Delta Gamma Eliminates Legacy Policy

[Sororitysock]

Delta Gamma announced today that it will eliminate preferential treatment of legacies during recruitment. They believe this change will allow for greater opportunities for membership. https://www.deltagamma.org/blog/reim...acy-connection

[carnation]

And piss off alums who are big givers.

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by carnation

And piss off alums who are big givers.

Yes.

[Titchou]

And some who aren't.

[aephi alum]

That's ... a big change.

On the one hand, there are an awful lot of legacies out there. All 26 NPC organizations are at least 100 years old. I'm sure there are chapters out there that could take quota-plus and have every single NM be a legacy, so non-legacies wouldn't have a prayer.

On the other hand, I'd be pretty ticked off if my hypothetical daughter weren't invited to the first invitational round of FR unless it was by her choice (e.g. she ranked AEPhi last and matched up with other chapters and had a full schedule), or offered a bid if she went to AEPhi's pref unless it was her choice (she listed AEPhi second and matched to her first choice).

Carnation is spot on. I foresee a lot of ticked-off alumnae whose daughters fall in love with DG and then don't even make it past open houses.

[33girl]

I wanted to read here for more info on why they made the change but apparently that part is sisters only? It wanted me to log in.

[PGD-GRAD]

I remember reading recruitment results from different schools and DG nearly always listed the number, something like: “54, including 14 legacies”. I always admired that. I know traditions are slipping away, but in my FIJI chapter, the Brothers are always excited to bid legacies then meet their fathers/grandfathers/brothers at Homecoming then “sneak” them into initiation ceremonies to pin their legacy.
This is one change I’m having difficulty understanding. And YES, I think it’s going to “piss off” and certainly hurt some loyal alumnae.

[TXDG]

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this:

1. I understand the need to level the playing field in higher education, the exclusive Greek system and society as a whole. We’ve all known unconnected PNM’s with stellar resumes & present well who have tough rushes and we’ve all known legacies who probably got a bid because of that. I would want my legacy to get a bid because she had found her home and they value and want her to be part of the chapter, not because of pushy alumnae or a legacy quota or whatever else has nothing to do with herself and her character.

2. I don’t like that they did away with 100% of special consideration for legacies. I would like to have seen DG still want a legacy introduction form and placement on the top bid list if carried to Pref. I would rather my legacy be cut after open house with no required ask back then to go all the way to Pref and not get a bid.

3. It’s confusing. Being a legacy IS a special connection. Having volunteered with your mom with the vision impaired or knowing your mom still vacations with her pledge sisters once a year or having visited your mom’s house on a college visit.....are legacies going to feel like they shouldn’t talk about that stuff and why it made them interested in DG? Will they feel like they aren’t even equal, but less desired than non-legacy pnms?

4. Without the entire NPC moving to this model, I fear it only hurts our legacies especially on competitive campuses. They are less important to DG but might still be released by other chapters who assume they want their legacy (ESPECIALLY with sitting sisters, or recently graduated sisters/cousins, or for chapter legacies).

I hope with the hope of expanding our sisterhood and leveling the playing field, we don’t shut a lot of legacies completely out of the Greek system.

[zTaalum]

Most organizations official policy on legacies is that they are invited back after round one and than after that it is up to the chapter. I see that more as a courtesy than as preferential treatment. I know for my particular organization if a legacy makes it to bid day there are protocols to follow but again nothing even close to being preferential treatment.

I definitely don't think this is the way to go and would be disappointed if my organization did the same. I have a daughter going through recruitment who was really interested in the DG chapter at her school and this has kind of changed things for her. Also many girls going through who aren't legacies are actually looking for that for their own future daughters.

There are more girls in chapters that are not legacies than are and if we keep watering everything down there will be no reason for sororities to even exist. Next thing you know it will be unfair to have grade requirements so grade cuts will go away or it won't be fair to give girls a leg up who were super involved in high school . We can all change our profile pictures to Save Harvard but really I don't think we a far from what they are pushing towards.

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by zTaalum

We can all change our profile pictures to Save Harvard but really I don't think we a far from what they are pushing towards.

This.

We all say "XY Chapter has enough legacies going through to fill an entire pledge class". As someone stated, that doesn't happen. Not all the legacies rush. Not all the legacies want their legacy sorority. Not all legacies are a good fit. And we all know chapters of our orgs who are particularly unimpressed with legacy status and seem to have it in for legacies (i.e., they are not even extended the courtesy invitation) and cut them right off the bat.

I believe the statement said that this had been under consideration for some time. Well then, the timing of this decision couldn't have been worse. The under-rumblings of NPC is that they are concerned about lower PNM numbers what with COVID-19, especially at schools/CPCs that have not made a final decision about how the fall semester and recruitment will take place. So the prudent thing to do would be to ensure that ALL PNMs feel valued and welcomed, mail out flyers, advertise well, and hold online rush info sessions throughout the summer, so that the underrepresented (minorities, first gen college students) are informed. Be truthful about recommendations and specifically outline (as has been done here) how girls can go about finding recs. Be truthful about appropriate clothes to wear for each round (if there are any in-person rounds) and explain that even if rush is conducted virtually, they will need to be presentable (not look like they just rolled out of bed -looking at you my 6th grade students!) and they need to be able to hold an intelligent and interesting conversation.

I'm waiting for all the other sororities to join DG on the legacy death boat.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by zTaalum

if we keep watering everything down there will be no reason for sororities to even exist. Next thing you know it will be unfair to have grade requirements so grade cuts will go away or it won't be fair to give girls a leg up who were super involved in high school . We can all change our profile pictures to Save Harvard but really I don't think we a far from what they are pushing towards.

Yes. We want the involved, hard-working girls, not the ones who will ghost us after pledging so they can be with their boyfriends 24/7. We want the PNMs with strong recs that assure us that the girls are quality people who won't make hateful racist videos or haze PNMs on their own. We don't want girls like the ones in the "Weird Rush Stories" thread here on Greekchat.

And who are these small committees who are making these recent decisions? I know women from many sororities who are angry that they, as stakeholders, have not even been allowed input. These women are hardworking alums who have put in years of toiling for their sororities and they've never tried to force chapters into pledging anyone. Many sororities are going to lose some major, major donations.

And about the dropping of legacy advantages: we all have legacy songs. Will chapters now be discouraged from singing them? Will the word 'legacy' be dropped from the Greek vocabulary?

[naraht]

The change seems to be that while the NPC sororities have written rules regarding admittance of Legacies, any change makes them more likely to become more like the NIC which tends to have unwritten rules. The NIC fraternities (as far as I can tell) still care about Legacies, they just don't have those rules which are going to *bind* chapters to specific results.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by naraht

The change seems to be that while the NPC sororities have written rules regarding admittance of Legacies, any change makes them more likely to become more like the NIC which tends to have unwritten rules. The NIC fraternities (as far as I can tell) still care about Legacies, they just don't have those rules which are going to *bind* chapters to specific results.

I highly doubt that Delta Gamma's decision took note of anything having to do with becoming more like NIC fraternities. Your thoughts/opinions on the change are a bit of a stretch, to be polite. Rather simplistic thinking, also.

OK, I'm not weighing in on the legacies discussion. In years past I've expressed my opinions about legacies. I wasn't one, and I don't have any, so I technically don't have a dog in this fight. I do agree with carnation's statement about small committees making big decisions without involving stakeholders. I've seen plenty of that behavior in my own fraternity in recent years. I also appreciate all of TXDG's thoughtful comments.

[GoldenAnchor]

Originally Posted by carnation

And piss off alums who are big givers.

Sounds like it’s time for me to make a big donation to DG then

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by TXDG

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this:

1. I understand the need to level the playing field in higher education, the exclusive Greek system and society as a whole. We’ve all known unconnected PNM’s with stellar resumes & present well who have tough rushes and we’ve all known legacies who probably got a bid because of that. I would want my legacy to get a bid because she had found her home and they value and want her to be part of the chapter, not because of pushy alumnae or a legacy quota or whatever else has nothing to do with herself and her character.

2. I don’t like that they did away with 100% of special consideration for legacies. I would like to have seen DG still want a legacy introduction form and placement on the top bid list if carried to Pref. I would rather my legacy be cut after open house with no required ask back then to go all the way to Pref and not get a bid.

3. It’s confusing. Being a legacy IS a special connection. Having volunteered with your mom with the vision impaired or knowing your mom still vacations with her pledge sisters once a year or having visited your mom’s house on a college visit.....are legacies going to feel like they shouldn’t talk about that stuff and why it made them interested in DG? Will they feel like they aren’t even equal, but less desired than non-legacy pnms?

4. Without the entire NPC moving to this model, I fear it only hurts our legacies especially on competitive campuses. They are less important to DG but might still be released by other chapters who assume they want their legacy (ESPECIALLY with sitting sisters, or recently graduated sisters/cousins, or for chapter legacies).

I hope with the hope of expanding our sisterhood and leveling the playing field, we don’t shut a lot of legacies completely out of the Greek system.

TXDG-I especially agree with your second point regarding legacies who have been invited to preference and where they would be placed on the bid list.