Extremely Small NM Classes

[Mevara]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

No no no no! Total is 103. We will be at 102 in the fall AFTER the seniors graduate. We have 30-some seniors graduating.

Do you do deferred recruitment? Since it would be the fall you never know if you might lose 1 or 2 over the summer and you could then have a NM class of 2 or 3.

[Mevara]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Sort of on the flipside to "what's it like to be in a huge chapter"...

I'm wondering, what's it like to be in an extremely small new member class? OR How did your chapter handle an extremely small new member class?

I am talking 3, 2 or 1 in a semester, not a growing COB effort throughout. I am not asking so much for curiosity, nor do I intend to start a thread along the lines of big/small "which is better". I am asking because it is likely that the chapter I advise will be just barely under total (103) in the fall. By just barely, I mean if there are no withdrawals, we will have exactly one space to fill.

They don't seem particularly keen on taking a new member class of one. From a National perspective, you want to maximize your membership, especially since they worked so hard to get quota this spring (40). However, I can also understand the "but how can you have a NM class of one?" perspective.

I guess all I'm looking for is personal experiences, especially when such a tiny NM class is out of the norm for your chapter and/or your school's Greek Community. I'd like to be able to communicate perspectives the chapter may not have thought of so they might consider taking a NM class in the fall, no matter how small.

I know of chapters in the area that would have really small classes as you explain because they are just under total and only take 1-2. As far as I know it is business as usual. The only difference is that they will find another nearby chapter to combine initiation with because it is a lot of work to do for just 1 NM.

[pshsx1]

Our Spring Rush classes (since I have joined) vary from 3-10. Our current one is just 6. Our Fall classes, though, (since the year before I joined) have ranged from 10-32.

But that aside, I don't think anything is out of the ordinary. I'm not sure how our chapter would function with a bunch more members, similar to how other giant chapters don't know how they would function without the current numbers.

Fortunately (?), no one at my school has to worry about quotas or anything, so some semesters do occasionally pass when an organization won't get any new members.

[KSUViolet06]

I was part of a class of three (back when my chapter was much smaller.) We all just happened to be upperclassmen as well. It's a different experience than the fall group, though not necessarily lacking. There's not the "OMG must do everything with my class, BFFs 4 ever!" thing but I think that's more because we were older. I've seen some smaller groups have that, just not us. Things were also a little more flexible. Ex: we would meet for NM meeting in the VP's room and hang out as opposed to having it right before chapter at a scheduled time like the large groups.

Also, this is silly, but one thing I remember people being really excited about was how awesome our Bid Day bags were. We were a smaller class, and there were leftover fall shirts, so we got TWO shirts in our goodie bags, pens, a cup, checkbook cover, paper, and the car stickers. (I remember what was in it because it was just that awesome.) I was spoiled. lol.

[KSUViolet06]

^^^I was part of a summer "holdover" group and we all initiated. HQ discourages it now, though (as I think the majority of "holdovers" don't stick around.)

[DubaiSis]

I still think if it's just one (or even 2) girls, and you don't typically have a problem meeting quota, I'd give the girls the fall off of having to rush, etc. That would be a different story if you are finally in the ballpark of quota for the first time and want to make sure you're solid going into formal rush in the spring. Or if you have 1 or 2 girls you really want and don't want to risk losing them to another chapter. Otherwise, it's not a burden on your financials, it doesn't help to fill the house, and it's just a time consuming numbers thing. Unless I'm missing something.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by WCsweet<3

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding quota/total rules. Sorry if I am and I'm not trying to turn this into another thread about it!

Since you were over total before, wouldn't you be able to go over again? Or did they just lower it? What about quota? Is that not at the school?

Now I see why some people are confused, because quota/total is different for fall FMR schools and spring FMR schools, and I think most of the confused people are looking at this through the fall FMR lens.

We do spring FMR. In the fall, we can bid as needed to reach 103. Then, in the spring, everyone can take quota. So chapters (ideally) are at 103 in the fall, and 103+quota in the spring. Total at fall FMR schools is roughly 4x yearly quota; at spring FMR schools, it's roughly 3x yearly quota (minus some for imperfect retention in both).

Originally Posted by Mevara

Since it would be the fall you never know if you might lose 1 or 2 over the summer and you could then have a NM class of 2 or 3.

Yeah, that is a possibility, not that I would hope for it for the sake of a bigger fall NM class.

[thetalady]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Now I see why some people are confused, because quota/total is different for fall FMR schools and spring FMR schools, and I think most of the confused people are looking at this through the fall FMR lens.

We do spring FMR. In the fall, we can bid as needed to reach 103. Then, in the spring, everyone can take quota. So chapters (ideally) are at 103 in the fall, and 103+quota in the spring. Total at fall FMR schools is roughly 4x yearly quota; at spring FMR schools, it's roughly 3x yearly quota (minus some for imperfect retention in both).

OK, now I see where I was getting confused! I was assuming fall formal recruitment. Basically, your schedule is flipped around from what I am used to :-} This is more like what a fall recruitment chapter would face with one or two COB openings in the spring...