chapter closures
 

it is rather sophomoric to state "I don't care whether your chapter closes or not" With such a small percentage of Greeks
on many campi, there is a lot of room for all of us. This infighting is lamentable. TKE has, admittedly, led the crowd in
extension, and the losses have been generally due to lack of
servicing or lack of alumni support.
The pissing contests amongst ourselves have been a sight to
behold.
Rarely do any of us go on to campuses where we simply displa ce a failed chapter. To state that is simply myopic.
why not get along instead of making simplistic statements like
"I don't care..."
The large majority of new charterings have been revivals. And,
t his will continue. Get over the pettiness, please.

madmax--

if the campus has a good Greek Advisor, then expansion shouldn't happen until all fraternities or sororities are at or near total. I don't know what fraternity expansion is like, but with NPC, that's the rule.

And as for not caring, well, let's say your chapter could be next, so be careful of the karma!

Erik, super post!!!

Once again, my main man E C comes through in one of his lucid moments! It is hard at our ages.:D

It is true, that I lament each time a Chapter closes whether it be LXA or anyother Greek Organization.

While yes there are minoritys on here as you can tell, lumped together, we are the smallest Minority on each and every campus.

There should be competition between Greeks on campus but not fighting!!!!!:mad:

PSU called the LXA and SPE chapters together and told them in no uncertain terms, get it together or be gone!

That should say it all right there!

I do not love znteke, KS RC, SigXCard, etal as Brothers but care for them as they are members of the finest Greek Organizations and have respect for them as InterFraternal Brothers who I would be proud to stand next to!

Some of the members who are Actives in their respective Chapters need to figure out what is going on and find a way to get along on campus and stay there or be gone. What is gained then?.

Well I am done!;)

--another point
 

But if we wait 'til the bottom ones rise to break-even level we may wait 'til hell freezes over. Sororities are a good example, and idiot advisers say..well, XYZ is weak and we cannot let on
anyone else until they get strong. Well, troops, get ready for a
long wait as many who'd join a new group will remain GDIs
forever rather than pledge a hogger outfit. ..and the Pi Phis are
at 250 girls....MY POINT...I recall as a fielder visiting a minor school in S Dakota, asking the Dean for permission to come on, had men, had alums, had board, had advisor, etc. He ref used, saying, well, the swig taws are weak so we cannot let
someone else on until they get strong. This four chapter school is still waiting...40 years later..'cept it is now a school with two chapters...and both of them are weak.
What I am saying is that some systems are dying because the
bottom rung will not rise, and many would rather not pledge than
join a weenie group. Take a look at your campus. Has the % of
Greeks slipped? W hy? If there are several chapters over 100
and a few under 30, why? And why is it they let's say, let Pike
on...and they get 120 men in two weeks? The weak sist ers are eatin' bon bons in the meantime, wonderin ' what the H happened...and the Greek advisor is nowhere to be found...
Fellow GREEKS...now is the time to expand, to have your system grow. The statement that the interest is not there is pure
BULLSHIT...pehaps not as we are now, but TRUE FRATERNIT Y
will prevail. Expand your systems. The weenies will either die or improve, but in the meantime your clout and pride'll grow !

I have a question for those of you that belong to national organizations.

How do you feel when a local fraternity or sorority on your campus (if it is in existence) closes. Do you still feel somewhat down and depressed?

I guess I'm just wondering because we have seen MANY nationals close on our campus just in the last few years, but it's funny that not a lot of the nationals that are left consider us a "true greek organization" because we are local and not national. Though there could be some ill feelings because we are a local that broke off a national and have been in the longest existence out of all the greek orgs on campus. We do also almost double the size of the next leading fraternity (number wise) and we are the most active out of chapters, imho. We do a crazy amount of philanthropy events and spend countless hours helping out at university day care centers and whatnot. Sadly, we aren't the best chapter speaking in terms of grades/gpa.

Your thoughts? Opinions? Views?

I just found out that the one local sorority at my alma mater died out last year. I think it's sad because they did a lot of good both on campus and off philanthropy-wise. They represented Greeks fairly well, and it's a shame that they had to close due to a lack of interest. Hopefully, they'll be able to reorganize themselves and get back on track again.

Personally, I think that I would be saddened to hear of any chapter closing, be it local or national. The only time that I am not upset to see one go is when the chapter has not represented Greeks in a favorable light. Some closings are good because they "weed out" groups that cause problems and bad publicity for the Greek system, and give the organization a chance to start anew in a few years with (hopefully) a more responsible group of members.

Just to let you know-
 

edited to say "Damasa this ones for you!"
I'm not about to enter any discussions for the time being that are
too controversial. However, if someone like you is any reflection of your entire GLO-be it local or national, it MUST be one heck of a great group of guys. That being said, if you are close knit, if you have happiness in your life all you may be missing is a network for business assoc. Believe me, that is a very real benefit. Somehow, I think you will do just fine without said network. I know it's an "internet assessment", but you needn't be shy about you intuitive ability, intelligence or compassion. It shines through in your posts, and that's something you can't keep "real" 100% of the time!
JAM

I agree with what Erik P. said. You cannot wait for a chapter to get stronger before allowing a new group on campus. Look at the schools that have great systems. Not only do they have all kinds of housing and programming and great things to do, they have a large selection of different orgs on campus. If an org is not cutting it in terms of recruitment, then they will probably never get any better, because people will not join them. And if that org is the only choice around then they will not go greek. Period.
Another point about allowing new groups on campus is that is a way I argue away accusations of elitism. If no group on campus does not take you, then get a few friends together and start a new one. Problem solved.

OK, I can agree that sometimes weaker chapters won't get larger, but that's not the point. You see, in a true greek community, the SYSTEM would want everyone to succeed. And the members of the system would help each other succeed. I know maybe that's completely idealistic and unrealistic, but in the true sense of a greek community, that's the way it should be.

Also, say there is a group that is the "dweebs", are you telling me there aren't other like minded folks on campus to join their group? If fraternities and sororities all had the same types of people and the same characteristics, what would be the point of having 20, when just one would work?

I guess my feeling is you don't just go buy a new car every time you run low on gas, so why get a new fraternity just because the older one is running low? Get students to go greek, and your system will be better off, no matter WHERE they go!

I totally agree with the problem with forcing all existing chapters to be "strong" or "above quota in numbers" before allowing another chapter to colonized.

I have never understood why my campus, which is 65% female, only has 6 sororities. And the "newest" chapter was brought on in 1989 - the other 5 chapters were the original ones colonized when the system began in 1968!
Several years ago a group of girls tried to start a local organization in an effort to woo a national sponsor as a colony, but were shot down by the Panhellenic Council and Greek Advisor. This group lasted for about a year and a half before merging with an existing national sorority here on campus...and surprize surprize, that sorority improved 100% because of it!

In the meantime, we have had incredible growth of the fraternity system - going from 5 chapters to 9 chapters over the last 5-6 years!

I too mourn every time a chapter is closed and have never understood the petty gloating that many chapters display when their rivals falter. Why do we take so much pleasure in killing each other off when there is already so much danger and threats coming from OUTSIDE the Greek system?

GLO CLOSINGS
 

Any time I hear that another GLO closes I get a warm fuzzy feeling inside.;)

V, is that you again? Barbara, barbara, barbara, when will you ever learn?! What's up with the sig lambs???


laff

Well, said, Shadokat!

A greek system is only as strong as it's smallest chapter.

wait 'til the weak get strong...
 

I hope some of you idealists who think the bottom will rise to
the top -- do not ever try to leave the ivied walls for business, as
you will starve. Get real with the world...
I do not feel the Greeks are a rehab center. If the cheapest were the best we'd all be driving Yugos.
If elitism does not exist, why do so many try to get into Yale?
While it is indeed noble to try to bring the weak ones up--it is
often due to abulia, to apathy, to laziness that they remain at the
bottom--year after year.
Sometimes a total wipeout of a chapter will result in a new , healthy start.
Do you naively think that other wimps who are GDI s will join a
wimpy GLO? The first to go from a wimpy outfit which has gone
on a rise....are the wimps, who are replaced by less wimpy folk
Go ahead, bury your head in the sand, feel sorry for the cellar dwellers, but when your system dies, remember that you sat
by and watched!

Hey, I can see both sides here, and I think it's a little rude to call people naive idealists who will never succeed in business just because they disagree with you.

It's true - folks in general don't want to join a chapter that isn't successful. Many people will stay independent if they can't get into a good organization. These folks shouldn't be cut out of Greek life - another org may be the answer.

I don't think "dweebiness" is a bar to success, at least for guys. A mid-sized fraternity on my campus is by its own admission full of geeks. Programmers, cloak-wearers, RPGers ... and they are dong well and getting their numbers. They just have their own niche. It's no different than being "the football fraternity."

But groups on the bottom CAN rise. I've seen it. Another group that was definitely on the bottom on my campus for years (12 members total in a good year) has managed to bring their numbers up to 21 over the past year and is changing their reputation.

However, I'm glad that in the meantime other fraternities were allowed to come on campus. In the last 8 years, one chapter was closed (behavior, not numbers), and two have been successfully established. Another has come back from some serious problems that led to the loss of their house.

Yeah, our sorority system hasn't grown. And maybe Panhellenic should have allowed the national that wanted to colonize to do so, instead of protecting the two chapters below ceiling. But some gals tried to found a local, and it was a dismal failure, because they couldn't drum up the interest - not because Panhel or the other Greeks or the school said no.