A BIG TEN Recruitment Story

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by glittergal1985

I'm sure everyone means well, but it might be best if we stopped using words such as "alternative" to refer to the unhoused groups. They are simply without physical living quarters, and in my opinion we should let the PNMs decide how they feel about them. Its very possible that I'm oversensitive to the situation because my own group is involved, but I want it to be known that we are a traditional sorority. I'm sure that every housed group on the IU campus has many unhoused chapters throughout the country, and that doesn't make the unhoused chapter of ABC any less ABC than their housed counterparts. Additionally, this past recruitment appears to have been an overwhelming success for all 21 groups on campus. Its just my opinion, (and I know its not intentional) but it might be better if we go back to not discussing reputations and instead simply wish success for everyone on this snowflake campus, especially as it looks like more groups may soon be joining.

Don't want to ruffle any feathers, just my two cents.

THIS. Living in the house is NOT for everyone. Nor is it required for "sisterhood", a "sorority experience" or anything else. Women will still live together, have gathering spots, etc., like plenty of unhoused chapters across the country. Living in the house can be great, but it also comes with a ton of rules, shared sleeping porches, and all sorts of other things that aren't necessarily wonderful.

I remember visiting our chapter house at IU, and one of my friends was like "wow, I wish our house (at U of I) was this gorgeous", and I replied "yeah, you want to live in senior year?" and her response was "NO! Good point!"

Also, the unhoused chapters are still quite selective. It's not like getting a bid to one of them is some sort of consolation prize. They are picking the women they want to be their sisters, just like the house groups.

[DubaiSis]

You are justifiably annoyed. Being a colony on any campus is a tough thing to handle and not something just any girl can handle. Getting abuse from parents and/or people who should know better than to belittle the new kids is just ridiculous.

I think there is room for unhoused chapters or chapters who function similar to the rest of the known Greek world (where a portion, maybe not even the majority of the sisters live in for 3 years), even among the preferred system at IU. I'm sure there are great girls who choose not to participate in Greek life because they are practical enough to know that living with 150 girls under the same roof for 3 extremely stressful years may not be the best idea ever. Are those "alternative" chapters going to appeal to the traditional NPC member at IU? Maybe not. But it's a big school and providing an alternative seems like a good idea as far as I'm concerned.

[DubaiSis]

But you can't deny that it is a VERY different situation than the vast majority of the sororities at IU. To not mention the difference is sticking your head in the sand. By pointing out that it is an alternative puts this difference in a positive light. Of course Theta Phi and ASA are traditional NPC sororities. But they are not the norm at IU. This is not condescension, it's stating the obvious. Is your situation unusual as compared to a lot LOT of chapters around the country? No. But it is different at IU. I say you celebrate that fact, not pretend that you're not different. Special. And I am never one to consider "normal" as the best way to go.

[glittergal1985]

Dubaisis, I am not denying that there is a difference. I have no issue with groups being referred to as unhoused. When PNMs go through recruitment they will know who has a house and who doesn't. When we throw around words like "different" and "alternative" it can make the PNMs who signed up for traditional NPC recruitment feel as though they are being warned that this is not what they are looking for. Trust me, they are all going to be fully informed of the current housing situation, and we should let them make their own decisions about what housed v. unhoused means to them. Housing is only one of many aspects of sorority life and while that one may be different, the rest are the same. For the sake of propriety, when referring to the housing situation for an unhoused group, call it different all you want, but when discussing the chapter as a whole, it is a traditional NPC sorority. Period.

[IUHoosiergirl88]

'Unhoused' chapters at IU are just that, unhoused. That doesn't mean that they aren't special or are inferior, but they do not have formal housing as all other 19 chapters do. Thus, they're not going to be referred to in the same sense that the other 19 chapters are.

[WCsweet<3]

So, I understand the idea of bed rush. No set quota blah blah blah. How do Theta Phi and ASA decide their quota? Do they average and say "Hmmm the spread is from 6 - 34 so we will take 20 because that is the average?" I'm worried this may fall into membership selection so if it does, please feel free to yell/ignore.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by WCsweet<3

So, I understand the idea of bed rush. No set quota blah blah blah. How do Theta Phi and ASA decide their quota? Do they average and say "Hmmm the spread is from 6 - 34 so we will take 20 because that is the average?" I'm worried this may fall into membership selection so if it does, please feel free to yell/ignore.

I know that at places where a quota may not be set (for example, we have a chapter at VA Wesleyan, and for several years it was the only NPC sorority on campus, ergo no quota) that our national volunteers and whoever else is working with the chapter take all the campus and chapter factors into account to set a membership target. This probably includes things like campus retention as a whole, how many seniors are graduating, the size of the school blah blah blah. Knock on wood, it seems as though we are veering on the conservative side at IU, to which I quote Heather Duke and say PRAISE JESUS.

And DubaiSis, you have been SUPER condescending in every post you've made about unhoused chapters at IU. They are NOT an "alternative." They rushed with all the rest of the chapters and had the same bid day as the rest of the chapters. An alternative would be a social/service sorority like Gamma Sigma Sigma* or a social/professional fraternity like Delta Sigma Pi* - a group whose rush is conducted at a different time, who gives bids at a different time. ASA and TPA have NEVER said that they intend to stay unhoused or only rush women who don't want to live in a house. They are for now the unhoused chapters, just like some chapters are the "third street" or whatever chapters.

*Not trying to throw y'all under the bus, just needed an example.

[brighteyedgirl]

GUYS I LOVE ALLL OF YOU

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by brighteyedgirl

GUYS I LOVE ALLL OF YOU

Awww... so very happy for you. Hope you stick around. Your membership is for a LIFETIME. You will get as much out of it as you put into it (trite, maybe, but true). ASA is lucky to have you, IMO.

[AOII Angel]

I have to agree with you guys, 33girl and glitter. Most new colonies don't have housing when they come out the gate, but we don't make a big deal of them being unhoused. It sometimes takes quite a few years for them to line up housing depending on their situation...for IU it may take even longer. It doesn't sound as though ASA and TPA plan to market themselves as the unhoused, lower cost groups, so continuing to harp on that is offensive to these groups. Good luck finding houses. Sounds like it will be a tough job.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Good luck finding houses. Sounds like it will be a tough job.

I think this is the tack that needs to be taken with IU administration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9-7JbSV2tg

[cinder1965]

I have soured on the whole IU system, even though my step daughter had a great rush. It seems it is what it is and it's not going to change . A damn shame....makes me sad. Hope all the chapters are strong or get stronger.

[cinder1965]

Congrats to BEG, you will have a wonderful experience!!!!!

[IUHoosiergirl88]

I posted a bunch of IU bid day pics on the Bid Day thread! I can't find one of ADPi that is small enough to fit, but I will keep trying!

[brighteyedgirl]

Thank you, everyone! So far, I am seriously L O V I N G everything that my colony is doing!
I just wanted to give you guys an update that we're going to be installed as a CHAPTER in February! I can't wait and I am really so excited!