Potential New Members, New Members, Brothers-to-Be, Recruitment, etc.

[PhoenixAzul]

My school just changed the Panhellenic constitution to say "recruitment" rather than "rush" last year. The use of PNM is becoming more prevalent, but 90 percent of us still say "rushee".

However, girls are still called pledges, and in my sorority, new member refers to an initiated sister who hasn't celebrated the 1 year anniversary of her intiation which means she hasn't gone through all the major functions of the sorority as an active quite yet. (IE, it's a term we use to get people's attention when we need to talk about stuff that newly initiated sisters haven't gone through. "New Members, can you please stay after the meeting to go over some rush guidelines?" ) . And "Active" is anyone who is initiated and not alumna.

[Tom Earp]

Risk Managment is the key!

Everyone wants to change all of the namings because of this conotaion that has to do with R M and Hazing.

I am sure none of Our Original Founders foresaw some of the changes that came about over the years. It was a much more demure time back then.

I just wonder when a Chapter decided to use a paddle to make a "Pledge" feel closer to becoming a Brother/Sister? I seriously doubt that this was started by Our Founders.

That is why LXA decide that Big Brothers Paddles were a no no because it showed Hazing. Heck, We even had to quit having New Memebers stop making big Paddles that hang on the wall showing their memebers of that class. They are sorely missed by many.

I am sure they are missed as much as going out and finding items for presentation to the chapter. "Scavanger Hunts".

Or say the Smoot Measure on a Bridge at MIT. A fun story in the Washington Post!!!!

[ZetaGirl22]

Believe it or not, there actually "is" a difference between rush and recruitment. "Rush" is what we would call the once or twice yearly structured or semi structured series of events designed to get new members into houses. "Recruitment" is technically keeping your eyes and ears open all year to actively seek out the best and brightest for your orgs......just a thought!!!!!!

[UNLDelt]

Changing the name is just a band-aid.

It's no different than an institution slapping a punishment on a particular greek house for the wide spread problem of collegiate alcohol abuse. Sure it takes care of a PART, one instance, but is not a REAL solution.

Call it "rush, recruitment, pledging, tapping, potential new member, associate member", whatever you want, but if you don't change what it IS you can't change what people think about it. Changing the word "mugging" to "tickeling" doesn't make it any better. (And I agree with 33girl on the KFC point!)

The negative connotation will never stop following our organizations (the good ones AND the bad ones) or whatever words we use to describe our practices and processes untill those whose actions bring indignity to those words (no matter how small of a minority) STOP the things that continue to drive the negative images associated. Even our words "initation" and "Ritual" have tarnishes even though we Greeks know that they are meaningful ceremonies that reflect and exemplify only positive things.

But I also believe that doing away with the process of "pledging" in its good form is not a solution either, but rather the gateway to another problem. If we become "sign up and join" organizations we lose our ability to continue to claim the higher standards for membership that we do. I don't care how much some out there say that can be protected and enforced entirely during "recruitment" (which is harder and harder as the pool of those joining Greek orgs is shrinking every year and houses are fighting to stay afloat numbers wise), the process that allows the organization and the individual time to experience one another in a trial period allows them both to make a decision as to whether their relationship would be mutually advantages. If honor societies just started passing around a sign up sheet on campus and every bozo who never cracked a book, gave a minute of service, or worked for anything joined, the value of that organization would be diluted in medocrity. And its purpose: to reward those deserving based on their personal merits and provide them opportunity and recognition for their efforts or exceptional talent, would no longer be served. Perhaps I sound elitist, but if we are too afraid of that accusation then lets all stop boasting our above average statistics we have a Greek Organizations.

I've said it before in other threads, pledge periods are for BOTH sides. The organization can determine whether the individual is willing/capable of meeting the obligations and standards for membership.
Which have NOTHING to do with what goes on in hazing practices-no matter how distorted some can twist things to show a relationship between their actions and some "fraternal ideal" like rolling around in garbage with your pledge brothers=brotherhood (pure BS).
And the individual can determine if they are willing/capable of meeting those obligations (again legitimate things like academics, involvment, community service, conduct, leadership, etc.).

But in a perfect world...

[Tom Earp]

True, it is a learning process on both ends!

We all try to To Recruite/Rush People who We as Active Members feel would fit in Our Organizations. But many times it really doesnt work out.

Everyone will put the best face on when doing Recruiting.

[hoosier]

Originally posted by NebraskaDelt
My chapter stopped using "Rush" when we learned of what the history of the term meant.

Please share some of this history of the term.

[NebraskaDelt]

Check out a Baird's or any number of documents pertaining to the history of collegiate fraternal groups.

It has something to do with going down to the train station and rushing the freshman off the train to the fraternity house to initiate them.

[Optimist Prime]

New Member is what sororities call their pledges and should never be used by a fraternity.

[InHocYall]

Please qualify that somehow. I continue to call pledges pledges, because they signed a pledge to become a Sigma Chi, they are nowhere near being a member when they sign that pledge. I beleive that pledging, just like anything else worthwhile should not be easy, that being said my chapter pledges to initiate, but that doesn't mean anything is automatic. From what I see, chapters that pussy foot around with pledging and place no demands on them sacrifice a good name with nationals for a weak, worthless brotherhood. I think the line between pledge activities and hazing is ceasing to exist.

[frathole]

Originally posted by InHocYall
Please qualify that somehow. I continue to call pledges pledges, because they signed a pledge to become a Sigma Chi, they are nowhere near being a member when they sign that pledge. I beleive that pledging, just like anything else worthwhile should not be easy, that being said my chapter pledges to initiate, but that doesn't mean anything is automatic. From what I see, chapters that pussy foot around with pledging and place no demands on them sacrifice a good name with nationals for a weak, worthless brotherhood. I think the line between pledge activities and hazing is ceasing to exist.

I agree 100%

Pledging needs to be hard.

Not only do pledges need to prove themselves to the house, but most importantly to each other. If you know that the guy next to you has gone through all of the intense shit that is required out of their own free will so that you could have it easier, it makes all of it worthwhile. Tough pledging builds lifelong friendships on a much deeper level than any other way about it. There should be more to being part of a "greek" organization than offering bids, hosting events, and putting up letters on a house, its a shame that this isn't the case.

[Tom Earp]

Originally posted by frathole
I agree 100%

Pledging needs to be hard.

Not only do pledges need to prove themselves to the house, but most importantly to each other. If you know that the guy next to you has gone through all of the intense shit that is required out of their own free will so that you could have it easier, it makes all of it worthwhile. Tough pledging builds lifelong friendships on a much deeper level than any other way about it. There should be more to being part of a "greek" organization than offering bids, hosting events, and putting up letters on a house, its a shame that this isn't the case.

Not always true.

In the eye of the beholder isnt it?

[JenMarie]

Tough pledging can cause "close bonding" within the class, sure... but at what means? The traditional pledging system seems to be all fear based, so you are scaring your new members sh*tless so they are forced to bond with each other.

That's great for the first semester. Then once the pledge class becomes active brothers or sisters, you have the possibility of bitterness towards the active chapter. Yeah, they'll be bonded with each other, but you've stressed Pledge Class Bonding so much that you haven't really focused on WHOLE CHAPTER Bonding. Then you get pledge class rivalry.

I've seen it happen. It's not fun to deal with.

To me, "Bonding" doesn't happen over night. I don't agree with forcing a new member group to bond after 2 events. It it something that takes time. And if it takes more than a semester, well so be it. Not everyone can be friends.

[AchtungBaby80]

Originally posted by PhoenixAzul
However, girls are still called pledges, and in my sorority, new member refers to an initiated sister who hasn't celebrated the 1 year anniversary of her intiation which means she hasn't gone through all the major functions of the sorority as an active quite yet.

Interesting. See, this is exactly what I think of when I hear the term "new member." I know that's what we're supposed to call ladies who have accepted bids but haven't been initiated yet, but somehow it just seems a little off. They're not really "members" yet. If they were, they'd have all the privileges actives have. That's why I think that "pledge" is a more accurate term, because you have pledged yourself to a group, and that's how I always thought of myself when I was in that situation. I'm not saying that's how it should be done...I'm just saying that that's how I think.

[frathole]

Originally posted by Tom Earp
Not always true.

In the eye of the beholder isnt it?

All I'm saying, is I wouldn't give up my "tough" pledging experience for anything, I signed up for it, and its made me (somewhat) more humble, more responsible for myself and others, stronger in every sense, and beats any personal growth I've got in years of involvement with service, athletic, and other easy to join social groups.

I don't resent any other pledge class in any way shape form, my pledge class is as much a part of the house as a whole as theirs.

[Kevin]

frathole -- what organization are you a member of, what chapter?

I know you won't answer that (or you shouldn't) because someone might turn your admissions in to your national HQ.

Consider this -- are you really living up to your organization's beliefs if in joining the organization you're required to break the very specific rules that the national body has laid out for its chapters?