Help for smaller chapters on a big campus

Bama_Alumna · #1 10-14-2003, 10:45 AM

Just a question for all you rush-a-holics out there... Do any of you have ideas for how a large greek system can alter its rush process to help the smaller chapters on its campus? I was discussing this with a fellow advisor this week and would love to hear your ideas.

33girl · #2 10-14-2003, 10:54 AM

Make the bigger chapters go without makeup or showers all during rush week.

OK, that was a joke.

sort of.

Bama_Alumna · #3 10-14-2003, 11:40 AM

ha ha!

I am from a larger chapter that has no problems meeting quota, but her chapter is smaller and sometimes struggles during recruitment. We are from different schools but our greek systems and recruitment are similar. I guess what I am asking is how the administration could help the smaller chapters... perhaps by waiting to set quota until pref invitations have been accepted? Or perhaps by switching to prush instead of sorush? (I have NO idea if that would help...I don't know anything about the rush programs, it was just an example of the types of ideas I was looking for.) But, I'll pass along the "no showering" idea. LOL

aabby757 · #4 10-14-2003, 05:02 PM

At my school years after I graduated they implemented something in hopes to help the "struggling" chapters. Am not sure if it helps but this is what they do.

For first round, otherwise known as "tours" is where every single girl gets to see every single house.

Then depending on who cut/invited her back, she gets to decide where to go for next round.

it used to be tours occurred from the sorority house and you could after a while see right away how many members each house go.

Now tours is held in the armory and each sorority can only have a predetermined amount of girls representing their chapter. That way each house has an equal amont of girls.

I think in theory it is a great idea. However, I don't think it is helping my sisters house.

aabby757 · #5 10-14-2003, 05:04 PM

Also, one more thing their Panhel does.

After determining what each houses retention rate is, after each round depending on that rate, they MUST cut a certain amount of girls. Obviously the houses that have 100% return cut more than the houses that get 50%.

That way you kinda force (I hate to use that word) the girls to visit houses they perhaps would not have visited back had they been invted back to one of the houses with the higher retention rate.

Hope that makes sense.

doubleblue&gold · #6 10-14-2003, 05:19 PM

Use release figures not only correctly but kindly.

Quit stringing girls along just so it looks good to have big parties and then cut them all right before pref. It is cruel to let women think they have a chance to get a bid when there is no earthly way they can all get a bid to the same house.

I realise when there may be several groups competing for the same girls that the big groups want to have more to pick from. But when having huge returns to your parties and then cutting them at the end causes high drop out rates and too many women not getting bids----not to mention the other groups with no chance of getting quota.

shadokat · #7 10-14-2003, 05:42 PM

Use release figures properly and hold groups to them. doubleblueandgold has it!

33girl · #8 10-14-2003, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shadokat
Use release figures properly and hold groups to them. doubleblueandgold has it!

From what I've read this would solve so many problems. As far as I know, this policy has been in the Green Book for a long time, the same as no alcohol or men at rush and many of the other rules that people have cows if they are broken. So why doesn't it get enforced??

ThetaPrincess24 · #9 10-14-2003, 06:15 PM

I'm not sure for a solution to that problem, but I do know at my former school, the panhellenic council was usually less than enthusiastic abotu helping small chapters out. This usually caused those chapters to struggle, or close. Before i went there ZTA struggled and is now no longer on campus, which is unfortunate because they are so strong nationally. When I was there four chapters were struggling, which again is really unfortunate because those chapters have great girls in them, and are so strong on a national level. Only two have had recolonization efforts, and of those two, only one has since bounced itself back to great numbers, and the rest still struggle

Firehouse · #10 10-14-2003, 11:14 PM

I put your name at the top of this post as a sort of totem to protect myself. They asked for a solution, and I know what WILL work. But I also know that it will cause a reaction and I don't want to be thought of as a flammer. I'm serious about the answer.
If you really want to help a small chapter get big, here's the answer: First, understand that by the time formal rush happens, there's only so much you can do. Almost always, small chapters don't do well in formal rush because they lack confidence, and because they lack a 'product' that's demonstrably superior to the competition. The answer is to put them in a better position before formal rush so they can compete, and be an attractive draw to new members.
The alumni or the chapter or the national offcie should hire a rush chairman to work full time, all year, to bring in the maximum possible number of new members outside the formal rush timeframe. the chapter should take in two, maybe three pledges classes every semester, put them through the process quickly and initiate them. Yes, fast growth can cause problems, but the truth you can take to the bank is that numbers will solve most all chapters problems and do it quickly. You go in at the beginning, tell the women what you are going to do and tell them what the result will be: they will have a chapter they can be proud of, and one which will build their confidence and enrich their experience.
Pay the rush chairman. She is an employee. Her full time job is to rush individuals and pledge them into the sorority. She can rush groups too. For example, she might be able to get the women's volleyball team to pledge as a group. It's not a stretch. The larger and stronger they get, the better they can compete in formal rush. The REASON this works is because the results are so dramatic and so immediate that they quickly lift the spirits and strengthen the confidence of the existing members. Everyone wants to be "better", and better is what they can see in tangible results. yes, some of the other sororities may make snide remarks, but you can pass that off as evidence that the small house is getting attention, gaining strength, and will be in a position to compete.
I've seen this done with men. I even saw it done once with women. It wasn't done correctly and didn't have perfect results
but the results were still very good.

PsychTau · #11 10-15-2003, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Firehouse
...the chapter should take in two, maybe three pledges classes every semester, put them through the process quickly and initiate them. Yes, fast growth can cause problems, but the truth you can take to the bank is that numbers will solve most all chapters problems and do it quickly. You go in at the beginning, tell the women what you are going to do and tell them what the result will be: they will have a chapter they can be proud of, and one which will build their confidence and enrich their experience.

This can work....but you have to have a strong, organized new member education process and an equally strong member education process. Teach the new members their sorority information before initiation, and teach ALL the members (new and old) how to operate like a strong, efficient chapter through year long education and guidance. Isn't this how a colony starts from the ground up?

Quote:

Everyone wants to be "better", and better is what they can see in tangible results. yes, some of the other sororities may make snide remarks, but you can pass that off as evidence that the small house is getting attention, gaining strength, and will be in a position to compete.
I've seen this done with men. I even saw it done once with women. It wasn't done correctly and didn't have perfect results
but the results were still very good.

I'm watching this happen this VERY SEMESTER. Try going from 2 initiated members to 18. From nonexistent to competitive. Snide remarks included (and very transparent). The key is proper member education once you get the members. A poor education program will teach members to be inefficient, disorganized, and too relaxed on their standards, and they will start bidding women who are inefficient, disorganized, and don't live up to proper standards, girls who then won't want to work for the chapter (and the girls who do get burned out) and then you're back to square one.

Potentially controversial solution, Firehouse, but one that can work. It all depends on the situation and the campus.

33girl · #12 10-15-2003, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Firehouse
I put your name at the top of this post as a sort of totem to protect myself.

wow man, thanks. I feel like a St. Christopher medal. I'll probably get featured in the next Jack Chick tract as the Satan of GC.

anyhoo, I do agree with your suggestions. As PsychTau said it can work if you have a strong pledge program and the new members are EVERYONE'S priority, not just the pledge mom's. Too many people think just that, the pledges are the pledge mom's responsibility. Too many people think you should have one big splashy rush and that's it. We keep saying that recruitment is 24/7/365, but the actions of a lot of the nationals and Panhellenic really don't back that up.

as far as paying the rush chair...well, I doubt that would get past anyone's nationals...unless there was a sort of award instituted that the "MVP" of the chapter gets her dues paid, or something of the like.

Firehouse · #13 10-15-2003, 07:00 PM

Paying her is one of the important points. I'm not talking about a student; I mean a full time, no-other-job-or-distractions employee who rushes full time. Most likely, she would be a recent graduate, or a woman who dropped out of school for one year. She should be a member of that sorority, but NOT a member of the troubled chapter. She'd be on a one-year contract. It's important that when her time is up, she leaves. Of course, there are different ways to run things but - trust me - this is the best way, and it works.

Rudey · #14 10-15-2003, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Firehouse
Paying her is one of the important points. I'm not talking about a student; I mean a full time, no-other-job-or-distractions employee who rushes full time. Most likely, she would be a recent graduate, or a woman who dropped out of school for one year. She should be a member of that sorority, but NOT a member of the troubled chapter. She'd be on a one-year contract. It's important that when her time is up, she leaves. Of course, there are different ways to run things but - trust me - this is the best way, and it works.

I agree with you. I also think chapters should have some incentive program in place. You get this many members and you get ____ would be pretty cool.

-Rudey

Shelacious · #15 10-15-2003, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PsychTau

The key is proper member education once you get the members. A poor education program will teach members to be inefficient, disorganized, and too relaxed on their standards, and they will start bidding women who are inefficient, disorganized, and don't live up to proper standards, girls who then won't want to work for the chapter (and the girls who do get burned out) and then you're back to square one.
.

I just had to say that you are 100% right about proper member education...I believe the lackthereof has caused a real decline in the quality of chapters in all councils. Great statement!