My first Bid Day as a new member of my sorority was filled with excitement. I jumped out of bed knowing new sisters awaited me. Over the course of my freshman year, I eagerly learned their names and the names of as many older sisters as I possibly could. It felt like I had built a new family.
My most recent Bid Day as an active started in excitement and ended in dread. While I woke up that morning once again excited to gain new sisters – in the University first integrated recruitment no less – I realized that I would only be remotely acquainted with a meager few of the 120-plus pledges.
As a double legacy who puts a high personal value in the bonds of sisterhood, I’m alarmed at the possibility that sororities could essentially become all-girls boarding schools. If the current rate of growth continues, houses will become nothing more than a cafeteria and dorm for 400 women united by letters but divided by multitudes of cliques.
The mission of Greek Affairs for the past several years has been to build the largest and strongest Greek system in the country. The emphasis on increasing the sheer number of female students rushing has obvious benefits for both the chapters and the University. The sororities gain the financial base they need to build new houses and amenities for members, and the Greek system’s reputation and promise of lifelong friendship give the University a powerful recruiting tool.
That promise may still be true for many. At this point though, we are nearing the point of negative marginal returns, where adding new members means each member will be less connected with their house, not more. Worse, increasing pledge class sizes means increasing the possibility that girls will completely fall through the cracks. Girls who are initially shy and overwhelmed by meeting 400 new strangers may never find the open door or helping hand they need.
They’ll drop or transfer: a promise left unfulfilled.
There are steps that could be taken to limit this growth. The most equitable way to go about this would be through raising and enforcing academic requirements. Greek Affairs could set a high school GPA requirement to enter rush and progressively increase it as needed to limit growth and encourage high scholastic standards. This could happen with advance notice so that high school students who plan to rush would know the standard they’d need to meet.
For those who do not wish to exclude based on past scholarship, the other option would be for sororities to require their new members make a 3.0 GPA in their first semester to be initiated. Everyone would have an equal opportunity to rush and earn permanent membership.
Sisterhood is an honor and a joy that is strengthened not by numbers, but by bonds.
Leigh Terry is a junior majoring in economics. Her column runs weekly.
