agreed.

You're either a part of the solution, or a part of the problem.

You may not directly be part of the problem, but by sitting around and just waiting it out so that you can still be affiliated with XYZ, you are doing the chapter a disservice by not trying to help and make things better for future generations of your chapter.

Sometimes doing the right thing won't make you Miss Popularity, but it's something that needs to be done.

Firstly: our chapter, our advisor, etc.

Now, on to the work:
-Talk to your advisor. She may not be the most helpful person in the long run (if what you say is true about her), but if there are serious issues that could yank your charter, then she's the person you go to. You have to have a little trust that when issues this important are presentented, she will take them seriously

-Start being the change you wish to see. Cliche? Sure. But true. If academics are important to you, then tell the chapter that you'll be holding a regular study group and invite people to come. Have women (or the chapter) pitch in a few dollars for snacks and coffee. Help arrange tutors or study sessions for your sisters who are struggling in certain classes. This doesn't mean that you have to do all the work, but a little work could go a long way.

-Bond with your sisters as best you can. If you're going to change the chapter for the better, you need a strong base of friendship.

-Stay positive. No bad-mouthing the chapter or its leaders. Say that you want to do something - THEN FOLLOW UP. If you say that you want to implement all of these ideas, and none of them get done, then people won't take you or your change seriously. Start with one or two "I would really love to do this... Does anyone want to help me?" ideas.

-If you have some ideas/projects for change, and they don't work out, keep working on other things. You don't want to get so caught up in one "brilliant" idea that the rest of the chapter doesn't like, and keep pushing for it. You'll just start beating the same dead horse into the ground. If no one wants to come to your study group - don't hound them over it (until you become Scholarship Chair or something, then you can).


-GET ALLIES! Find some women in the chapter whom you trust and who have the same vision as you! That is the most powerful thing you can do. They will support you when you burn out. They will comfort you when you're down. They will give you clout and a louder voice for change.

Good luck!

You are getting some great advice. Change happens because an alternative is available for people to take. If you want a change, make a plan and implement it. If you have to be elected to get it started, run for office. This is not a *poof* it's fixed kind of situation. Be ready to work hard. Your sisters will follow if you provide them with options that will make their experience more fulfilling and their campus reputation more stellar. Keep the criticism to a minimum...people don't like negatives. Giving a positive option works A LOT better! Good luck!

So, not to say you should take the easy way out, but transferring to another school and affiliating with another chapter is a possible option. Think about it.

I'd just drop out of the sorority and put my attention on the big picture: doing the things that will make you a successful job candidate/grad school candidate once you have your degree. A sorority is supposed to be a fun experience. If you're not having any fun, and you know the other members and the advisory board (or in this case, the one adviser) won't back you, I think you're wasting your time.

Sorry, GC'ers. I agree, if you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem, yada yada, but I'm a big believer that you have to do what is best for yourself. Sometimes that means diving in and becoming part of the leadership for your Greek organization. Other times, it means walking away.

please tell me you're not serious.

So - when there is a problem with your future place of employment, or in graduate school, you just walk away? Sometimes, yes, it isn't worth the effort, and you should walk away - but sometimes, you want to demonstrate that you have what it takes to tackle a challenging situation. All that leadership training NPC GLOs talk about? It has real-world worth. It may be that the this situation is what empowers the op to trust herself and her ability to change a group dynamic from something negative to something positive. Only she can judge - but I think she should think long and hard before totally throwing in the towel.

At this point, it's not long before the officer election process begins. If you can get elected to an office - maybe not an executive board-level job, but any job - you can truly begin to change things.
You can also begin asking some questions about why the chapter is not complying with the sorority's constitution, bylaws or policies. And don't take "we've always done it this way" as an answer.
Be nice, be positive, be encouraging, and smile!:) But keep asking those questions.

First of all THANK YOU to everyone for not only the advice but the support that if i work hard enough I can make a change for the better.

I personally believe that in life you always have two choices do something or do nothing but if you choose to do nothing you give up your right to complain about the problem until you are ready to do something about it. I am fully ready to do something because i know deep down that if i do nothing i wont be happy with myself and even if the change doesn't work at the end of it all i will have peace for knowing i tried and didn't cut and run when the going got tough.

And as far as people saying i should get out in my mind that is not an option i worked to hard to become a member and care to deeply about my national org to give up my membership because of the problems of my chapter. As more than a few people on GC have told me your collegiate membership is 4 years of your life but your alumni membership is for the rest of your life and i will not give up my right to that.

So thank you everyone for your advice and support when things start back up and recruitment ends and i come up with a plan i will definitely keep you all posted on how its going!!! Thank You!!!

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

If someone wants to transfer schools, it'd better be for academic reasons.

Not all sorority chapters accept transfer sisters who wish to affiliate. I've seen my own chapter sisters have a hard time getting along with chapters they wished to affiliated with. IT IS NOT ALWAYS AN OPTION.

To the OP, remember that college is just for a few short years. Your sisterhood lasts a lifetime. It's not always going to be this way, trust me.

You'd be hard pressed to find another chapter that you're crazy about affiliating with.

To whoever said be proactive and try to change what you don't like, I agree with them. Right now you're being reactive, but take a proactive approach to things and it'll be a lot better. Just be smart about it.

It won't be easy, and you might face a lot of resistance. Hell, you might even fail. But it's worth a shot, and if you don't, maybe later on you'll ask yourself what could've happened if you had just tried to "fix" your chapter.

IMO your best bet is to find out if other members feel the same way as you do. Change won't happen if only 1 person wants it.
Running for an office is a great idea. However even as President, it's hard for 1 person to make significant changes if everyone else is dead set against it. If you can find other like minded sisters maybe all of you can run and make changes together. It is worth a try.

I understand your hesitance to go to your advisor. Shame on any advisor who doesn't make all the members feel they can approach her/him freely, openly and confidentially! The "buck" doesn't stop with the advisor(s) though. Your chapter is part of a province (or whatever your GLO calls it) and there should be an I/natl officer who oversees your chapter along with several others. Consider contacting this person with a list of specific examples how your chapter is not following your GLO's stated policies/procedures. This I/natl officer can also help in trying to find additional advisors for your chapter.

I am not sure what the infractions are, and I know that you would hate for your chapter to get nailed for something that you already think should be remedied, but if this is your first semester as an active (correct me if I am wrong), I suggest trying to get into a "smaller" office or at least on a bigger community, and see how that works out for you. This does two things: it will give you something else to think about, and give you perspective.

If the infractions are absolutely unbearable, then take the extra step and bring it up the flagpole. Only you can decide what is best, because only you know what the situation is.

Best of luck!

Small Greek systems/chapters do not operate in the same way as large Greek systems/chapters. That is a fact. I mean, if you're trying to turn your chapter into something like you'd see at (example) Ole Miss or DePauw when none of the other chapters on campus are that way, it just simply isn't going to happen.

It could be that most of the girls in your chapter - or at your school for that matter - wouldn't have ever pledged if they had to deal with the businesslike atmosphere, the rules, and restrictions that some of the bigger chapters have. If it becomes that way, they'd quit. I know a lot of people on here have said they would not have been Greek at a school vastly bigger (or smaller, or richer, or poorer) from theirs.

Honestly, this sounds like you thought you were getting Saks Fifth Avenue and got K Mart instead - but there isn't a Saks in town. If you think the "sorority experience" means a, b, and c, and your chapter/school isn't providing that or doesn't want to provide it, you either need to put up with it and not complain or quit.

So just to update everyone who was so helpful with their thoughts and suggestions. I tried talking with my chapter but was met with a big giant steel wall, so i called HQ just to ask questions and find out what the options were. The woman i talked to was incredibly nice and I also found out that a LOT more things that we do are not approved by HQ so it was very much an eye opener. Hopefully with new information I can try talking to my chapter again and push for change. Wish me Luck :)