We started our Beta Chapter in 2002...13 years after the Alpha Chapter. :)

we are thinking about it, we were concerned that we would have to give up the deaf emphasis but we found one with a deaf chapter that we like....... SO its a long process and we will see what happens.

Personally it would be nice if our sorority was to become national but it know its really difficult, most national are esablished in 18 or early 1900.......

Hey, I am part of a local that has not yet taken a Beta Chapter, but I am close friends with a Beta Theta Pi (nat'l frat.). They just come on our campus, and I can tell you how they did it. First, nationals took out ads in the school paper advertising interest meetings. Dates, times, etc . . . were all placed in there, and set up in advance. Reps from beta came down (in suits) and presented the ideal of beta. I think there were about 100 men intrested. Reps accepted "applications" of sorts, and they contacted the young men with a time to meet for an interview. I think they required business casual dress. Out of 100 applicants, 22 were picked as "Founding Fathers" of that chapter. The FF all had to go to weekly meetings (much like pledge education) to learn about beta. They took tests, and overall, everything was micromanaged by the national reps. No pledging was involved, their membership and initiation at the end of the semester hinged on their test scores and continued intrest in attending the meetings. Their chapter is well, and I attribute this to the professional, well-put-together image that the older boys portrayed during recruitment, as well as their continued presence in the lives of the potentials. It seems to have worked for them, and I think that my sorority may try this method when we expand. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice, we are thinking about bringing our Beta Chapter back to active status next fall. Also, we are thinking about founding our Gamma Chapter next fall also.

Speaking of Beta chapters.....apparently some girls at Shawnee University are wanting to have a Lambda chapter there..so..we'll be starting the expansion process here soon..wheee..... :D

correct me if i am wrong, but once you have a beta chapter, youre not a local anymore are you?

this may sound dumb and i might be completely wrong, but that is the impression i am under

Locals are fraternities and sororities that are not national no matter how many chapters they take. Nationals are part of some sort of national council eg.npch, ifc. Just to clear this up.

Incorrect. You do not have to be a member of a govening council to be a national. There is not real definition what exactly is a national. Some say that you need to have chapters in more then one state to be considered a national. If you have chapters only in a state, some say you are considered a regional. If you have a chapter outside of the US, you are considred an international.

Ok, now I am confused. That is how it was explained to me.

so having more than one chapter....local or not?

last i heard, as soon as there is a beta chapter, you are no longer a local

a local fraternity or sorority is only located on one campus. So, having a beta chapter makes a GLO no longer a local.

I guess that is your interpretation of it. I know some sororities in Cali that have more than one chapter and consider themselves a local.
So, if you not a local than what are you called?

As I have understood it is that if you have chapters located in a similiar region and still have a few chapters (under 5) you are a Regional. After you expand to other states or have a chapter much more farther where you are, you're National, also if you have a lot of chapters (10+).

There are a few words: regional sorority, Independent sorority (I've heard that a lot), private sorority (don't really like that one personally) or community sorority or even "local area sorority"-of which there are several chapters in the same city/ area but aren't really spread out enough to be national. I know if you do a google search on "regional sorority" you'll find a few sororities that have like, 3 chapters. That's how they define themselves.

Personally I believe it is your organization and you can define it however you want.

I, personally, think about it like this. Local is in a small area-maybe the same town/city, regional is in the same state or region of the country (like New England), and National is in more than a few states. I thnk this because, Tri-Kappa for instance is NOT a local sorority-they have over 100 chapters, but they are ALL in Indiana and no where else. So I would consider them a regional sorority, specific to the Indiana area. Some people will argue local can only mean one chapter.

I mean if a bank opened in your town and in the next town over, it is still a local bank. Not a national one. I think of sorority as the same thing.

thanks for clearing it up. i was pretty sure i knew what i was talking about, local means only found at one place. not here and wherever the beta chapter is.