Visitation, which has been an integral part of the club process for many years, is when potential new members (PNMs) who received an invite to join a club visit the club member’s residence halls and get to know the members in a small, intimate setting.
This year, visitation was replaced with fourth round receptions where the club members and the PNMs who have been selected to join their club meet at a location for one to three hours to get to spend more time with one another.
The change to the club process sparked reactions and opinions from many including men’s social club Titans president, Mills Bryant, the decision to change visitation to fourth round reception was unfair.
“The overall impact of this change has been large,” Bryant said. “I feel like we don’t get as much time to get to know the men before we take them into the club process. My opinion is that visitation should be reinstated. All clubs shouldn’t be punished because one club didn’t follow the rules.”
This change has caused complications, not just during fourth round reception but also through the entirety of the club process, according to Bryant.
“We tried to allot more time in the mixers for getting to know people, but a lot of that time was spent getting to know guys that did other clubs, and that seemed counterproductive,” Bryant said.
Women’s social club Ko Jo Kai president senior Haley Carr shared a similar opinion to Bryant.
“I think the changing of visitation to fourth round took away from the whole experience of Club Week,” Carr said. “As a senior, I still remember going to the girls dorms, eating popcorn, checking out their club decorations. It was so fun, and I am sad the new girls will not have that experience this year.”
Women’s social club Ju Go Ju’s Activities Director junior Taylor McCain said this change will affect the relationships long after fourth round and Club Week.
“We went from spending 30 minutes to one hour with each member, to five minutes with each,” McCain said. “I think this will have a negative impact on the bonds formed between members and potential new members. Club Week is light-hearted, fun, and one of my favorite Harding memories. After Club Week, it is easy to fall away from the club and become inactive. I feel that removing key events, such as visitation, will eventually create a club atmosphere where participation is low and bonds are not strong.”
