I wondered when this was going to happen to Young Harris. I went to school with several people who transferred to Uga from there.

No, they were a colonization from the ground up.

I thought amanda's question was about entire systems (like Valpo) that ALL the locals went national at the same time, not dribs and drabs here and there. That's already in the colonization thread.

Also it depends on whether the locals and the people in them truly transitioned to being national groups, or whether the college forcibly disbanded the locals and made a "replacement" system with nationals. I believe that's basically what happened at Loras College.

I didn't know that! Hubby has 2 cousins who were in one of the Locals at Capital (the one that goes by "Zetas" though they arent' ZTA). I wonder how they feel about that and if there will be options for alum? One of them served in a VP capacity, I'll have to ask her at Thanksgiving. I'm trying to think of Ohio colleges that have local-only greek life now. I know Otterbein and Heidelberg. Any others? Hiram maybe?

Looks like it's called Zeta Pi Lambda. In addition to some other local sororities, they already have Delta Phi Epsilon.

ETA: Oops, it says it's a colony in Spring 2011, according to irishpipes' recruitment thread.

I was just browsing the CU FB page. Looks like Tri-Sigma may be an option too. I think I misunderstood though, looks like the NPC groups are joining in addition to the Locals, the Locals aren't affiliating with an NPC.

Looks like they have a fb page trying to stop the Nationals from coming on campus

Kenyon has local sororities as well (or they used to). I knew a Pi Phi (but not that Pi Phi) at Capital and attended a few "buff bashes" put on by Delta Tau Upsilon. From what I read back when Delta Tau Upsilon went national (I can't remember who they joined), each local group was given the option, it isn't an across the board force every chapter to join a national type of thing.

Capital's locals are very strongly rooted in the "Cap Family." My mother is a Zeta Pi Lambda and my sister is a Pi Phi Epsilon. There was a push to "make" the sororities go "National" awhile ago when a certain Greek Life director was there, but she met heavy heavy backlash (from current students and alums) and is no longer at Capital. The other local sorority is Chi Theta Pi. I am glad Capital is bringing "National" sororities and fraternities on campus while allowing the locals to still have their place.

As far as I'm aware, there has never been a national (NPC) sorority at Otterbein. The boys, however, are a different story.

There was at one time, Alpha Tau Omega (who apparently lived in the house next to my sorority, which was the com building but is now security, and it was a fantastic house!) but I believe they were disbanded (or kicked out by the university) for some reason. Alpha Sigma Phi is currently on campus, and in recent years have been winning many Greek awards. I don't know what the conditions are now, but Alpha Sig was smaller when I pledged, but by the time I graduated was on par with the rest of the fraternities, if not bigger. They seem to be thriving, but I'm sure that it is a challenge to be the only national in a local campus. As far as I know, they were formed from an interest group, not from taking over another fraternity, but I can't be 100% sure.

I get kind of nervous when I see other schools transitioning their systems to NPCs, especially Capital (Otterbein's big rival). I know that local greek life has its own issues (so do national greeks), but I think it is the uniqueness of it that really pulled me in. We have wacky, silly, ridiculous traditions, some that reach way back to our 1921 founding, some that are from our re-founding in the 80's, and it makes it a fascinating organization to be part of. One group on campus celebrated 100 years this homecoming! That's an old local!

I think that it helps that the Greek alum disproportionally support the school in comparison with other sections of the graduate population...I think that if there was an ultimatum put forward, that there would be hell to pay...at least I would hope so. It's a weird little world up there in Westerville, and I really hope it stays that way. The school has been doing a lot of big things lately, transitioning to a University, and then transitioning to semesters soon. I think that change is healthy and good for a college, but I hope things don't change too much.

< / tangent >

Why is it that OH is such a hotbed of locals?

Because Ohio is the land of a thousand colleges!

Hm. I wonder how relevant this attempt at expansion is -- isn't Young Harris still a two-year school?

Edit: Apparently they do offer some bachelor's degrees now. Damn.

I think, like so many things these days, it boils down to risk management. Universities want a national HQ to share the responsibility for what their groups are doing on that campus.

Well, that goes both ways. They also give up their right to close down or discipline a chapter whenever and however they see fit - without a fight from a national.

So true! ( and I know OU and Ohio Northern are both also transitioning to semesters next year. Is Ohio state as well?)

Last I heard OSU was on track for a Fall 2012 semester implementation.