This is a great discussion. My two cents: the best way to grow a reputation is for more members to stay actively involved beyond college. Take your passion to the national organization. Get on the expansion committee, start an alumnae chapter and get those alumnae out in the community helping to sponsor and support local events in the university areas and in big cities-- build your name.

I feel that as a whole Greek Life is slowly starting to fall behind the great expansion and recruitment numbers of just 10 years ago-- and partly because we have this amazing large base of members-- our alumnae-- and absolutely no expectations for what they are capable of doing to serve the organization and help it grow.

Can anyone clarify if the "problem" is that "smaller" NPCs are not given the opportunity to colonize, or they are passing on the opportunity due to lack of funds, alumnae, etc? I think there is a big difference.

If they are trying for these larger types of colonizations and are not given the opportunity, (Read: The panhel votes them down due to lack of recognition) I would say the problem lies primarily with the entire NPC, and groups should be better educated on other orgs. (They should be anyway, of course.)

If the smaller NPCs are not accepting the invitations to apply for these colonizations, perhaps the membership at large needs to communicate that they want these expansions to the HQ. Maybe the goals of the HQ are consistent with being successful in a smaller market.

I think a lot of groups keep their expansion policies under their hats, so it may be hard to say.

I agree with you on this point...it's something that is still important to me to make sure the NMs know even though I'm now alum....

I would wager that sometimes it's just a timing issue - if you have 5 colonies going you're not going to apply for a 6th at a huge school unless they're putting it on a deferred timetable (i.e. we are looking to add a new sorority per year for the next 3 years).

I'm betting that your second paragraph is the most likely explanation, overall.

Phi Sigma Sigma, Delta Phi Epsilon, and Theta Phi Alpha all came to our school around the same time. Only my sorority and Phi Sigma Sigma are left. :( I think if our Greek community would have been more willing to work together like we did in the mid-90s every organization on campus have had great growth potential.

Oddly, DphiE, SDT, and TPA were the only 3 sororities on my campus when I pledged....Tri Sig came later.

Every NPC has the opportunity to throw their hat in the ring for all published NPC opportunities. This past month has been a frienzy of opportunities - the NPC extension person who just took over is in shock at how many campuses are open this Fall.

Speaking for DPhiE, I personally look at alumnae support in an area as well as campus recruitment stats and nearby chapter support. You won't be seeing any DPhiE chapters in arkansas anytime soon :)

I don't think anyone should be segragating big from small. All of the under 100 chapter groups have their own goals for expansion for their own group. Just because someone never heard of your group, doesn't mean a thing.

I have reviewed all of the campuses which expanded in 2004-2005 academic year and most NPC groups took at least one colony that year. Some may take 2 or 3 this year based on the plethroa of activity but this is great news for the system - more women are getting involved in greek life on campuses which had seen downturns in recent history.

One more thing - to address someone comment that the smaller groups are not at BIG University. Let's think chronologically for a minute - when Pi Phi, ADPi, Kappa, Theta Etc were establishing their 50th chapters, five or so of us were just being founded. They just happened to be at U of Big State 10-40 years before some of us were founded. Some NPC groups had 10 chapters before my founders were born!. That doesn't mean some of the under 100 chapter groups aren't at BIG U but it shows you when some of those chapters were formed - pre-1910.

Please PM me if you have specific questions.

Denise
Director of Expansion

I agree with everything that you have said. There are so many variables that go into a group's decision about where and when to expand. Biggest on my list is the number of area alumnae willing to work with a colony. 33girl brought up some really good points too.

Denise - I am excited about the new bulletin! Some really good schools are open.

Not to start an uproar, but NIC Fraternitys seem to have a Growth picture much stronger than NPCs.

I know, that NPCs will not go on a Campus where Chapters do not make Numbers.

But, I always wonder if Sororitys dont grow is for that very same reason.

If You as a Female Student do not want to Join the ones We have on Campus, then You will not join any.:(

So, what do they do? Not Join any. Who does that help?

NIC Fraternitys will not go on where We are not welcome, but have a chance.

Yes, there are more Male Groups than Female, but if there is No Choice then what? I Wont Join! Period! If no option then they do not join and We all lose!

Sad but true. :(

Sorry I can't agree with what Tom is saying. What #s is he referring to? Men start chapters with 10 men. Sorry, we can't do that.

All NPC have a minimum # they need to sustain a chapter - this is based on financials as well as # of positions needed to be filled in an ideal chapter leadership structure. Each NPC has group has (at least one) small chapter which are under this number but in order to be competititive on a campus, you must be in the same average # of members as the rest or you will suffer dearly. You could win every greek award, have the homecoming queen and have 3.7 GPA but if you are seen as the "small" chapter, then you will always lose the good PNMs to the "strong" chapters.

This minimum # might be 25 or it might be 75. It is up to the group.

I think everyone will be pleased to know that greeks are growning on many GREAT campuses (not neccessarilly BIG U but big enough!!!) with wonderful reputations. This fall, NPC has published at least 10 great campuses which are expanding already existing and thriving greek systems.

We are doing something right!!!!

APPLAUSE PLEASE!

Denise

So, what are the open campuses, or is that information not for public consumption?

I was thinking the same thing ;) I'm curious!

I know sometimes discussing expansion can get messy on here, with all the speculation, etc. So if anyone wants to PM me, i'll keep it quite.

I would think it's a matter of public knowledge though, that information is published in a newsletter that is widely distributed.

Just curious, which campuses are open for expansion?

In addition to which ones are open for expansion, some may have already chosen a NPC to colonize already. I know AZD announced they were selected for a university a few weeks ago (Monmouth Univ in NJ if you were curious). I assume that was on that list as well.