UF Spring Recruitment!!

[DubaiSis]

Well, that's some grown up, big picture thinking that not every sorority girl on every campus is taught. If we allow Suzie Mediocre Sorority (SMS) to achieve level footing with us, size-wise, then we won't be as awesomely special. If we can push SMS off campus, then we've WON! They may not SAY it, but how many girls think it?

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Okay, how's this, then:

If you are a mid-tier chapter, one who usually makes quota but has some retention problems and finds itself hovering right around campus total, the LAST thing you want is for a chapter to close and quota or total to be raised. Then the big chapters get bigger and you go from mid-tier to bottom-tier.

[carnation]

I have seen this happen on several campuses. I'm thinking in particular of one campus: 3 sororities folded really quickly and one of the middle-tier groups found themselves on the bottom fast. It's been about 20 years now and it's been a continual struggle for that group.

Y'all remember what Erik Conard used to say on here--something about "don't hope for the weenie group to fold because someone has to take their place and your group might be the next weenies?" Those weren't his exact words but those of us who've seen it happen gave it a big "amen".

[FSUZeta]

amen!

[AZ-AlphaXi]

Amen!!

[psy]

Also, although this doesn't apply to UF, in a Greek system with a smaller total, one or two particularly good or "bad" recruitments (or retention issues) has the potential to switch up the "size tiers" very quickly. So, don't get cocky. (Again, this probably applies much less to schools like UF, Bama, UT, etc., etc., but I figured I'd throw it out there anyway).

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by psy

Also, although this doesn't apply to UF, in a Greek system with a smaller total, one or two particularly good or "bad" recruitments (or retention issues) has the potential to switch up the "size tiers" very quickly. So, don't get cocky. (Again, this probably applies much less to schools like UF, Bama, UT, etc., etc., but I figured I'd throw it out there anyway).

I think this may be a function of region more than a function of size. The tiers at Illinois change about as often as people graduate.

[GatorGirl27]

Just my 2 cents on how PH did spring recruitment this year... I hate it, just like everyone else I know does. I think it's stupid. It's disrespectful to the chapters that participate in spring recruitment and unfair to the chapters that don't. I understand that there is a stigma attached to spring rush, but this was in no way the best way to deal with it. Quite honestly, I'm shocked that they honestly ever thought this was a good idea. I'm disgusted by the fact that they didn't fully inform PNMs of who was able to give out bids. I'm just very frustrated with the whole thing.

As for smaller chapters folding, UF's greek system is pretty secure in terms of numbers. We had a house go under a while back (I believe it was Alpha Xi Delta). Even with the less than spectacular economy in recent years, chapters have been pretty strong. Numbers have dropped a bit, and a few more chapters have been participating in spring recruitment because of it, but most chapters are still pretty close to quota. Last I checked our quota was in the 160s. The last numbers I saw listed one house as having 142 members, with the next closest being in the 150s. While that chapter is obviously smaller than the rest, they usually do spring recruitment and make up the difference. Though there are the historically smaller houses on our campus, those are the ones that usually participate in spring recruitment to raise their numbers and get some great new members. I would be really, really surprised to see a chapter at UF close in the next few years.

[carnation]

Do you have any idea if any houses were able to take members?

[ggforever]

I believe an earlier poster said six houses could take members.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by GatorGirl27

As for smaller chapters folding, UF's greek system is pretty secure in terms of numbers. We had a house go under a while back (I believe it was Alpha Xi Delta). Even with the less than spectacular economy in recent years, chapters have been pretty strong. Numbers have dropped a bit, and a few more chapters have been participating in spring recruitment because of it, but most chapters are still pretty close to quota. Last I checked our quota was in the 160s. The last numbers I saw listed one house as having 142 members, with the next closest being in the 150s. While that chapter is obviously smaller than the rest, they usually do spring recruitment and make up the difference. Though there are the historically smaller houses on our campus, those are the ones that usually participate in spring recruitment to raise their numbers and get some great new members. I would be really, really surprised to see a chapter at UF close in the next few years.

You mean total not quota.

So in other words, 142 is your smallest chapter? Someone said on this thread that total was 161. Are there a lot of groups that are over total? That's when you kind of get in trouble - when the large groups keep taking quota in formal rush and going over total and the smaller chapters never catch up during the "off season."

[Regina.George]

Originally Posted by 33girl

You mean total not quota.

So in other words, 142 is your smallest chapter? Someone said on this thread that total was 161. Are there a lot of groups that are over total? That's when you kind of get in trouble - when the large groups keep taking quota in formal rush and going over total and the smaller chapters never catch up during the "off season."

^^^ Yes ^^^
When many chapters are significantly over quota and a few barely manage to make it or consistently hover below it, people notice. Plus the smaller chapters are bound to only bid up to quota during informal and COR so there's no effective way to catch up unless they have a spectacular formal recruitment with lots of QAs and the other chapters get few or none.

[GatorGirl27]

Originally Posted by 33girl

You mean total not quota.

Thank you for catching that I went off on my angry ramble and didn't notice my mistake, haha.

Yeah, 161 is our campus total, as of the last time I heard. Most chapters are hovering probably within ten below or above. However, we do have several chapters in the 180s. A few years ago, before numbers as a whole dropped, many of those chapters were above 200 (no idea what our total was though, honestly). As far as I know though, the smaller chapters on campus do pretty well maintaining their numbers through things like COB and spring recruitment.

Someone mentioned something about people getting petty with gossip over low numbers. The problem at UF, as it probably is at other schools, (and please believe me when I say I hate myself for writing this) is that most of the houses with lower numbers that typically participate in recruitment are the "less popular" or not "top tier" houses. Thus the whole trying to remove the stigma of spring recruitment, as was discussed earlier. So it's not just, "Oh, ABC has suchhhh low numbers, they only have 149 girls!" It's other things. "OMG, I can't believe ABC is participating in spring rush this year, they've never had to do that before!" The frustrating thing is that most chapter's numbers have dropped from the economy, and more and more chapters are participating in it. And spring recruitment is just another opportunity to get great new members in a much more informal and relaxed environment. Unfortunately, spring recruitment at UF still is very much looked down upon by a lot of people. Sigh.

Note to any potential new members out there: Every single one of UF's 16 chapters has amazing girls and great things to offer, and you should pick your chapter based on how you feel with the women there, not on any of the petty, mean things people say. I have friends in every single house, and they love their chapters and their sisters

[DubaiSis]

And it's probably time to address total. I'm not sure why some campuses hold onto a fixed number as though it's holy writ. If chapter total is effectively something like 180, either change it or add a chapter. If the smaller houses can't ever catch up because they're only allowed to COB to the official total, that blows, because only being off by 10 or 20 in chapters of this size wouldn't really be noticeable in a crowd, but 40 or 50 would be. Of course, they could always bring Alpha Xi back and ease up some of the pressure. I vote for that option!

[PC11]

Does anyone know if the spring recruitment houses are still calling people?

~I'm pretty discouraged right now.