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-   -   Indiana University Recruitment 2020 (http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=246778)

IndianaSigKap 01-20-2020 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rod D (Post 2472890)
Most will not agree, but I believe IU is out to eventually eliminate greek life altogether. An uber competitive recruitment process will only help that. Add greek agreement which are unworkable and designed to cause "violations." It won't be this year or next, but it's coming one day.

As for sorority recruitment, it seems to me that girls need to be strategic and realistic in who they target. Very similar to college admissions -- don't just apply to the most competitive schools. It's a tough process. Good luck to all.

Nailed it.

AZTheta 01-20-2020 06:00 PM

The number of PNMs dropping has nothing to do with the number of chapters at IU (or any other campus). Young women have the right to decide not to continue with the process if they don't get what they want. *shrug* This is "mutual selection", is it not?

Having Tri Delta and Tri Sigma return to IU would give the PNMs two more options. I don't see that as negative in the slightest. ETA: we'd still see PNMs dropping, even with all 26 NPC member sororities on campus. That's a fact.

FYI: pulling a charter or closing a chapter doesn't necessarily have anything to do with "something really bad...going on". It could be due to low membership numbers or scholarship issues, for example. If you've been around for more than a few minutes, you'd know this. In every single case, closing a chapter is incredibly painful for everyone (actives, alumnae, families and friends). I know about it. Trust me. It really hurts.

BBH, I totally question the veracity of that mom's statement. If IU is following NPC recruitment policies, then her daughter would have been eligible to be a quota addition.

Definition of terms: "snap bids" are offered in the very brief time period between the end of the last preference party and the start of bid day activities. Please refer to the NPC MOI for specifics.

PGD-GRAD 01-20-2020 06:23 PM

It’s still that damned “pairing BS” that causes much of constant tier hysteria. From the start of school so much drama and comparisons are drawn over who is paired whom at Homecoming, Little 5 and various other events.
Sororities actually seem to gain self worth by being asked by “top tier” fraternities and disparage other sororities who get “leftover” fraternities. Fraternities, likewise, brag during rush about hanging out with “top tier” girls. It’s NUTS!

All it would take would be Greek Life saying: “No. We are drawing for pairs this year. And if you get the same house for two events, you re-draw.” ONE YEAR and then it would be the new normal. Sure...there would be bitching, but it’s certainly worth a try. Something has to change.


(IndianaSigKap might weigh in...perhaps my view is too simplistic.)

IUMomof2 01-20-2020 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiro11 (Post 2472875)
4. Consider making the Greek system bigger at IU. I know there are many factors here, but having only 50-60% (from what I've heard) of women get a bid seems pretty tight. Maybe offer "social membership" or something similar?

So I can definitely see where that seems like a good idea when you look at it from just coming in...1800-2000 women vying for 1200 spots. The problem is, we consistently have 2-3 chapters (if not more) who do not make quota. That means they are sitting there with open spots that the PNMs do not want to take, because they went through rush with the hopes of getting into a specific few chapters. If they get cut from those chapters, they drop out.

If chapters were filling their quotas and women weren't getting because of that, I can definitely see an argument for expanding the system. But I remember my time back at IU in the 90's. We went through expansion back then. I believe the last chapter added when I was there was SSS. My chapter's rush numbers fell through the floor. Because even though there are sooo many women going through rush, there are a few who are willing to consider ALL the sororities as a choice. So you add more sororities and it seems to me you are spreading thin the number of women willing to go to these newer chapters. Just my opinion.

33girl 01-20-2020 07:21 PM

Quota is the number of women at pref divided by number of sororities. Period. Mathematically, there is a spot for everyone.

If women choose not to take a bid offered or put a group on their bid card, that’s their prerogative.

Rod D 01-20-2020 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PGD-GRAD (Post 2472894)
It’s still that damned “pairing BS” that causes much of constant tier hysteria. From the start of school so much drama and comparisons are drawn over who is paired whom at Homecoming, Little 5 and various other events.
Sororities actually seem to gain self worth by being asked by “top tier” fraternities and disparage other sororities who get “leftover” fraternities. Fraternities, likewise, brag during rush about hanging out with “top tier” girls. It’s NUTS!

All it would take would be Greek Life saying: “No. We are drawing for pairs this year. And if you get the same house for two events, you re-draw.” ONE YEAR and then it would be the new normal. Sure...there would be bitching, but it’s certainly worth a try. Something has to change.


(IndianaSigKap might weigh in...perhaps my view is too simplistic.)

I can't see "forced pairs" working. What happens when you pair the Academic house with the Animal house? Like minded sororities pair with like minded fraternities. Plus, these days the risks are too great to associate with people you don't have an established friendship with.

If you want to break down the barriers you need events which allow all the greek houses to mingle. Something like a greek week or block party. Close down Jordan. Hire some bands/Djs. The administration won't allow it because they are trying to tone down the IU party reputation.

APhi2KD 01-20-2020 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rod D (Post 2472899)
I can't see "forced pairs" working. What happens when you pair the Academic house with the Animal house? Like minded sororities pair with like minded fraternities. Plus, these days the risks are too great to associate with people you don't have an established friendship with.

Works well at my daughter’s school.

hiro11 01-20-2020 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rod D (Post 2472890)
Most will not agree, but I believe IU is out to eventually eliminate greek life altogether. An uber competitive recruitment process will only help that. Add greek agreement which are unworkable and designed to cause "violations." It won't be this year or next, but it's coming one day.

I can't necessarily agree that IU is trying to kill Greek life, but the number of houses on some sort of disciplinary action is definitely eye-opening:
https://studentaffairs.indiana.edu/g...ry-status.html

It certainly seems like the administration is taking frat/sorority discipline very seriously and has been for several years now. Things we heard during orientation reinforced this perception. I think all big universities are struggling with just what to do here.

33girl 01-20-2020 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rod D (Post 2472899)
I can't see "forced pairs" working. What happens when you pair the Academic house with the Animal house? Like minded sororities pair with like minded fraternities. Plus, these days the risks are too great to associate with people you don't have an established friendship with.

If you want to break down the barriers you need events which allow all the greek houses to mingle. Something like a greek week or block party. Close down Jordan. Hire some bands/Djs. The administration won't allow it because they are trying to tone down the IU party reputation.

It’s building a float and/or working on a race, not being married. I don’t think anyone is saying that long established connections between specific fraternities and sororities will vanish, but if it’s to the point when Fantastic Fraternity won’t even respond to an overture from So-So Sorority (or vice versa) it flies in the face of all the claims about Greek life being a great way to meet all different kinds of people.

And the only “risk” nowadays is being 80 feet up the ass of a group and being left high and dry when their charter gets pulled.

Plus I don’t know the last time you were at a block party, but people hang out with the people they know. They certainly don’t all get in a circle and sing Kum Ba Yah.

33girl 01-20-2020 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cookiez17 (Post 2472886)
Yeah it was really sad especially reading how they were on suspension for a good while and nationals was the one to pull the charter, not the school, which means something really bad must've been going on.

Actually where sororities are concerned, it’s very much the other way around.

Rod D 01-21-2020 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hiro11 (Post 2472903)
I can't necessarily agree that IU is trying to kill Greek life, but the number of houses on some sort of disciplinary action is definitely eye-opening:
https://studentaffairs.indiana.edu/g...ry-status.html

It certainly seems like the administration is taking frat/sorority discipline very seriously and has been for several years now. Things we heard during orientation reinforced this perception. I think all big universities are struggling with just what to do here.

Many of those "infractions" are bogus and based on conduct that many would consider normal for college aged kids.

Rod D 01-21-2020 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl (Post 2472904)
It’s building a float and/or working on a race, not being married. I don’t think anyone is saying that long established connections between specific fraternities and sororities will vanish, but if it’s to the point when Fantastic Fraternity won’t even respond to an overture from So-So Sorority (or vice versa) it flies in the face of all the claims about Greek life being a great way to meet all different kinds of people.

And the only “risk” nowadays is being 80 feet up the ass of a group and being left high and dry when their charter gets pulled.

Plus I don’t know the last time you were at a block party, but people hang out with the people they know. They certainly don’t all get in a circle and sing Kum Ba Yah.

Not sure when the last time IU greeks built floats. But a large event allows the dude from ABC who knows the girl in XYZ to introduce some of his brothers to some of her sisters in passing. It could be 5 mins or 25 mins of conversation, but it begins to break down the barriers. Then the overture isn't a "cold call" but a follow up and the ice has been broken.

33girl 01-21-2020 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cookiez17 (Post 2472886)
Yeah it was really sad especially reading how they were on suspension for a good while and nationals was the one to pull the charter, not the school, which means something really bad must've been going on.

Actually where sororities are concerned, it’s very much the other way around.

Cookiez17 01-21-2020 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl (Post 2472908)
Actually where sororities are concerned, it’s very much the other way around.

Oh I can see why as terrible as it sounds.

IndianaSigKap 01-21-2020 09:17 AM

I have read through the posts regarding pairing and wanted to add a few comments to mix. I was social chair back in the day and I went out of my way to have events with different fraternities so that our chapter could get to know theirs. Never once did I have a fraternity not want to plan an event nor did we ever have a fraternity not show up. Maybe times were different or people were different, but I do wonder how often the social chairs actually seek out chapters with whom they don't normally mix? We are placing blame on the organization as a whole, but maybe the socials aren't going out of their comfort zone enough or executive officers aren't supporting reaching out.

I like the idea of a Greek Week that I think Rod D suggested. We did this when I was in school and you were paired with fraternities for different events like a relay run, co-ed volleyball, tug of war, etc. You might be paired with one group for one event and then another group for a different event. It was a lot of fun and you wanted the points, so you hoped you were paired with a chapter that had some athletic members. Something like this could easily be done in the fall when the weather is nicer. If chapters knew they might only spend an hour or two with a new group, it might not be so daunting.

The random pair idea is one that has been kicked around for years, but is never implemented. I understand the hesitation, but it could also be done pretty easily. Instead of all paired events being parties, chapters could pair for other events such as a Saturday helping build at Habitat for Humanity, after school tutoring at the Boys and Girls Club, a fundraising night for IUDM at a local restaurant. If a fraternity and sorority paired for events similar to the ones I mentioned above, they might get to know each other and accomplish something positive for the community while getting some good PR. I believe chapters can only have an official pair like every two weeks, if they do the philanthropy pair let them earn another social pair. Give them an incentive to try. Or at the social pairs have a sign in sheet and if a certain percentage of your chapter doesn't attend, then you lose an event. Make it a reasonable percentage like 33% or 40%. That will allow for students who are going home, have academic responsibilities like I-core, illness, etc.

I do believe that if chapter were forced to mix to a small extent the Greek system would benefit. At least, if nothing else, some of the stereotypes would be debunked.

Just my two cents.


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