SPRING RECRUITMENT AT UGA

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by carnation

Well, it was certainly a shock to hear that UGa was doing a formal spring recruitment and the rumors are flying as to why. A lot of people feel like maybe some really prominent alums want their kids to get a "fair" shot at recruitment. I wonder if the PNMs will mostly be ones who dropped in the fall, new transfers, or women who have never rushed.

My only concern would be that if there are 2 formal recruitments every year, fall PNMs who don't like their returns will simply drop out and wait for spring, which could affect quota and such.

Yep, but it seems that there'd be ways to keep it from getting out of control. If the spring quota is always relatively small, and I'm guessing it would be, PNMs will probably realize the best time to pledge is in the fall.

This might sound kind of nutty, but I don't think the groups themselves want to get too much bigger than they are. I would think that most of them would want to perpetuate a system that got about 50 PNMs in the fall and allowed them to pick up 5-10 in the spring to compensate for anyone who didn't come back, etc.

I can't imagine what interest XYZ with close to 100% return rates in recruitment really has in being a chapter of 250 or 300 even if they could be.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by carnation

LOL! And we know they exist! I was thinking that the kids with the influential parents might come more from the group of PNMs who rushed unsuccessfully in the fall. We know of several families who don't contribute to their alma maters anymore because their children were zapped in fraternity or sorority recruitment. These were good kids too, not wild ones whose parents thought they were angels.

Wow, they quit giving to the college because of unsuccessful recruitment? I could kind of understand not giving to a chapter who cut your kid, but the whole university just seems a little scorched earth to me.

I don't know that UGA is suddenly more responsive to these type folks, really, but of course I could be wrong. People who thought they were UGA big wigs have always been there, and we're only seeing the big spring recruitment now.

My guess is that it's the long term effects of release figures making spring recruitment seem more desirable to more groups. And it seems that retention isn't what it used to be throughout the whole system.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I understand what you are saying, but even if these big groups do have openings, they are likely to be so many fewer than other groups that for most participants, it's probably going to be a pretty similar message.

The "participation" of these groups will get the total number of PNMs up even if it's just because these group encourage girls to come out to meet them before formal in the fall. And a lot of the PNMs will probably find groups they like enough to pledge in the spring because, as I mentioned earlier, the total number vs. general reputation for popularity isn't running that tight throughout the whole 17 IMO.

Well, if parents ARE a driving force behind this and Lucy Lambda encourages her daughter to sign up, only to find out that Lambda is full and only taking one girl and it's not her little Lila Legacy, Lambda AND UGA will both be sorry they're living, I'm sure. The last thing they want to do is pull a bait & switch.

Originally Posted by 33girl

Well, if parents ARE a driving force behind this and Lucy Lambda encourages her daughter to sign up, only to find out that Lambda is full and only taking one girl and it's not her little Lila Legacy, Lambda AND UGA will both be sorry they're living, I'm sure. The last thing they want to do is pull a bait & switch.

Wasn't there at UF KD Alum mom a few rushes ago who said she would no longer support the chapter because they cut her daughter? I could've sworn she said she'd quit giving to UF as well, but I could be making that up.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Well, if parents ARE a driving force behind this and Lucy Lambda encourages her daughter to sign up, only to find out that Lambda is full and only taking one girl and it's not her little Lila Legacy, Lambda AND UGA will both be sorry they're living, I'm sure. The last thing they want to do is pull a bait & switch.

But if Lucy and Lila are nearly as connected as they think they are, they know it already. It's only a bait and switch for people who think they have a equal shot at all the houses in the fall too. Sure, in theory you do; in actual practice, not so much. And since many traditionally strong houses will be giving bids if the numbers are based on anything other than just being below total, I think that most of the PNMS will be happy, or at least more PNMS than would typically get bids to groups they want in the spring.

On a slightly contrary note: I have no idea how recruitment will really go down this spring, but I have a hard time imagining that the Greek Life office is going to embrace a method that allows chapters over 200 to pick up a bunch more girls and just allows chapters below total (which as far as we know is still 170) just to pick up quota additions if they can get them. This will still need to be gamed to favor the smaller chapters or there's not much point in doing it from the system's perspective.

A chapter of 200+ isn't dying to pick up a big spring class under normal circumstances even if we assumed for some reason that there's an exceptional pool of PNMs available this spring for some reason, which we actually have no reason to assume.

[carnation]

I want this put in caps on the front of the UGa rush booklet. The other SEC schools' booklets too. You see all those happy, expectant faces the first 2 days and then...

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

But if Lucy and Lila are nearly as connected as they think they are, they know it already. It's only a bait and switch for people who think they have a equal shot at all the houses in the fall too.

[hollywin]

Originally Posted by OTW

http://www.uga.edu/panhellenic/recruit/index.html

UGA's Panhellenic website says that all 17 chapters are participating.

This is why this thread was started because for the first time (and I go back a long time) Spring Rush included all sororities. This was very surprising to me and I wanted to know if anyone had information as to why they would do this. The answers that I have seen have been great and hopefully will allow so many great girls to be included in Greek Life if they so choose.

[borogirl]

how many houses are below at Uga

[borogirl]

How many houses would be low on numbers I can only think of 2?

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by borogirl

How many houses would be low on numbers I can only think of 2?

Numbers don't have to be low for a house to participate in spring recruitment. A house can have 2 open spots and still do spring recruitment. Everyone has a few openings in the spring, even if there are just a couple.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by carnation

My only concern would be that if there are 2 formal recruitments every year, fall PNMs who don't like their returns will simply drop out and wait for spring, which could affect quota and such.

Ding ding ding ding ding! Welcome to Maryland. We don't have 2 formal recruitments per se, but I think because everyone participates (and PNMs know it) and each chapter has anywhere from 4-25+ spots to fill in the fall (most around 10 give or take), most PNMs who don't like their options come pref (spring FMR) would rather drop out than be bound to a chapter for a year and therefore ineligible for fall informal.

Quota has been slowly but steadily increasing, which means that fall pledge classes are shrinking. I believe all chapters participated still this fall, but I think across the board everyone took fewer. Hopefully this trend will continue.

ETA: I can't imagine why UGA thinks it's a good idea to have two quota based recruitments (assuming they are planning to use quota this spring instead of everyone bid what they need to reach total). There needs to be balance, because if every chapter is allowed to take whatever quota is every semester, the small chapters will get smaller. A Campus Panhellenic needs a semester to give the smaller chapters a chance to "catch up".

[Smile_Awhile]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

ETA: I can't imagine why UGA thinks it's a good idea to have two quota based recruitments (assuming they are planning to use quota this spring instead of everyone bid what they need to reach total). There needs to be balance, because if every chapter is allowed to take whatever quota is every semester, the small chapters will get smaller. A Campus Panhellenic needs a semester to give the smaller chapters a chance to "catch up".

I think, if it's due to extenuating circumstances, then it's probably okay if it's only for one semester. But if this happens in the next few years- well, there'll be trouble.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by Smile_Awhile

I think, if it's due to extenuating circumstances, then it's probably okay if it's only for one semester. But if this happens in the next few years- well, there'll be trouble.

But the thing is, if UGA keeps admitting more students in the spring due to winter graduations, they'll be in the same boat next year.

[FSUZeta]

does anyone know what total is at uga? the chapters at georgia are huge, and i cannot imagine that all the sororities have openings, when so many have been way above total.

someone had mentioned that they heard that uga total was raised. does anyone know that for sure, and if so, what the new total figure is?

[OleMissGlitter]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

does anyone know what total is at uga? the chapters at georgia are huge, and i cannot imagine that all the sororities have openings, when so many have been way above total.

someone had mentioned that they heard that uga total was raised. does anyone know that for sure, and if so, what the new total figure is?

I believe the campus total from this past recruitment 2008 was 170...