How Can We Maximize Greek Membership?

[FSUZeta]

the "logic" behind some chapters having to release a high percentage of pnms after the first set of parties is to not lead the pnms on into a false sense of "wow-abc is the top group at state u and they keep inviting me back-they must really like me. i'll bet i get a bid from them," only to have abc drop them before the pref round and totally devastate them. however, if, for whatever reason, justified or not, polly pnm has her heart set on abc or nothing at all, and for some reason she is dropped by abc because they had to release 60% of all the pnms after the first set of parties, she may drop out of recruitment altogether.

a few years back there was a theory that the large chapters were just inviting pnms back to make their return rates look good and based on that(and i am sure other things) it was decided that it would be kinder to release early on those pnms that they might not end up offering a bid to. i think that a huge assumption is being made by the powers that be-that the released pnms would never have been offered a bid by abc, but noone can know that unless the chapters are allowed to invite back as many as they want and more members can meet polly pnm.who knows?that next visit to the abc house may be the time she really shines!but it is a double edged sword-some girls will fall into the scenario in the first paragraph, and some will continue with recruitment only to find that they don't have a good fit with the remaining chapters. i don't know what the answer is, but it seems to me that if pnms are so upset after being released by certain chapters that they drop out all together, then it might be better to allow those chapters to release less girls, so that the pnms will remain in recruitment and hopefully give each chapter on their campus a good look and ultimately find the best group for them.

[Adelphean]

This is going to piss a lot of people off, but I just don't see the probelm in PNMs going bidless.

Obviously there is a reason for this. Not EVERY GIRL who goes through recruitment should/will get a bid. Recruitment is about first impressions. I may meet a girl 1 time during Recruitment week and talk her for a total of 5 minutes. If she does not make a good impression then why would I want to tell everyone in my chapter how awesome she is and that I would love to have her as my sister? Odds are, if she hasn't made a good impression at my house, she probably hasn't made a good impression elewhere.

On the issue of high release numbers, I think it's important to cut when you realize you don't want someone. When you hold everyone until the end, then you drop, all those girls have in their head that you want them. It also screws other sororities who cut early b/c PNMs who get cut by xyz and have a friend going through with them will jade that friend on xyz.

Finally, this notion that every girl should be able to join a sorority is bullsh**. I personally like being able to decide who I'm going to have to spend the next couple of years with. If everyone can just walk up and join what would be the purpose of a sorority? I'd just go join the band, or the Key Club. With these groups you get friendship, community service, and parties... they're just not exclusive.

Truly, I wish sororites did their rush like the fraternties on my campus do. Everyone goes the each house the first night. Then the fraternities send invites out, no mutual selection, they choose who THEY want. Then, at the ned of the week, they pledge who they want. No quota, no huge importance placed on total or numbers, just people they TRULY want as brothers, not just people they HAD to take b/c of quota.

[33girl]

Originally posted by AXiD670
Also -- if the PNMs could just open their minds a tiny little bit more, they would realize that it's okay to not be in the top chapter. If they truly desired to be Greek, then they would be willing to step into a chapter with a not so great reputation and work to turn that chapter around. I'm not saying that PNMs should settle for a group where they know they wouldn't fit in, but let's face it -- PNMs are dropping chapters they have incorrectly heard are going to close or have low numbers or are at the bottom of the food chain simply because they are concerned with reputation. If we threw reputation out the window, we wouldn't have this problem.

YES.

When you look into some of these sad stories, you find out that the PNM said something to the effect of "well I wanted SKEPi or SHIM and they both cut me and I know I'm better than any of those other groups." I'm sorry, but cry me a fricking river.

I know there are instances where the PNM does keep an open mind and still ends up bidless, but I honestly think the above instance is more common.

Heather's also right about re-evaluating total more often. If it's off-kilter, it enables the strong groups to get bigger at the expense of the smaller and also puts you in the doghouse with your national - all they see is you didn't make it, not that no one has made it since 1988.

[honeychile]

Originally posted by AGDAlum
A vicious circle has developed over the past 40+ years: larger quotas and higher totals led to larger chapter houses, which led to larger quotas and higher totals in order to pay for those houses.

I wish that NPC had gone for more chapters. That is, instead of 14 chapters with a possible total of 150, which perhaps 11 would reach easily while two would have to push through the year and the third would constantly struggle to exceed 50, another struggling at 50, there would be 26 chapters of 55.
Maybe there would even be more than 26 NPC groups: locals or multi-culturals could participate on a more level field.

It's never going to happen, but if I were Queen of the World . . .

Just adding to the vicious circle are sororities with houses, especially those mammoth houses. You NEED the dues from over a hundred, twoo hundred members to keep the house afloat.

And it really would be exciting to see a school with 26 NPC sororities - but that would be a HORRIBLE rush!! With the amount of complaining when there's 11-12 houses, can you even begin to imagine trying to hit 26?!?!?!?!?!

[aephi alum]

Originally posted by honeychile
And it really would be exciting to see a school with 26 NPC sororities - but that would be a HORRIBLE rush!! With the amount of complaining when there's 11-12 houses, can you even begin to imagine trying to hit 26?!?!?!?!?!

You'd need some really comfy shoes.

[KSUViolet06]

Note: This has nothing to do with those who do maximize their options and walk away bidless. I feel truly sorry for those girls. This deals with those who withdraw voluntarily.

I agree with AXiD670's point about girls who drop out. If you truly want to be Greek, you will take every step to maximize your options. Maybe your absolute favorite did cut you last round, and that sucks. But if you are determined to be a part of the Greek world, you'll have your mini pity party, then regroup and say, "Let's see what these other chapters have to offer. Recruitment isn't over yet, the parties are smaller, and I may have a better time with these groups this round." I've heard SO many stories of girls who got cut from their favorite, went into the next round, and upon closer examination, found the sorority home of their dreams. So I think maximzing the # of girls who match up has ALOT more to do with the PNM's attitude than our release figures methods and such. If you aren't willing to step out of your comfort zone and take a closer look at some other chapters, then it's often YOUR fault, you're bidless.

[Firehouse]

During rush, do all the sororities know who has been "released" and who has not? Is there any sort of dynamic where a house will see that someone has been released by a rival, and then releases the same woman because "if she's not good enough for XYZ, then she's not good enough for us"?

[KSUViolet06]

Originally posted by Firehouse
During rush, do all the sororities know who has been "released" and who has not? Is there any sort of dynamic where a house will see that someone has been released by a rival, and then releases the same woman because "if she's not good enough for XYZ, then she's not good enough for us"?

The chapters do NOT know who was released and from where. Unless chapters are sharing that type of info anyway, which violates Panhellenic rules.

[IvySpice]

The chapters do NOT know who was released and from where.

If the goal is to maximize membership, then maybe they should, under certain circumstances.

I completely agree that if the group doesn't want the girl, it shouldn't have to take her. But at these big Greek campuses, is that really what's happening? Maybe some of those early cuts are simply girls without recs, or shy girls who didn't make an impression.

How would this idea work: after the chapters turn in their invite lists each round, the panhellenic computer makes a list of those girls who were completely released by all chapters. This list is then provided to the chapters before the next round begins. If a chapter wants to change its mind about any of those girls, then it can invite them even if release figures say their parties are full, and if the girl then makes it to pref night at that chapter, she may be bidded without counting in quota.

Obviously, if a girl was cut "for cause" (meaning she's a problem personality or was rude at the party), the chapter will pass on the opportunity to take a second look. But if she was cut basically to make room under the release figures, or because no one in the chapter knows her, maybe some chapters will give her another chance.

This is basically the same philosophy as quota additions, only applied to the rounds before pref.

[Little E]

My heart goes out to the women who get dropped from all the houses. I know if I had gone to a school that didn't bid non-freshman I would not have gotten the opportunities I have gotten from AST.

Here is my thought (kinda far fetched). PNMs are making snap judgements based on letters (and reps, size etc). Why not make the first round or two blind. Take the letters away (much like a rush story on here), do small rush groups so a PNM coming through couldn't tell how big or small the chapter really is. So if the smallest house is at 60 each group could have two rooms with 30 or three rooms with 20, the bigger chapters would have a back-of-house space for the other sisters to wait until they are roated in. Make the conversations really about personality and that interpersonal connection. Put in monitors who roam the room if needed to prevent dirty rushing, but let the PNMs have a chance to see the groups with out the preconcieved notions. You'd have to compare hometowns and not have women interact who knew eachother, but I'm sure things like that could mostly be avoided. You would have to put letters on it at some point, but maybe a blind round would help people keep their minds open more. I mean if you fell in love with the women of xyz, and you found out they were small, would you really give it up just for better letters knowing you fit with another chapter? I know that this is far out there...


I like the idea of 26 smaller chapters rather than 11 huge chapters. I think it is ok if a chapter is smaller, or only does cob and recruits women who the others would never bid. I think that makes a Greek system more healthy and helps break down some barriers. I dunno...just thoughts.

[hoosier]

At one of our large research universities, is anyone doing a follow-up survey of girls (and guys) who register for rush and participate, but don't pledge?

Is anyone sending these people a survey form, or doing interviews of a sample of them?

[honeychile]

Originally posted by aephi alum
You'd need some really comfy shoes.

Comfy shoes would be the small beginning! Think about everyone's voices, their throats, the exhaustion, the heat, the 8-hour-long membership selections, the lack of sleep, the tempers flaring...

[honeychile]

Originally posted by hoosier
At one of our large research universities, is anyone doing a follow-up survey of girls (and guys) who register for rush and participate, but don't pledge?

Is anyone sending these people a survey form, or doing interviews of a sample of them?

We did try this, a few times to my knowledge. The response wasn't really worth the effort, though - something like 15%.

We also did have to turn in cut lists along with invitation lists. We were NOT permitted to say why someone would not be invited back.

While we didn't do it, I firmly believe in the "decline with regret" option given to PNMs. That gives a chapter - and the PNM - a second chance at a party invitation.

[PhoenixAzul]

We have the "accept (Decline) with regret" option..but here's the catch, it counts as "accepting" the invite.

Example: Suzy PNM gets an invite to Tau Delta's final party. Unfortunately, she has a religious comitment at the time of our preference party that is extremely important. She wants to go to the party, but just can't make it...so she "accepts with regret". Now if Suzy also recieved invites from TEM and Theta Nu to final party, she would have to either "accept with regret" to one of them, or accept one of them and attend their party...one group must be cut by her. 1 w/regret+1 accept= 2 final sororities that you are almost assured to be SOMEWHERE on their bid list.


And while I agree that sorority life is a "Selective" process..I don't think that "selective" should mean "elitist".

[Rollergirl2001]

Although I'm not in a sorority, I would like to put my two cents about this. I'm going to get in trouble for saying this, but I think that juniors and seniors should be free from the quota. Besides, not many juniors and seniors rush. Out of 200 girls, there may be about 10 juniors and 5 seniors. If they make good grades, give them all a chance! I think that upperclassmen should be given some priority because they won't be in school long.

Also, juniors and seniors PNMs can bring the experience (along with the sisters) when it comes to attending school to the rest of the bid class. They can be great girls as much as the freshmen.

A junior or a senior may not had time to join in the first two to three years due to issues.

Another idea is to pass out application at the dorms, should rush take place after the dorms open. That happened to my school last year.

The sad thing is that there are no Latino sororities or fratenities or Multi-Cultural Sororities at my school. There are 20,000 people at my school (with a growing Latino population) and I believe that it's long overdue to have these organizations. There are people that may want to join these groups.