Releasing all Pledges

[SuzyInMD]

Two weeks after formal rush a sorority on my daughter's campus released all of their PNMs. (Let's call them Alpha Alpha, I am not naming the sorority or the campus because I don't think there has been a formal announcement that the chapter is closing.) Alpha Alpha's membership is lower than the other sororities, and it took approximately 25 new members, the other sororities each took about 45. I find it hard to believe that all of a sudden two weeks after formal rush concluded, after snap bids had been given out and when COB was wrapping up, Alpha Alpha realized membership at this chapter is low and the chapter would close. My daughter has a friend who is one of the released new members and the friend showed my daughter the email Alpha Alpha sent the PNMs. I'm writing this because I am so sad for my daughter's friend and angry with Alpha Alpha. The released PNMs saw the rush process through, accepted bids from Alpha Alpha (yes, the friend had been dropped by every other sorority before preference) and are now left out of the sorority experience. If Alpha Alpha had dropped out of formal recruitment their PNMs would have received bids from other sororities because these women were seeing the rush process to conclusion, correct? I also told my daughter her sorority and others could extend bids to the Alpha Alpha PNMs (allegedly Panhel suspended total) but they don't want to. My opinion is Alpha Alpha acted irresponsibly and callously, and the remaining sororities on campus aren't doing anything to assist these women. I'm giving you an example where seeing the process through and trusting the process did not serve this group of women at all. According to my daughter, about half the released PNMs are sophomore transfer students and will not rush again next year as juniors.