***Definatly got to agree on this one!

Thanks for the information. You spent some time researching all this stuff. Anyway, the information is helpful because I might start my own sorority one day! :)

I havent posted in a few weeks... but i wanted to say that I hope this thread will help people understand the time and dedication it takes to commit to an new organization. Its tough competing with well known- longer existing groups, but it is very rewarding. Keep up the positive work.

This thread needs to be added to the list of expansion related threads:

OHNOITSJESS founding Alpha Omega Epsilon (engineering sorority) @ Texas Tech [after participating in NPC spring recruitment]

Added - Thanks!

The story of founding my first BSP chapter
 

When I founded the Massachusetts Delta Pi chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, I wrote this thread:
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...light=erica812

It might be helpful for someone starting a non-collegiate sorority. I was a graduate student at the time, so it might be helpful for grad students who are interested in sororities as well.

Note: I've since graduated and moved away from my Massachusetts chapter, but I am still an active member in good standing!

i'm also redraidergirl [long story :)] but w.e
thanks for adding me to the list! :D

Gotcha.

I think that expansion is awesome, if the Greek community is in need. Why wouldn't you want to expand. ? ?? ?? ?

Yeah but you have to make sure there is a real need for expansion, and that depends on alot of factors.

Why didn't your mom and dad get you that pony you "needed" when you were 9 years old? Because a pony requires a lot of time, effort, space to put it, and let's face it - the whole family has to be cool with the idea of a pony.

If you can't get a bid from the groups that are already there, a new group isn't going to help unless you can bamboozle the national officers into letting you in. And guess what, the last thing national officers are looking for when colonizing is someone who was cut by all the groups on campus. ETA: Or someone who has had 3 years to rush and didn't, and when she is getting around to it, doesn't want to join any of the groups on campus.

Folks need to realize that the expansion process doesn't happen over night. As already said the numbers need to be there to support a new org. Nearly all Chapters need to be at or close to total. Often Total has been raised significantly and Quotas have been increasing. The growth has to be a proven trend, not a fluke. This means years of increasing numbers.

Once the University determines expansion is needed then a proposal is made to Panhellenic for approval. After that the actual expansion process begins. Panhellenic's typically first approach GLO's that have been chartered on campus previously but are no longer active. Not only is this courteous, but more importantly are the historical ties. Practically every GLO that ever closed a chapter would love the opportunity to return. If there aren't enough/any previously chartered groups or if they decline, then Panhellenic looks to other NPC orgs.

Those GLOs have to then agree to present, which basically means make a sales pitch to Panhellenic. I/nationally they have to analyze whether they can support this new chapter. If it's a campus that has sorority owned housing then they have to be in a financial position to build a new house. That's big bucks. They look at their area alumnae base to see if there are enough willing/able to volunteer. They also have to consider other expansion efforts going on at other campuses. I've heard of groups turning down an offer to present because they already had too much on their plate.

The selected groups make presentations to Panhellenic and the delegates vote on which group they feel would best fit into that campus. Finally the selected group comes on campus to (re)colonize.

As you can see this whole process can take years. And just because someone (hopefuls or alumnae) may want ABC or XYZ on campus, it doesn't mean it will happen.

I just put about 18 months of grueling effort into running extension for Dartmouth College (for NPC at least, it's called extension not expansion).

I would definitely echo what everyone has said about the time effort and stress involved with starting a new chapter. Also, as a founding sister, you may not actually get to see the fruits of your labors. In many NPC systems, it take a group a solid 3+ years to truly get settled into campus life. While your hard work will hopefully benefit the campus and generations of women to come, you may not see that all come to fruition during your collegiate tenure.

For NPC, you do not get to "pick" the new sorority for your campus if you go through general extension. I described it many times as a recruitment process--both parties have input. Your campus will need to invite all 26 groups, and then learn about them, invite them for formal presentations and then extend a single invitation (and hope the group accepts). Not all 26 will even send information, sometimes groups that send information will not accept an invitation to present. At any given time, most sororities have already committed to colonizations and they need to assess what they can realistically give (even giving formal presentations is a drain on resources as it generally requires high-ranking fraternity staff and a significant financial cost).

You SHOULD NOT go into extension looking/hoping/needing a specific group. If you are, ask yourself why? What do you really know about that group? Do you really want extension?

An alternative route for extension, that works well if there are questions in your panhellenic community about student interest in a new sorority, is to form an interest group first. The interest group can either help with the formal extension, or can function as a local sorority until it chooses to affiliate nationally. Again, even when an interest group looks to affiliate with a NPC group, the won't necessarily get to say "I only want group XYZ".

If your CPH (college panhellenic) voted down extension, there is probably a reason. Ask to meet with them (or with a specific extension committee if there is one) and figure out their concerns. Most often, a CPH will vote down extension because it feels that the panhellenic community would suffer. Often they think (based on extensive numerical data) that the new group would either fail to thrive, or would cause another group to suffer. It is their responsibility to protect the panhellenic community as a whole. Those reasons are hard to argue with, but you can ask the CPH if you have check in following the next recruitment to see if things are looking more hopeful. If the reasons are more vague, or don't have the numbers to support them, you might be able to make a case. Read up on NPC recruitment and extension, and prepare a strong case for why a new group is needed and will be successful. Ask if you can present at a CPH meeting and be prepared to answer questions. At the very least, know that you've laid the groundwork for future efforts.

My campus has been, according to our recruitment data, ready for extension for a while, but it was still a difficult process. It also required hours and hours put in by women who were already affiliated. I formed an extension committee whose members probably put in over 100+ hours, and it was for a group that they weren't going to be in. You can't found a sorority on your own, and you need to make sure you have the support behind you.

If you have any questions about formal NPC extension, I'm glad to answer!