- LOL @ "when Noah was building the ark" - I don't think the greek system has been around quite that long :p

- AEPhi doesn't give Greek-letter chapter designations until the chapter is chartered (unless, of course, it's a recolonization, in which case the chapter gets its original designation back). My initiation certificate reads "MIT Colony" where a chapter designation would go.

- Your point about AEPhi initiating colony members is probably correct. An up side is that, even if the colony is never chartered, its members can enjoy all the privileges of alumnae, such as their sisters/daughters/granddaughters being considered legacies.

OPA does the chartering and member initiation in one ceremony, too. Since the chartering part comes first, we technically have a new chapter with zero members... for a few minutes.
:)

Alpha Phi Omega.
 

(Noting that APO, GSS and OPA are not NPC/NPHC)...

I've seen charterings where the initiation is 2 in the afternoon and the actual charter presentation is after an evening banquet at say 7:30 or 8.

We did have a "lost chapter" name. Even though the chapter name is assigned by the National Office *after* the National Board has decided to grant the charter, Phi Omicron chapter at Ferrum College went wierd.

When an extension effort in the late 1990s started at Ferrum, it was noted that there had previously been a chapter there: Phi Omicron. However the more that the poeple at rechartering effort investigated, the more confused they got. Eventually they discovered that even though the board had granted the charter, the chapter had never had actually had the chartering ceremony.

So the National Fraternity changed things so that when the group was ready, they *chartered* rather than *rechartered*. The 2001 group got the charter with their names on it rather than a charter with the 1970 group names on it and a rechartering document with the 2001 group's names.

They did track down some of the 1970s group and make them honorary members, I believe...