STEP FOUR -- SETTING A RUSH GOAL

The following points should be included on you goal setting checklist:

• Does our chapter have a negative stereotype that could be overcome by selective rush?
• How many men does the Treasurer say are necessary to meet the budgeted level of income?
• What will be the financial obligations of a new pledge and what steps will we take to insure that the to whom men we offer bids will know them and meet them?
• In what areas does the chapter presently have strengths and weaknesses? How can these areas be corrected?
• If we pledge "x" number of men, how many of that number will be initiated? How many are likely to stay through graduation?
• How should we solicit recommendations from alumni and how do we handle them once they are received?
• How much support can we get from alumni?
• What do other successful fraternities do that we don't?
• Does our rush goal necessitate a different type of rush than we have done in the past?
• When is our major rush effort? In the summer, fall, or winter?

The answers to these questions should already be clear in your mind. If not, do not hesitate to talk to your school's fraternity advisor, IFC rush chairman, your chapter advisor or Division Vice President. Remember, rush is the most important thing your chapter does and it pays to have the best information available.

What is our Rush Goal?:

There are three simple rules to remember in setting any goal:

• Must be specific
• Must be quantifiable
• Must be attainable with difficulty

When selecting a number as your rush goal, be specific. Do not select a range. This becomes fuzzy and no one knows exactly if you are above or below your target. With a specific number, everyone can conceptualize. Then, they will always know whether they are ahead or behind the goal.

Quality vs. Quantity:

There is the age-old discussion of "is it the quantity of pledges or the quality of pledges" that make a successful rush. Without going into a detailed discussion, the short answer is you can have both. The quality and quantity of your pledges should not be determined by who comes through rush, but rather your chapter's preparedness to go out and seek the men to fill the requirements you have set in your pre-rush planning. If every member knows what they are looking for in a rush guest, they will very quickly determine if a man has the qualities they are looking for. How Big Should Our Chapter Be?:

Only your members can answer this question! No one can tell you how large or how small your chapter can, or should, be. Every Delt chapter is unique and has its own special needs relative to its requirements for manpower. However, a few simple rules can apply:

1. A chapter below 30 men will find it hard to consistently remain viable. To run the committee system suggested by the Fraternity, conduct suggested activities, not have a majority of the members holding two positions, and have fun, the chapter must consistently be above 30 members.

2. To remain competitive on campus you need to be at, or above, the average sized fraternity chapter on your campus. Until you reach this level, you will always find yourself trying to explain away why your chapter is much smaller than the rest of the fraternities on campus.

3. Remember the margins! You can't buy a fraternity at a discount, but your Treasurer will be able to tell you that each additional man you pledge significantly increases your chapter's fixed income, while only marginally increasing expense. Also, the larger your chapter, the larger your influence on campus and the greater impact you can have on philanthropic events, community service work, etc.

Bigger is not necessarily better, but the average chapter size for Delta Tau Delta is 65 men. Don't let the quality vs. quantity arguments stereotype you into a chapter size that paralyzes what you can do programmatically. Keep an open mind as you set this rush goal and truly let your determination of where you want to be lead you to how many pledges you need to take this year. Then, break it down to how many pledges you need to take during this specific rush period. A worksheet is provided as Appendix E to help you determine a rush goal.