Call to eliminate recruitment skits

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I hate videos more than skits.

Me, too. Especially those professional slick, glittery ones. Oy.

Originally Posted by ladybug12

Agree 1000%. The craft idea was a good way to "encourage" Philanthropy Day round way back in the 90's when it was mandated but its time has passed.

Ugh. When I went through Rush, THREE different sororities did the same craft. NONE of them looked very good!

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

To me, "no frills" = no fun.

I agree, however, I can understand that putting a cap on the spending would be a good leveling tool.

Originally Posted by carnation

I can see both sides of it. As a senior, though, I was relieved that I would never have to practice the can-can at 1 AM again.

See, I had forgotten that part! We usually did such basic skits, with only about 3 women with actual lines. We did the Charleston, but I don't remember the can-can!

Bottom line, I'm not wild about banning or not banning anything that's under the monetary amount set by Panhel. How much do these "let's make sure that non-greeks think we look silly & sexist" videos cost? They surely don't come very cheap, do they?

[33girl]

I think the criticism of skits is more about the amount of time spent on them (preparation and during parties) than it is about money.

[lyrica9]

There weren't skits at my school when I was there 9-13 years ago, but the chapter I advise has them. I honestly was surprised at their use of skits since a philanthropy day would be far more in the spirit of this campus. Though I did find a bag of the cheesy craft we did when I went through in the attic of the house my sophomore year lol

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I think the criticism of skits is more about the amount of time spent on them (preparation and during parties) than it is about money.

My alma mater stopped having skits long before I arrived (early 2000s.)

I think maybe one chapter I work with in my volunteer role still has them.

A big criticism of skits is that during the skit portion of the party, NO ONE IS TALKING which = less time for chapters to actually interact with PNMs.

You are "selling" relationships, in a sense, and 20 minutes with no one talking isn't doing that.

[ColdInCanada11]

As someone who was a collegian and now advises at a university where chapters are between 12-25 girls for formal recruitment (total is currently 28), I think that the videos are a waste of time for everyone involved. It's either expensive and drains the modest budget or is clearly made by an amateur. I have to say, one of my pledge sisters filmed all of us answering quick questions, and edited that- and it looked great. It wasn't random people dancing, it was aerial shots of things, it was just us talking about Alpha Gam in easy-to-digest chunks. It doesn't seem to be the way things are done now.

On small campi, skits aren't even possible. For the chapter that was at 12 this past recruitment, what would they have done? Had a skit of 3, or left the majority of PNMs sitting without a collegian? Either way, what is actually the point anymore?

[ChioLu]

Fall 2016 was UCLA's last formal recruitment for skits. Instead of a skit, the day will focus on Sisterhood. Chapters can still show a video.

[bhkg1254]

My sorority was one of the 2 nationally that voted no to eliminating skits...interesting to see who voted to keep them and why that may be the case.

[SimplyMe]

Instead of skits, our chapters did a song and dance. They're stopping that this year though to focus on a "values based recruitment."

[AnchorAlumna]

Here's my prediction for future recruitments:
Videos will be banned, because chapters will spend too much money on Hollywood directors and stars making "cameo" appearances in their "daughters'/nieces'/cousins'/neighbors'" sorority video.
Someone will come up with a brilliant idea for Round 3 - skits!

[FSUZeta]

Where is the like button?

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

Here's my prediction for future recruitments:
Videos will be banned, because chapters will spend too much money on Hollywood directors and stars making "cameo" appearances in their "daughters'/nieces'/cousins'/neighbors'" sorority video.
Someone will come up with a brilliant idea for Round 3 - skits!

I think your prediction is going to come true sooner rather than later.

[PKTKKG]

I was glad when skits were gone as on my campus it became a case of 'who had the best dance team' type of thing....

When I went thru...back in the day...we had skits for Round 2 and 3 of parties. The next year when I was on the 'other' side, a video replaced the skit in Round 2. I'm not sure when skits were gone totally, probably about 4 years ago or so...

[Hayzelle]

ok, I am wondering if skits are as asinine as these over the top "recruitment videos"?
We had videos and slides during a party to show our activities during the year....and while each scene appeared, we could talk to the rushee and thus we accomplished two things at once. We entertained and we got to be one on one with our future sisters!

Meanwhile, I go over to You Tube and cannot believe the ridiculous and EXPENSIVE videos I see...and most are just 'here we are doing awesome things, air balloons, fancy beaches, blowing bubbles..." Again, one on one in our chapter house really opened up new rushees so we could learn about each other..

How do others feel ?

[Hayzelle]

the best thing about our discussing the pros and cons of skits....videos...since most of us are alumnae is that we will raise the level to all the Nationals so that maybe we can improve all our formal rush activities. And the current sisters will learn from our experiences and input.

[AGDAlum]

In 1971 our chapter made a movie to show at Round 2. We had great fun doing it.
When I was a leadership consultant and read my chapter's files I found out that the consultants reported that the movie was lame. Sigh . . .

We had a great recruitment that year, not because of our movie, but because quota was set low. 1971 was the depth of the GLO depression.