but, the system is flawed and now you are part of that flawed system. You suck!" Please don't ruin it for these ladies who just went through recruitment and received bids. Stop trying to make them (or their mothers) feel bad and as if they shouldn't celebrate this great opportunity because you are angry about the ladies who went bidless. Just stop!

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by Lalucas

cold dorms are common both sorority and frats at IU and many other big schools about 40 sleep in one room in bunks....cold because needs lots of fresh air to compensate for all the warm bodies

I'm wondering if the Greek on this page can better explain the numbers "game" to the moms/readers. it seems to me that a better feedback system or grading if you will...would help girls see where they really stand within the process. for instance if a PNM gets invited to 3 pref rounds she could be in the bottom half of all three? and have very little chance of getting a bid if all the girls in front of her accept?

Isn't the best way for landing in a sorority (as long as you are more interested in sisterhood rather than a certain sorority) to target the ones that like you- that want you. if girls knew who was ranking them highly wouldn't that help?

1.how many more girls come to pref round at a given sorority? I'm guessing 3 times the pledge class?

2. doesn't it seem like the same 300 girls are being chased by many of the same sororities? and the shifting occurs from an "on the bubble group"

3. isn't there a term for the girls that are listed on all the sororities "want list"? and when they choose a sorority then girls move up on the unchosen sorority's list? is it cross matching or something?

I guess i'm proposing making the system more responsible or transparent but still honoring each sororities right to choose.

and lastly, isn't it in the best interest of each sorority to choose wisely- poorly matched situations would lead to drama and bad feelings.

I am anxious to hear responses from the women that know the process... and I"m not asking for secrets etc hah ah

I did not qfp this post as it was what I was initially responding to in my immediately previous post.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by Katmandu

In no greek system except for one, do all women who register have happy outcomes or self determine their ending. In every system, there are heartbreaks and bad outcomes. But ascribing deliberate malice, using loaded words, such as "bullying", and "hazing" is going too far in my opinion. Most people agree this particular system is flawed, but even if changed there will still be girls who go bidless or feel hurt, and sororities still have the right to invite, not invite, and rank and select members according to their own reasons.

I would be interested in knowing how many of the bidless women maximized their options and how many left off one or more chnpters from their final card. Maybe none, but I suspect more than a few.

It was striking to me how much all of the new members looked alike....really, really, alike.

Sure. But Indiana is only placing about 60% of the women who start the process, and IU is dropping a bunch of them after pref. University of Illinois places around 97% of the women who go all the way through and don't drop out. There was a really great webpage that listed how many women were dropped at U of I, but the school deleted it. Very few women at University of Illinois are dropped completely. Quite a few quit because they don't like their options, though, but that is on them.

I think guaranteeing a bid to women who maximize their options and are invited to pref would take a lot of heat off IU sororities.

If the IU sororities are worried about spaced, space could be created by asking for volunteers to live-out (seniors first, then juniors). Not everybody loves living in a house. I loved being in a sorority. I loved hanging out at the house. I didn't really love living in the house. If there aren't enough volunteers, the House Corp. or the chapter can prioritize who lives in. There are lots of ways to do that. Ie. all elected officers have to live in. After that, each pledge class chooses to live in or out based on initiation order or GPA or a random draw. It's honestly not a big deal.

[silver_blue]

Originally Posted by KDCat

Sure. But Indiana is only placing about 60% of the women who start the process, and IU is dropping a bunch of them after pref. University of Illinois places around 97% of the women who go all the way through and don't drop out. There was a really great webpage that listed how many women were dropped at U of I, but the school deleted it. Very few women at University of Illinois are dropped completely. Quite a few quit because they don't like their options, though, but that is on them.

I think guaranteeing a bid to women who maximize their options and are invited to pref would take a lot of heat off IU sororities.

If the IU sororities are worried about spaced, space could be created by asking for volunteers to live-out (seniors first, then juniors). Not everybody loves living in a house. I loved being in a sorority. I loved hanging out at the house. I didn't really love living in the house. If there aren't enough volunteers, the House Corp. or the chapter can prioritize who lives in. There are lots of ways to do that. Ie. all elected officers have to live in. After that, each pledge class chooses to live in or out based on initiation order or GPA or a random draw. It's honestly not a big deal.

THANK YOU. I feel like half the people commenting on this thread know nothing about the peculiarities of IU. You can question how many girls maximized their options or how many suicided because that's an issue re: placement AT EVERY SCHOOL.

However, no other school places only 60% of women going through. That is madness and completely unpanhellenic. My chapter house slept around 45 women and was filled by elected officers and then whoever wanted to live in the house (usually out of the sophomore pledge class). Just because only 45 women actually slept there does not mean every other member wasn't welcome at the house whenever for lunch, dinner, and hanging out. I wish IU sorority members could get off their elitist high horses and realize that their way is wrong.

[Sigmapsimom]

Originally Posted by silver_blue

THANK YOU. I feel like half the people commenting on this thread know nothing about the peculiarities of IU. You can question how many girls maximized their options or how many suicided because that's an issue re: placement AT EVERY SCHOOL.

However, no other school places only 60% of women going through. That is madness and completely unpanhellenic. My chapter house slept around 45 women and was filled by elected officers and then whoever wanted to live in the house (usually out of the sophomore pledge class). Just because only 45 women actually slept there does not mean every other member wasn't welcome at the house whenever for lunch, dinner, and hanging out. I wish IU sorority members could get off their elitist high horses and realize that their way is wrong.

Truth. Thank you for posting this. Even if EVERY PNM at IU maximized their options, 40% still would not be placed. That's insane. And most of these girls are lovely and don't have personalities of " wet mops" as one poster put it. You have to have a decent amount of confidence even to sign up for rush at IU.