Originally Posted by joeshmo (Post 2435236)

My frat is pretty low tier and with a bad reputation on a pretty big greek life campus. We want to grow our social presence with sororities. Is it weird to bring flowers to a sorority house and ring the bell and start striking up conversation?

Originally Posted by PhilTau (Post 2435378)

As I said in one of your other threads - reputation is everything.

LaneSig raised a very valid point and is very correct. Whatever is causing the bad reputation must be fixed. I'd add - make sure that whatever or whoever caused the bad reputation never comes back. To survive, your chapter must be strict and uncompromising on this.

If you are just coming off suspension, hopefully, your nationals made your chapter address the problem(s) causing the bad reputation during that suspension period. If they did not, get your nationals to help you develop and/or enforce policies aimed to improve your reputation. Not knowing what your bad reputation is makes it impossible for anyone on this site to give you concrete advice on that subject.

Originally Posted by joeshmo (Post 2435382)

The reputation was a rather childish and immature one. Many thought that we were too cool for school or like we were still stuck in high school.

Originally Posted by joeshmo (Post 2435382)

In addition, we did not have the biggest house, ended up losing it, and our numbers of members was and is rather low compared to other frats.

Originally Posted by joeshmo (Post 2435382)

Nationals has helped us as much as they can and we are changing the reputation from the inside, but it seems to be difficult to get others to lose their original impression of us

Originally Posted by PhilTau (Post 2435386)

Realistically, just about every active fraternity chapter out there could at some time or another be accused of this. I suspect the suspension (for whatever reason) did the most damage to your reputation. (Also, since the suspension was so short, I suspect that it was for something someone did that was very stupid.)



Many fraternities struggle financially. In that regard, you are not unique. Financially, it can be an advantage to not have a house - but there is no way to convince a chapter that doesn't have a house that is competing for members against one that does have a house. Age old problem. In your various posts, you indicate that your fraternity's biggest concern is its relationships with the sororities. I don't think I am wrong but, if you get down to it, I doubt if the sororities really care if you have a fraternity house. What you are selling to them is you - not some crappy fraternity house.

It is not hard to imagine a possible pitch to upperclassmen with good grades that (1) we are rebuilding and we need your help; (2) we do not haze and we have zero tolerance for hazing; and (3) we devote more of our dues money to social activities because we don't have the expense of a house.



Your chapter can only control what it does. It cannot control what other people think.

Originally Posted by joeshmo (Post 2435387)

You have been more than helpful. The cause of original suspension was actually the fact that there was a lack of brotherhood and increase in dues which led to actives leaving and therefore losing the lease and getting into debt. Nationals kicked everyone out and paid the debt leaving opportunity to rebuild

Originally Posted by PhilTau (Post 2435389)

There are a lot of really bad things that can impact a fraternity's reputation irreversibly. I'd classify your situation (as you describe it) as just being embarrassing in the short term. Your situation is certainly not something to be ashamed about.

(Compare your situation to what happened to four IFC fraternities at Texas State that jointly threw a Halloween party where someone was dragged by a bus and killed.)