Alpha Chi Omega and Phi Mu - Arkansas

[33girl]

Originally Posted by mandyk01

Sounds like a fair schedule to me except that while all the other chapters are celebrating and introducing their new members to the GLO community the AXO and PM PNMs will still be in the processes. Hopefully the colonizing organizers will have some exchanges planned for Bid week (we call it NM week when we have NM orientation, mixers etc to get them excited about GL).

If they need mixers to get them excited about Greek Life, they probably shouldn't be in a colony. It's going to be a lot of work and they need people who are extremely committed and not just in it for the social life/fraternity party aspect.

Also, national volunteers not from Arkansas wouldn't do a very good job of "introducing" women to men they themselves have never met.

[carnation]

So if numbers registered for formal rush remain the same, the Arkansas chapters could still be looking at quotas of 130+ for this fall?

[Titchou]

Depends on how many drop out before they sign a bid card. It may be that Susie Snowflake will opt to try for one of the two news ones rather than go on and try to make one of the others "work" for her.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by mandyk01

Sounds like a fair schedule to me except that while all the other chapters are celebrating and introducing their new members to the GLO community the AXO and PM PNMs will still be in the processes. Hopefully the colonizing organizers will have some exchanges planned for Bid week (we call it NM week when we have NM orientation, mixers etc to get them excited about GL).

Well, it worked at Alabama for Alpha Phi and Delta Gamma - not to mention on other campuses for other groups. I'm sure that if this formula did not work, the NPC groups would find a different model. They have the same events that everyone else does - just a week or two later. Not a problem.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by carnation

So if numbers registered for formal rush remain the same, the Arkansas chapters could still be looking at quotas of 130+ for this fall?

My guess would be that quota will be huge again this year, but a group or two might miss quota due to the pending colonies.

[DubaiSis]

Although it seems like it SHOULDN'T work, it always seems to and the colonies are not stuck with the leftovers or dregs of the rush pool.

[KSUViolet06]

One thing with colonies and competitive systems is that there's always a group of women who would probably make great additions to a chapter, but don't have the friend connections, recs, etc.

Not necessarily the leftovers, but others who are involved, have good grades, etc. but aren't really in the position to attempt FR because they're first gen. college students, from small towns, sophomores/juniors, etc.

[Titchou]

Keep in mind that both groups will want members from all classes so seniors and juniors who might otherwise not even go out for recruitment would find a place pretty easily with one of the new ones.

[KSUViolet06]

^^^Well, not necessarily easily, but it is definitely worth more of a shot than FR.

[Greek_or_Geek?]

Colonies don't have to take anyone. I think that's a bit of a misunderstanding some people at a campus may have. In many cases, colonies will be even more selective as their future depends on their choices. It's better to take on a smaller initial class than to pledge women who will not do the work needed or will give your organization a bad reputation.

It's always interesting to see the wide variety of women who come out for a colonization. I've met many women who never went through formal recruitment at a competitive school because the process was too daunting or otherwise difficult for them.

I think the most difficult aspect at Arkansas will be how the young women will chose between the groups. Aside from those who have family legacies or regional preferences, I imagine it's going to be hard for the PNM to decide without having any current members to meet a gauge your comfort level. Do you like the philanthropy better? Your complexion is better suited to wearing their colors? All your friends want a specific group?

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Greek_or_Geek?

I think the most difficult aspect at Arkansas will be how the young women will chose between the groups. Aside from those who have family legacies or regional preferences, I imagine it's going to be hard for the PNM to decide without having any current members to meet a gauge your comfort level. Do you like the philanthropy better? Your complexion is better suited to wearing their colors? All your friends want a specific group?

I can't tell from the schedule if there are invitational parties at all. Seeing who else is in the running would definitely seem to make the decision a little easier.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by Greek_or_Geek?

Colonies don't have to take anyone.

This is true, especially with these types of large scale colonizations. Example: That one year Alpha Phi colonized at Florida State. A few GC PNMs went bidless on that one.

[Titchou]

the question was where would all the PNMs come from for such a massive effort. I was addressing the fact that at Arkansas - as at Alabama - juniors and seniors who pretty much otherwise wouldn't have much of a chance would have much better odds in this scenario. If upperclass quota is say 5, you know with a colonization there will be far more total upperclassmen taken than that....as many more would be signing up than usual.

[irishpipes]

I think it's important to remember that a colony recruitment is the only recruitment a chapter will ever have where the new members are not chosen by the chapter. In an established chapter, especially on a competitive campus, it is vitally important for a PNM to have a connection to someone in the chapter to pull for her during recruitment. This situation is nonexistent in a colony recruitment since members are chosen by women who seldom have any connection to the campus in question. So, a PNM who is glorious but has no greek connections has equal footing in a colony recruitment, where in regular recruitment she would be at a severe disadvantage.

When AOII colonized at Arkansas, we came across so many wonderful young women who were the first to go to college in their families. This is VERY common at Arkansas. These young women tended to have little greek knowledge or pedigree, and therefore didn't know how to prepare for formal recruitment at such a competitive campus. They included Razorback cheerleaders, the Homecoming Queen (and future wife of American Idol winner Kris Allen), student government president, and on and on. We're not talking sub-par PNMs - just people who didn't plan for recruitment for a year in advance, or came from a smaller town and didn't have connections, or transferred in as a sophomore, etc. The established chapters, for the most part, could hit their 100+ quota without tapping into these unknown PNMs.

I think the situation in Arkansas has gotten even more dire, because even more of these types of students are coming into the university. Arkansas has a program that accepts bordering state students as in-state if they meet a very reasonable ACT requirement, so the university has grown a ton very rapidly. (Not to mention Walmart has some requirement that its vendors have an office in NW Arkansas so the area boomed as Walmart grew.)

[als463]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

I think it's important to remember that a colony recruitment is the only recruitment a chapter will ever have where the new members are not chosen by the chapter. In an established chapter, especially on a competitive campus, it is vitally important for a PNM to have a connection to someone in the chapter to pull for her during recruitment. This situation is nonexistent in a colony recruitment since members are chosen by women who seldom have any connection to the campus in question. So, a PNM who is glorious but has no greek connections has equal footing in a colony recruitment, where in regular recruitment she would be at a severe disadvantage.

When AOII colonized at Arkansas, we came across so many wonderful young women who were the first to go to college in their families. This is VERY common at Arkansas. These young women tended to have little greek knowledge or pedigree, and therefore didn't know how to prepare for formal recruitment at such a competitive campus. They included Razorback cheerleaders, the Homecoming Queen (and future wife of American Idol winner Kris Allen), student government president, and on and on. We're not talking sub-par PNMs - just people who didn't plan for recruitment for a year in advance, or came from a smaller town and didn't have connections, or transferred in as a sophomore, etc. The established chapters, for the most part, could hit their 100+ quota without tapping into these unknown PNMs.

I think the situation in Arkansas has gotten even more dire, because even more of these types of students are coming into the university. Arkansas has a program that accepts bordering state students as in-state if they meet a very reasonable ACT requirement, so the university has grown a ton very rapidly. (Not to mention Walmart has some requirement that its vendors have an office in NW Arkansas so the area boomed as Walmart grew.)

irishpipes,
You make a really good point! I am so excited to see the incredible women that Phi Mu chooses to be members of the sisterhood! Good luck to all the ladies going through Recruitment (and colonization) at Arkansas!