Members of the Inter-Sorority Council executive board, sorority presidents and other ISC representatives held a forum yesterday to discuss the purpose of Big Sis Week, address concerns and propose potential reforms to improve the event.
ISC President Cahill Zoeller said ISC board members and sorority sisters voiced similar issues and concerns with the event.
Big Sis Week takes place about a month after pledges accept bids but before they are initiated into their sororities. Each new pledge is paired with a second-year woman and becomes her "younger sister" for a week.
"It's an opportunity for new pledges to get to know their older sisters," Zoeller said.
Typical activities include going out to dinner, ice skating and watching movies. Big Sis Week is also a chance for pledges to become familiar with the history and traditions of their sororities.
One of the main concerns is the large sum of money spent by big sisters. According to Zoeller, there are only loose regulations within each chapter about a dollar limit. Consequently, many women end up spending hundreds of dollars on their little sisters.
Second-year College student Amy Platte said she was showered with gifts and treated to a wide array of activities as a little sister last year. Horseback riding, ice skating, a night in a hotel, a scavenger hunt in the library and a personal serenade by two Hullabahoos were some of the events Platte experienced during the week. She also received bagels, coffee, candy, stuffed animals and baskets full of "stuff."
Platte said even though the money spent is excessive, the overall experience is what matters.
"It is a little excessive, but then you turn around and do that for your own little sister, so it is a rewarding experience," she said.
Zoeller said the ISC is considering placing an expenditure limit of approximately $200 this year.
"We're trying to find a feasible solution to make sure everything is uniform and not placing too much emphasis on materialism," Zoeller said.
Another concern is that some sisters are encountering academic conflicts during Big Sis Week.
"It takes up time for these new women," Zoeller said.
Platte said she was busy all day and night with Big Sis activities. While Platte said it was rather difficult to juggle her schoolwork, which included two tests and a paper due that week, the experience made it worthwhile for her.
In order to enable big sisters to keep up with their studies during Big Sis Week, Zoeller said the ISC is considering shortening the event to just four or five days.
Another concern is that too many activities are done exclusively between big sister and little sister. Zoeller said the ISC is looking into incorporating more group activities, such as hiking and pot luck dinners, to enable the new sisters to get to know their entire pledge classes as well as their older sisters.
Board member Kat Shea said the forum was just a preliminary meeting to generate discussion about Big Sis Week, and nothing is etched in stone as of yet.
"Nothing has been finalized," she said, adding that the ISC will continue discussions with each chapter so as to reach a mutual decision about any changes that will be made in the future.
"We're really pleased that people came and shared their thoughts," Shea said.
Sally Wood, another ISC board member, expressed a similar sentiment.
"It was a great meeting," she said. "We're really hopeful about the outcome."
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