Difficult question

[adpiucf]

No frills formal recruitment still allows decorations; it just limits them and restricts how much money you can spend to level the playing field.

Balloons, stuffed animals, dressing uniformly, serving punch, banners (a certain number) etc., are allowed. But no frills is more about conversation and showing sisterhood through interaction with members instead of draping the walls with visqueen (sp?!) and transporting your PNMs to a tropical rain forest with a waterfall and a chocolate fountain and a 20 minute tribute to Broadway, with some words and lyrics about finding the sisterhood! Some schools have done away with Skit Night, and instead show a video they have compiled of activities and sisterhood throughout the year (IMHO having experienced both, this is a MUCH better showcase of what the chapter is all about than a singing and dancing routine to the theme of a Broadway show!). Door songs, etc., are still part of it, depending on the Panhellenic. Everyone gets their plans cleared through the Recruitment Exec.

It's the same recruitment, but you actually have more time to talk to the girls and more time to train members on conversation, rather than setting up a safari jungle at 2 AM and spraining your ankle during dance practice! I know there are merits to the frills, and it looks nice and gets the word on the street buzzing, but having been through frills and no frills, I like no-frills.

[Buttonz]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

The campus Panhellenic should keep track, though, as they are the ones who organize recruitment.

The way that rush was ran at my old school back when there were three of us there would shock someone who has thought they ahve seen it all, it was that different and....not bad, but not the way it should have been done.

And we were told we couldn't get help from our national because..well..not to put down my national but they wouldn't help us.

Girls by us just had to show up for 2 out of 3 parties, that was it...there was no signing up for recruitment beforehand, Rho Chi (yes, we still called it that) disaffliating was close to impossible due to small numbers of the chapters, getting sisters to show up for recruitment events was even a struggle. It was ran poorly, and i'd love to be able ot step in when they re-open my chapter to give htem a hand and to do it right, and get involved on a national level with the commuter schoolsand how thigns have tobe ran very differently comapred to a dorm school

[SockPuppet3]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

ETA: I do want to tell you that every chapter, even the ones at and over total, have problems and internal issues. I know it seems hard to believe, but it is very true. It's also very confusing when you're new to understand the inner workings of an organization or to see why things are done a certain way, esp. if it appears that they may not be contributing to the chapter's long-term success. The most important lesson I've learned in being a sorority member is this: When I enter a new group, I observe first, learn the ways and means of the organization, ask questions and then seek to recommend changes once I have a better understanding of the way things work and the culture of the group. I encourage you to go about this the same way. When you are the newbie and you arrive intending to change things without first getting acclimated to WHY things are done a certain way, things can backfire-- not b/c your ideas aren't good ones, but because people will be resistant to how they perceive someone with limited or no background into the group dynamics. You've had a year to watch and grow. This is the prime time to talk to your pres with your concerns and get involved!

Thanks for saying this. It really makes sense. I think this might be the reason I didn't get a good response from the chapter when I tried to suggest changes last semester. Now that I have a better idea of who I'm working with, chapter reception is getting better. And now that I'm planning on running for office, I think things will be easier all the way around. I just hope I have the opporutnity to try to change things. (Meaning, I hope that the closed meeting doesn't end up becoming a chapter-closing meeting.)

Thanks again for all the responses. I'll keep you all posted.

[FSUZeta]

sockpuppet3, one thing i would like to suggest is that you and your sisters, agree to go out on a limb, and befriend girls in your classes. grab a coffee or a sandwich with them-at the appropriate time talk to them about your sorority-not a hard sell, but sort of broach the subject to see if they might be receptive to coming over and meeting the girls. even if they don't think sorority life is for them, you(and your sisters) have made a new friend, and generated some good word of mouth p.r .for your chapter.

if some of the girls would like to learn more about your sorority, have someone
PLAN something fun to do and hold a get together. just hanging at someones apartment won't cut it-but bowling, or skating, or even a game night would be.

good luck. we are all pulling for your chapter. please keep us updated!!

[SockPuppet3]

I just thought I'd update everyone, although the news is not good.

Our chapter was closed over the summer. I'm alum now, and quite honestly, I'm not happy about it. What's even more sad is that the group of alums I was complaining about last year are happy about the outcome. I can't tell you how upset I am. I feel so betrayed, so bitter... I wonder when I'll get over this.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I wish they had worked.

[Fleur de Lis]

SockPuppet3,

I'm sorry to hear about your chapter closing. That is a really difficult thing to deal with. But I do want to encourage you to get involved as an alumna. I pledged my junior year and only had 1.5 years as an active, but since then I've held several positions on advisory boards and alumnae associations. A sorority sisterhood really can be for life, and I hope you will take advantage of it! Perhaps you could start organizing "young alumnae" events, so you can still have fun with your sisters without the stress of recruitment, paying dues, etc. Good luck with the rest of your college experience!

[Buttonz]

*hugs* My chapter was closed 6 months after I tranfered schools and I was still helping them out as much as I was able to from 4 hour away so I understand how hard it is. If you need to talk feel free to PM me

[SydneyK]

I'm so sorry to hear about this, SP3.

To those of you who have dealt with chapter closings before...
SP3 first posted about a year and a half ago. It seems that, even though recruitment didn't go too well when she was a PNM, the idea of closing was relatively recent. Wouldn't the chapter have known back before they bid SP3 that they were in danger?
I'm having a hard time finding the right words here, but shouldn't she have been informed about this possibility before she initiated? I can see the reasons behind both answers, I just don't have any experience with chapter closings to know what the practice is. Perhaps it just depends on the sorority?

[AlphaFrog]

We were pretty well kept in the dark until after initiation.

Although, in all fairness, I think my chapter had sort of a "that could never happen, they'd never do it" attitude, and I really believe that most of them would have never dreamed that the chapter actually would get closed...so they didn't bother telling the new members.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

We were pretty well kept in the dark until after initiation.

What a shame. I really do understand why nothing is said to PNMs - there's no way a sorority would be able to recruit competitively if the PNMs know the chapter is in danger. But, it seems very unsisterly to keep that from NMs.

Sorry for the hijack, SP3. I can totally understand your bitterness here. I think Fleur de Lis has a great suggestion of starting a young alumnae group. Then again, I would understand why you wouldn't want to. I feel for you - none of the options available to you seem like they would provide you with what you're looking for.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

I think Fleur de Lis has a great suggestion of starting a young alumnae group.

We talked about that, and we were told that we would not be allowed to have a young alum group. In fact, they told us that no more than a certain number of our girls could be together wearing letters at the same time, because if it LOOKS like a sorority function, than it IS a sorority function. Obvious exceptions were made for those of us who lived in the house.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

In fact, they told us that no more than a certain number of our girls could be together wearing letters at the same time, because if it LOOKS like a sorority function, than it IS a sorority function.

Are you serious?!? It sounds like "they" (I'm assuming that's HQ) want it both ways. They want you to follow their rules, but if they drop your chapter, why should you be expected to have to listen?

I'm not trying to dis your sorority, AF. I just really don't understand why they think it's ok to tell people who are no longer collegiates what they can and can't do.

Regardless, I've never heard of HQ not allowing an alum group. Of course, I don't have much experience, so just because I've not heard of it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I guess SP3 should look into what her options really are, as it sounds like even though she's not an active, she's still expected to follow HQ rules.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

I'm not trying to dis your sorority, AF. I just really don't understand why they think it's ok to tell people who are no longer collegiates what they can and can't do.

Yes, it sucked. I understand their concern, though. Say 5 underage "alums" go out drinking together, get into a car accident, and are killed. Legally, even thought the chapter is disbanded, a good lawyer could still argue that it was a sorority function and go after their liabilty insurance.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

We talked about that, and we were told that we would not be allowed to have a young alum group.

As I said before - you were definitely given incorrect info on this and on the letter thing, because Elon was allowed to start an alum chapter after they were closed. I think they got around it because there were some actual graduated alumnae there who joined. As for the letters thing, if they don't want you in letters, they need to terminate your membership. Wearing letters is a privilege of being an alumna and alumnae don't "check up" on what they're all wearing every day.

The "looks like a function" (which I think is bullshit) gets tossed around even if you're NOT wearing letters, so to use this as a reason for you not to wear them is kind of silly.

[Xylochick216]

Originally Posted by 33girl

As I said before - you were definitely given incorrect info on this and on the letter thing, because Elon was allowed to start an alum chapter after they were closed. I think they got around it because there were some actual graduated alumnae there who joined.

They definitely wore letters around and still had functions. Not date parties and such, but they had a formal and were very visible on campus.