Two weeks after the pledging process began, about 20 students have decided to depledge.
This number is consistant with the number of students who decided to depledge last fall.
Mark Jackson, associate director of Student Organizations and Programs, said almost every club has been impacted in some way by students depledging.
“I would say across the board, virtually every club has had at least one person that has dropped out of the process,” Jackson said.
Jackson said the number of students depledging this year is similar to the number of students who depledged last year.
“The numbers are pretty close to where we were at this point last year, give or take a few,” he said. “There’s nothing that suggests that it’s greater or anything like that.”
Jackson said students who decide not to pledge anymore usually approach their club president or another club officer first. At that point, any items they have received from the club, including pledge pins, are returned to the club. The students are then referred to Jackson who takes them off email lists and ensures that everything is OK with the students.
Students who have chosen to depledge have given different reasons for their decision, including family health issues, time, exhaustion and a change of heart.
“Probably the reasons that we get the most, is just the amount of time that’s spent,” Jackson said. “Each week they do 12 hours of pledge activities, and that takes time. It takes time away from other friends, sometimes their studies, boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, so that’s part of it.”
He said depledging impacts both the pledge class and the social clubs.
“These guys and girls are pledging,” Jackson said, “bringing forth unity and togetherness, and all of a sudden when a group of people have gone through, whether it’s one day or one week, however long they’ve gone through the process together and all of a sudden when one person is not there, it does impact those that have started the process with them.”
Bethany Morgan, senior AD/PR major from Nocona and president of Alpha Kai Omega, said depledging is a “sad” topic to discuss at the weekly club presidents meetings.
“The days when we have discussed depledging were not the happiest of times,” Morgan said. “Depledging takes a big toll on clubs as a whole and for each specific club as well. It’s never a fun topic.”
Morgan said the reasons students have given for depledging are “understandable.”
She said the entire pledge class is influenced when people depledge.
“When pledging Alpha Kai, they are no longer individuals but one as a unit. The entire unit is affected when one isn’t there anymore,” she said.
Jackson said he understands that the pledging process can be demanding. This year Jackson’s office has begun holding weekly meetings with the pledge presidents so the voices of the pledge class can be heard. He said he wants everyone involved in the pledging process to know he has their best interests in mind.
