Pledge Education Course - Page 4

naraht · #46 09-17-2012, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royal_Blue_True

We usually do something nice for the pledges when they initiate as pledges, then when they activate as Brothers. Due to the national conference, our funds are a bit short.

Oddly enough, I don't think my chapter did anything like that at either ceremony. Nothing for the pledge ceremony and at the brotherhood ceremony it was the big brothers' responsibility.

Royal_Blue_True · #47 09-19-2012, 10:50 AM

About the initiation terminology: Duly noted. It has always confused me because we use pledge initiation to refer to taking the oath of pledgeship and Activation as the term for when pledges become full brothers in the fraternity. Weird right?

Also, we thought about giving that responsibility to the Bigs, but the chapter voted it down. Bigs still have the option to purchase something for their Little though.

naraht · #48 09-20-2012, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royal_Blue_True

About the initiation terminology: Duly noted. It has always confused me because we use pledge initiation to refer to taking the oath of pledgeship and Activation as the term for when pledges become full brothers in the fraternity. Weird right?

Also, we thought about giving that responsibility to the Bigs, but the chapter voted it down. Bigs still have the option to purchase something for their Little though.

Yeah, wierd. I don't know if the National Documents are inconsistent or if the common terminology needs to be more "pushed". I know that there are lots of things not common across the fraternity (starting with APO vs. APhiO), but still...

Royal_Blue_True · #49 09-24-2012, 02:47 PM

So we had our first pledge ceremony.....SUCCESS!
We also initiated three people who had their ceremony delayed due to a missing advisor.

It was a LOOOONG day, because right after both Rituals, we had a general body meeting.

The Pledge Ceremony yielded 4 Pledges! YAY!

We are having a second ceremony; some of the people who expressed a heartfelt interest in pledging weren't able to make the first one, and we didn't want to exclude them.

After General Body, I got to talk to the pledges, read them risk management, and go over the pledge requirements. They seemed a bit overwhelmed, but happy to begin their journey!

naraht · #50 09-24-2012, 04:58 PM

mazel tov! Scheduling one pledge ceremony that everyone can make can be one of the most difficult part of the Membership VP's job...

Royal_Blue_True · #51 10-05-2012, 06:23 PM

I called everyone that entire week before it to confirm attendance. 8 people confirmed that Sunday, September 30th at 12 pm on the second floor of the Student Center, they would be in attendance.
I tell them that I will call them the day of at 11:30 am, 30 minutes before the ceremony, as a reminder.
THE DAY OF, though I called, and texted, and the potentials confirmed, I got about 7 text messages at NOON, when the ceremony was supposed to start, telling me they would not make it.
And one person said she didnt come because she didnt have anything business casual to wear.
But I didn't find this out until THREE DAYS LATER and through my friend.
Because no matter how many times I texted and called, no one responded, and I had all the right number because I talked to them all in person AND on the phone.
The VERY SAME DAY, after the designated ceremony time passed and the pledge class was in session, a pledge dropped out, complaining that "This club is asking for too much, and the pledgemaster is too aggressive." (The emphasis belongs to the pledge.) THIS IS WHAT HE TOLD OUR CHAPTER COMMUNITY ADVISOR, WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE OUR SECTION 55 CHAIR. The pledge hadn't even sat through the first class!!!!! He walked in late, then made the declaration to the chapter president. He did not attend ONE service project, went to one fellowship, and didn't pay his fee.

Before this though, instead of talking to me about his concerns, he voiced them to two active Brothers who happen to be his friends.
And he subsequently lost them as friends, due to the fact that our chapter is 95% female, and he said, and I quote, " I don't see how FEMALES are a fraternity. You all are a club, not a Fraternity."
They gently explained to him our history, which he would have known had he sat through the first pledge class. BUT NOOOOO, two Active Brothers who happen to be female can't possibly know what they are talking about.

ON TOP OF THAT, we find that the class of Brothers we just initiated due to a missing advisor delaying our ceremony, complained to our SECOND community advisor that the pledge program (which THANK GOD was before my tenure) carried some extra requirements that were "secret" and could have opened us up to a risk management issue.
Couple that with accusations of me being aggressive, and my pledge program is now under intense scrutiny. Not that it matters, because my program adheres to the National Pledging Standards, and the pledges have been read our Risk Management Policy, and I am fully transparent with all pledge class proceedings. I even give actives binders and worksheets to use in class!
Then, as if all that was not enough, I was lenient on the collection of fees. Two paid, the other two did not, and one of the other two dropped, so now I just costed the chapter money. The other pledge who did not pay has been MIA, and I knew he had a personal problem going on, but I talked to him since the incident. Now he is either avoiding me, or....I don't know.
Since I am also acting Treasurer (our treasurer has been MIA since CAPS) I feel absolutely horrible!
Then we have Sectionals coming up--NOBODY PAID YET. So we are using the chapters current funds, and the members will reimburse. BUT FIRST, they must pay dues. All dues are due October 7th, NO EXCEPTIONS. Which sucks, because even I don't have the dues until October 8.
Let's not even start on Nationals funding.

And forgive me; I will modify this post if you all do not believe that this is in good taste or that I am airing my chapters dirty laundry.
I just needed to get it all off my chest with out causing drama in the chapter.
Any and all comment is welcome, as is any GC snark that I am opening myself up to

naraht · #52 10-10-2012, 07:28 PM

Ouch! Other than that Mrs. Lincoln how was the play... At least the Section chair is involved early...

Royal_Blue_True · #53 10-15-2012, 04:05 PM

Section Conference was awesome; all the actives, alumni and pledges that went had an excellent time!

Nu Beta were excellent hosts!

Royal_Blue_True · #54 10-19-2012, 03:41 PM

I am taking on a new pledge, though I didn't really want to.
I feel they may be too far behind and will not complete the program.
The chapter president as well as the other members of the pledge class agreed that this person should be given another chance (this was the potential new member that didn't show because they didn't have anything business casual to wear

)
I am asking for their fee UPFRONT so that I don't have another fiasco like the one I caused before.
I feel that because the chapter prez is their friend, they are going to expect concessions and leniency, which I WILL NOT GIVE.
This person is already entering the pledge class late; they must work twice as hard if they expect to activate.
They have 3 service hours already, due to them attending a service project that my chapter had, and we agreed to apply those points.
She has missed the first test though, and has a lot of catching up to do if she expects to meet the requirements.

MY PERSONAL OPINION: The potential new member is a flake. I don't think that this person is going to follow through on ANYTHING. She has demonstrated to me, even before the clothing fiasco, that she is unreliable, inconsistent, and flighty.
I don't want to invest in someone who isn't going to contribute to the health of the chapter.

I am hoping she proves me wrong.

Thoughts?

naraht · #55 10-21-2012, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Royal_Blue_True

I am taking on a new pledge, though I didn't really want to.
I feel they may be too far behind and will not complete the program.
The chapter president as well as the other members of the pledge class agreed that this person should be given another chance (this was the potential new member that didn't show because they didn't have anything business casual to wear

)
I am asking for their fee UPFRONT so that I don't have another fiasco like the one I caused before.
I feel that because the chapter prez is their friend, they are going to expect concessions and leniency, which I WILL NOT GIVE.
This person is already entering the pledge class late; they must work twice as hard if they expect to activate.
They have 3 service hours already, due to them attending a service project that my chapter had, and we agreed to apply those points.
She has missed the first test though, and has a lot of catching up to do if she expects to meet the requirements.

MY PERSONAL OPINION: The potential new member is a flake. I don't think that this person is going to follow through on ANYTHING. She has demonstrated to me, even before the clothing fiasco, that she is unreliable, inconsistent, and flighty.
I don't want to invest in someone who isn't going to contribute to the health of the chapter.

I am hoping she proves me wrong.

Thoughts?

Lack of Business casual in and of itself should not be an issue long term. With this much notice, something can be found for initiation. I worked with a chapter that did pledging out at a scout camp. But not showing up due to that, hmm...

New pledge under these circumstances should require chapter approval.

I'd give the first test to the pledge anyway as makeup, presuming they can get most or all of the information from the pledge manual/other similar sources...

Royal_Blue_True · #56 10-26-2012, 04:28 PM

The new pledge is taking their first test on Sunday, while the other pledges are on their second test.

The new pledge agreed to take their second test Wednesday of next week so she can finnaly be on the same page as the others, and not initiate two weeks later.

The pledges are bonding with the chapter and each other quite nicely. This is PROOF that hazing has no place in Fraternity life.

I love all of them; I see them on campus and we hug and chat and keep in touch. One of the pledges complained she didn't have the money to get anything to eat, and was on her way to work and was having a generally terrible, horrible, no-good day.
Though I was quite grumpy myself, and hadn't had breakfast, I gave her the granola bar I just bought without a second thought, gave her a big hug, and told her that things were going to brighten up.
The smile on her face made me remember why I joined Alpha Phi Omega.
Aside from my pledge class, I haven't really hung out much with other members of our chapter, and missed bonding and encouragement and general friendship. Thats one of the main reasons I wanted to be pledgemaster, so that I could foster and encourage that bond.
I almost cried with happiness.
Later on, I will be helping her with her English homework

And they rock at service projects.
Our chapter is most definately recruiting the right ones.