Was it uncommon for women to have friends in other chapters? I think that was the biggest thing that made me respect other chapters; actually having friends in the other groups, or at least working with women on panhellenic committees, presidents' council, etc.

This is a big reason I'm such a huge deferred rush cheerleader. It's easier to understand "the girls in the other groups are all great too" when they're people who have been supportive of you in the dorm, academic tutors, in your classes or extracurriculars, etc. for at least a semester.

As someone from an unhealthy Greek system, I think the university has to want to change, the Greek Life Director, and the alums. Rankings at my alma mater are pretty darn close to what they were 20 years ago, and the system has little or no growth. The women basically replace themselves and that's it. Even worse for the fraternities, S their membership dwindles down farther and farther. The university makes Greek life a zero priority, and the director is awful. So I'd say without a lot of things changing, it'd be quite difficult to change the sickness in that system.

I think with the unhealthy systems everyone is out for themselves. This is not a good way to think because when a chapter fails, it does effect everyone else.

When my chapter closed in 05, it was before RFM came into play. The campus was notorious for bad-mouthing each other (no it isn't ASU either). One chapter would also "string" girls along and then drop them right before pref-night, therefore truly not allowing that PNM to give other chapters a second glance. Thanks to RFM that doesn't happen anymore. As for the talking smack about each other, I think that just resounds around women in general. We are catty. We talk crap about each other. I don't know how the campus is nowadays though.

When I was at ASU, the system was pretty awesome. There was a particular sorority that was in failure of closing. The other chapters decided, unanimously, to not recruit during the spring so that chapter wouldn't have to "fight" for PNM's. Plus, they (apparently) sent PNM's the chapters way. The sororities stood together to help this chapter. Unfortunately the chapter did close (but has since recolonized). I give this example because it shows a healthy greek system. You are only as strong as your weakest link.

When you say "growth," you certainly don't mean more chapters, do you? As far as total, it's one of the bigger ones in the SSHE from what I see and as long as no one is building 70 person houses, I don't see the point of wanting to raise it. No one at a school like we attended wants to be in a chapter with 200 members.