Giving Incorrect Recruitment Advice

[Titchou]

It is often difficult to understand a campus that differs from your own. I had a whole lot to learn when I moved to a regional position in my group as I had gone to BIG SEC school with houses. Places like GA State in downtown Atlanta and Tennessee with it's PH building were foreign to me. Then I spent 30 years advising in different capacities (even Greek Adviser) at UAB. Learned a lot. And the first thing I learned was to keep my big mouth shut till I "got" that campus!

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by Titchou

It is often difficult to understand a campus that differs from your own. I had a whole lot to learn when I moved to a regional position in my group as I had gone to BIG SEC school with houses. Places like GA State in downtown Atlanta and Tennessee with it's PH building were foreign to me. Then I spent 30 years advising in different capacities (even Greek Adviser) at UAB. Learned a lot. And the first thing I learned was to keep my big mouth shut till I "got" that campus!

After going to Illinois and Oklahoma State, I went to help with recruitment at Northeastern State for the first time. This is a small public that draws heavily from the Native American communities (it's in the capital of the Cherokee Nation) and very small towns in NE Oklahoma. To say it is uncompetitive would be a huge understatement. I had no idea - this was pre-internet everything - and showed up for pref in a to-die-for black cocktail dress. After all, the adviser had told me black was preferred. Well, I felt like a total idiot. Yes, chapter members wore black, but just skirts or slacks. I was so overdressed it was ridiculous. Some PNMs were even wearing shorts. The same adviser asked why I was so dressed up and I was like, well it's pref. Different schools, different rules.