Texas A&M: To rush or not to rush?

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by 33girl

So many questions....


3. Can you get a degree from Blinn? What if people change their mind and decide they just want to stay there?

It's a junior college, so only 2-year degrees

[trymeplease]

FYI - UT-Austin is doing something similar with their PACE program (students are enrolled at Austin Community College). On the UT Panhellenic website, it is mentioned that PACE students can participate in Sorority Recruitment. So, it appears that this might become more common in the future with various schools.

[snowflakemom]

Originally Posted by shirley1929

http://blinnteam.tamu.edu


Participating students are initially admitted to Texas A&M University on a part-time basis, and may earn full admission by several methods. Blinn TEAM students are enrolled in one academic course at Texas A&M each semester, and the remainder of their courses at the Bryan Campus of Blinn College.

Does anyone know how this will affect a chapter's GPA? Will all hours count or just the ones at A&M?

[jenidallas]

The two have been tightly aligned for several year - it's been a way to him raise enrollment at A&M without changing traditional admission standards. It's a dual enrollment program and there is much crossover in other areas of student life so this eliminates having Blinn students living side-by-side with A&M students but missing other activities. Other universities with these types of transitional enrollment/admissions programs are allowing students to participate in recruitment (UC Berkeley, for example).

[Titchou]

Since NPC says you have to be enrolled full time at the institution where the chapters are, how does this impact the chapters' ability to pledge the woman? In other words, being allowed to participate in recruitment may not = being allowed to pledge.

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by 33girl

So many questions....

1. How far is Blinn from A& M in terms of mileage?

About 3-4 miles, I think?

Originally Posted by 33girl

2. If you're only allowed to take one class per semester at A & M, and assuming 3 credit classes, how can you finish 15 credits in 2 years?

I think with Summer School, etc...?

Originally Posted by 33girl

3. Can you get a degree from Blinn? What if people change their mind and decide they just want to stay there?

Not sure, pretty sure it used to just be a 2 year jr. college back in the day, but now I'm not entirely sure.

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

The majority of chapters approving it is not the same thing as all the chapters regarding the BT pnms on an even footing with A&M pnms. I would hope that would not be a problem, but have heard some rumblings. My hope is that it will work for the benefit of the chapters and the BT pnms.

Agreed. I think everyone thinks it makes sense and talks a great game, but for reasons Tichou mentions below, I can see how it might become an issue for some of the chapters.

Originally Posted by Titchou

Since NPC says you have to be enrolled full time at the institution where the chapters are, how does this impact the chapters' ability to pledge the woman? In other words, being allowed to participate in recruitment may not = being allowed to pledge.

Exactly. This is why there are so many unknowns at this point. Will be interesting to see if A&M publishes some sort of pledge percentage of BT ladies. My understanding is that BT ladies ARE considered A&M students, so as a technicality, they are able to rush/pledge...?? Someone who understands the intricacies of the BT program can probably explain better

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by Titchou

Since NPC says you have to be enrolled full time at the institution where the chapters are, how does this impact the chapters' ability to pledge the woman? In other words, being allowed to participate in recruitment may not = being allowed to pledge.

If this is a NPC rule, how could a Blinn Team PNM pledge any chapter? Can the national/international group have rules that contradict NPC rules?

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

If this is a NPC rule, how could a Blinn Team PNM pledge any chapter? Can the national/international group have rules that contradict NPC rules?

The University determines who is enrolled properly. The individual group determine all other requirements.

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

If this is a NPC rule, how could a Blinn Team PNM pledge any chapter? Can the national/international group have rules that contradict NPC rules?

Originally Posted by Titchou

The University determines who is enrolled properly. The individual group determine all other requirements.

What Titchou said. My understanding (and I really could be wrong, because it is such a different program & it is being looked at from all angles) is that they ARE, in fact, considered full A&M students, just taking some/most of their prerequisite courses at Blinn. Which is why they are allowed A&M housing, etc... But the PERCEPTION is that they aren't "real" A&M students. Someone who knows the intricacies of the BT program can/should speak to this more clearly than I have...

Originally Posted by BAckbOwlsgIrl

If certain groups are unable to pledge these women due to national rules, then why should they even attend their parties?
Why waste anyone's time; the chapter and the PNM's?
It seems unfair for a PNM to visit a chapter that she will not be able to join due to her status. Not that it doesn't happen with grade cuts, but this is pretty outright.

I'm not sure anyone knows for sure if/which groups are acting as if they can't take BT groups in a black & white manner. Since the argument can be made either way (are they full-time A&M students? Are they not?) then I think this year will be a learning curve for all groups with relationship to their nationals, the interpretation of the rules both nationally and locally, and taking a look at each candidate personally. In the example I gave earlier, I think a local chapter could make the argument to bid Person A.

[summer_gphib]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

If this is a NPC rule, how could a Blinn Team PNM pledge any chapter? Can the national/international group have rules that contradict NPC rules?

I was wondering that too--and also wondering if they had a local (or locals) that were associate members of the college panhellenic council that perhaps did not have to follow the NPC rule on that? Just a thought.

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by summer_gphib

I was wondering that too--and also wondering if they had a local (or locals) that were associate members of the college panhellenic council that perhaps did not have to follow the NPC rule on that? Just a thought.

No...there aren't...they are all NPC http://cpc.tamu.edu/sororities

OOPS Didn't see that last one! So I'm an idiot, and missed Zeta Beta Sigma! Maybe that's what's driving it?

[Just interested]

It is my understanding that the University asked that the restrictions be lifted.

UT lifted their restrictions last year so it was inevitable and not if but when A&M would follow suit.

How the chapters receive these girls is in the hands of membership selection process of individual chapters
My thoughts are that it is going to take a while.

[Low D Flat]

Students from private schools (like the OP), as well as competitive suburban high schools, where it is very tough to get into the top X%, are overrepresented in the Blinn Team group. The university is more or less saying that it believes they are A&M material, and it would admit them if the law permitted it to. Putting them into university dorms says a lot about the university's confidence in them. It's not a typical community college population. Interesting program.

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by Low D Flat

Students from private schools (like the OP), as well as competitive suburban high schools, where it is very tough to get into the top X%, are overrepresented in the Blinn Team group. The university is more or less saying that it believes they are A&M material, and it would admit them if the law permitted it to. Putting them into university dorms says a lot about the university's confidence in them. It's not a typical community college population. Interesting program.

This is my hunch as well, but is it fact/documented anywhere?

It's what I was intimating in my initial post to the OP, but of course, I have no idea if she really falls into that category or not.

[TXbelle13]

I recently spoke to someone in the greek life office on the phone who informed me that the decision to allow BT students to rush was just made on May 1st. Apparently there are some sororities that will not be allowed to accept blinnteam students because it states in their bylaws that the student has to be fully enrolled in the university. Any idea which sororities that might be? Also, would it hurt my chances to go through rush as a sophomore?