Why doesn't NPC deal with the lack of info?

[carnation]

But how do you announce, "We're turning this chapter around and saving it'" without insulting the women in it, both longtime and new members? I think that hearing that announcement would lose at least half your new members, who might have been entertaining the thought of leaving because they never wanted to be part of a group that needed saving.

(Although I definitely think that what saved a lot of chapters around the area is RFM and not heroics.)

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by carnation

Do you remember a thread I started years ago because a GCer had pmed me asking for advice on how her chapter could seem less desperate for members and assure PNMs that they wanted then for themselves and not because they obviously needed numbers? A lot of GCers' chapters had been in those shoes and they offered great advice.

Just like some men and women reek of desperation when they're seeking a spouse, some chapters do too. You don't see it as much now because of RFM but it's obvious, and not always by their numbers because they may have brought in out of town sisters to help rush. These might be the chapters who invite back almost everyone every day--until a few years ago, it was obvious because you could cut chapters and you might cut Icky Iota daily but daily, that invitation would show up again.

Tent talk doesn't always cause the problems. It can be a multitude of factors and can be compounded if the national office has warned of sanctions of the chapter doesn't get a lot bigger but doesn't offer much help. I bet that some of the "old rush hands" here can relay a lot of things they've seen but some times the problems are internal and they snowball from there.

Sidenote: are people still doing the "bring out of town chapters to help with recruitment" thing? Do HQs and advisors still suggest that it be done?

That's something our HQ discourages. From a volunteer standpoint, I would NEVER advise a chapter to do that. In my opinion, it's more hurtful than helpful to a chapter and is a red flag of struggle even moreso than the obviously small numbers.

Also, I think the "turnaround" potential of a chapter also has to do with the campus culture. At many schools, chapters can change drastically for the better or worse every year or so depending on the NM classes. Things are more fluid (ex: the perceived top group when I was in undergrad is not considered that now.) At some of the bigger more competitive schools, whether XYZ is at total, winning awards, tc. they're still going to be Icky XYZ just because that's what they've always been known as and it's pretty set in stone.

I do agree about the RFM improving things on some level. For example, a chapter at an SEC school may have been on the brink of closing due to low numbers but was given the opportunity to bounce back by the RFM. Which is good.

Another sidenote: I volunteer with chapters who have traditionally not hit quota, yet think every year that the RFM will magically bring them numbers. They end up disappointed year after year because they don't fully understand that the RFM can calculate and help you get better numbers, but it can't MAKE PNMs want to accept your invite. That part is up to YOU.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Sidenote: are people still doing the "bring out of town chapters to help with recruitment" thing? Do HQs and advisors still suggest that it be done?

That's something our HQ discourages. From a volunteer standpoint, I would NEVER advise a chapter to do that. In my opinion, it's more hurtful than helpful to a chapter and is a red flag of struggle even moreso than the obviously small numbers.

I think it depends on the chapter and what the out-of-towners were there to do. For a few rushes, a neighboring chapter came to help us out with Recruitment--but they didn't have any interaction with rushees. Our chapter was small, typical for the University, and our advisors felt that we should all be rushing and not behind-the-scenes. If you had a chapter of 20 women, and 20 rushees, it probably wasn't a good idea to have 5 of those women doing something else. If a chapter is doing it to deceive rushees, then yes--it could hurt the chapter.

I'm pretty sure the other chapters on our campus did the same thing. It wasn't a way to deceive rushees; it was just a way to make rush a little easier for us.

[KSUViolet06]

Oh, sure. Helping out behind the scenes is fine. I wasn't referring to that. I was talking about them coming in and actually INTERACTING WITH PNMs.

I know that chapters who have done this don't do so with the INTENT of deceiving PNMs, but what ends up happening is a kind of unintentional bait & switch, if you will. A PNM may have REALLY clicked with an Out Of Town XYZ, not fully understanding that come Bid Day, those women aren't going to be around.

[pearlbubbles]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Sidenote: are people still doing the "bring out of town chapters to help with recruitment" thing? Do HQs and advisors still suggest that it be done?

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I know that chapters who have done this don't do so with the INTENT of deceiving PNMs, but what ends up happening is a kind of unintentional bait & switch, if you will. A PNM may have REALLY clicked with an Out Of Town XYZ, not fully understanding that come Bid Day, those women aren't going to be around.

I know that this happened with three chapters at my alma mater (one of which did ultimately close).

I know that the year I went through recruitment, I found it very off-putting to meet the women from the near-by chapter, because while they could talk about XYZ nationally, they were always referring to specific things they did at their own chapter, which clearly wasn't the case for the chapter at my alma mater.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by carnation

But how do you announce, "We're turning this chapter around and saving it'" without insulting the women in it, both longtime and new members? I think that hearing that announcement would lose at least half your new members, who might have been entertaining the thought of leaving because they never wanted to be part of a group that needed saving.

(Although I definitely think that what saved a lot of chapters around the area is RFM and not heroics.)

If a chapter truly needs saving numbers wise, I think everyone in the chapter (via pressure from National) AND the new members will be aware of it (tent talk, visibly fewer actives at recruitment parties). Such an attitude would insult a bottom tier chapter who is at or very close to total but does fine otherwise.

[Mevara]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Oh, sure. Helping out behind the scenes is fine. I wasn't referring to that. I was talking about them coming in and actually INTERACTING WITH PNMs.

I know that chapters who have done this don't do so with the INTENT of deceiving PNMs, but what ends up happening is a kind of unintentional bait & switch, if you will. A PNM may have REALLY clicked with an Out Of Town XYZ, not fully understanding that come Bid Day, those women aren't going to be around.

I know I read a recruitment story from USC where a chapter had done it last year. I also know of another chapter at a different campus that also did it this year. (These were 2 different NPC Orgs)

[DubaiSis]

I think the way you approach the "we're going to kick ass and take names" process internally is to say our problem isn't with our awesomeness, it's getting women to SEE our awesomeness and want to be part of it. With that mentality you can begin to make strides, while hopefully not offending anyone. Even if what national or your rush VP or advisors are thinking is "you have to up the quality from what you've got now" you don't have to actually say that. Hopefully sorority women are skilled enough at massaging a conversation to say that carefully.