AzTheta, I agree. The system can accommodate that much growth. This adds to my thinking that they will wait until after Arkansas is done. If it goes well (and we're all assuming it's going to be more than fine), they will feel more confident to go outside the box a little.

The system can accommodate that much growth? I don't know that we know that. I believe most/every chapter at Ole Miss has just expanded their chapter houses. How do they pay for that if chapters go from 350ish to 125ish in only a couple of years (graduation attrition combined with much lower quotas)? Plus, if the new chapters want to bid up to average chapter size, that would mean 4 chapters times 350ish which is roughly 1,400. That is a whole lot, especially because these colonies would want to be extremely selective. Not to mention that that many colony members could overwhelm the system. That is a lot of folks who don't know the ropes all at one time.

I'm all for expansion at Ole Miss (and lots of other places), but I think biting off too much at once will inevitably cause one or more of the new chapters to fail. That would be tragic considering the cost to colonize.

Do you think two are possible and/or necessary?

I understand the thinking that two groups at once helps avoid some sort of stigma attached to a single new group, but we've seen lots of successful colonizations in the SEC in recent years, and I'm not sure that the new kid necessarily comes in at a disadvantage. Often, it seems, many women would prefer the new group over one that has a less popular reputation.

ETA: I didn't realize there are only 9 groups there now. That means that every new group is a serious hit to quota (over 10%).

I think bringing on 4 at once would create more opportunity for stigma than letting each group have their moment in the sun. I think it might be more plausible to bring on 2 and then stack the other 2 for future expansion if conditions are still favorable. If I were one of the 4 presenting and all 4 were chosen, I would back out.

Oh, no way would 4 work, I was just wondering if you see 1 at a time or 2 at a time as a better way to go.

Two or two stacked is a better way to go. It gives them a chance to build up a sisterhood (and a house) without having to be the new kid on the block all the time. Honestly - Ole Miss or Arkansas can handle a 10-15% reduction in expected quota. Any new house that comes on needs a commitment for fair and competitive comparable housing. Its in the NPC groups and the university's best interest. If they try to say "let's bring on all four unhoused!" - I would bail.

Kinda like the job market - if you just hire one person and you might not be able to hire again for ten years, who wants to be low guy on the totem pole forever?

Four at a time would be crazy. Plus I believe there is a rule/policy with NPC that only 1 group can colonize at a time. (Arkansas had special permission to do what they are doing from what I heard.)

I think the reasoning they want to announce before recruitment is so the selected group(s) can come and view recruitment in September. That way they can start their planning and their PR/Marketing. Our administration/Greek Life at Ole Miss is doing a wonderful job for making this process as wonderful as possible.

even though they had expanded the houses, they still don't hold everyone. Many are land locked with no room to build what they need. the idea when they do an expansion is to hopefully lower quota/total enough that current bricks and mortar can accomodate the chapters. Not everyone can build an Alabama McMansion.

Well said. And we for sure are land locked!

IMHO: one chosen to recruit NOW (views Fall '12 and begins Spring '13) and one chosen to recruit in three years (views Fall '15 and begins Spring '16).

Land/housing situation reminds me of a few recently-expanded western campuses.

And which campus recently chose THREE colonies over an 8-or-9 year period? That sounds like a good plan, but at Mississippi choosing three would mean one left-out (and who wants that?) :(

I also don't know that it makes sense for an org to commit to a colonization six years from now. I realize they could back out, but a lot can change in that timeframe.

I also don't know that it makes sense for an org to commit to a colonization six years from now. I realize they could back out, but a lot can change in that timeframe.

As are we!

Landlocked is a relative term at Ole Miss. The Administrators have a habit of destroying parking or closing off roads to make walking malls on campus. Many places I parked while I as in school are now faculty parking, gone, malls, or a building. Of course now Newsweek named Ole MIss the #1 Beautiful Campus, so there ya go!

awwwwww... I love everybody! Have spent the day sitting in a criminal jury trial and came home to all these awesome comments. Not a single flame (disappointed) although OMG got my hopes up when she started with the "four at a time would be crazy". Having met her personally, I was really hoping for a smack down, Southern Style. Alas, not to be.

Seriously, I want to say thanks for all the responses; it's given me a fresh look at what Ole Miss is facing, and a lot to think about. Back to the main topic (because I don't want to get excommunicated for being off-topic, even if I have ADA protection because of my ADHD)! Oh and in case anyone is curious, I have to go back tomorrow for day three. Have pity on me.

I'm assuming that the houses/land conditions are such that they can only build out, not build up? (i.e. put more stories on top)

Planning for the future...
 

Okay, Debbie Downer in the house here.

I know that these greek communities are bursting at the seems. It has been going on for a few years if not more. However, I cannot stress the importance of letting these two organizations succeed first prior to bringing on more organizations. I think that one or two at time is enough. Then wait 4 or 5 years. I know of one campus that had 5 orgs come on in 4 years. It might have been 4 in 4 years. They had the numbers to back it, until the numbers took a drop and downward they went. It was brutal. Stupid. Absolutely reckless beyond belief with little forethought.
Of those that came on, only one or two remain. The rest went off campus as well as two other organizations previously on campus. Trust me, you DON'T want to go there/that route. It SUCKS REALLY BAD.

What happens when numbers go down?
What is the plan for the worst case scenario? Have everyone live in like they do at Indiana?
Might work, might not.

Everyone thinks that it won't happen until it does.
And no, we are not talking the 70's.

You can only add stories if the original structure was designed to support it from an engineering point of view - or you have enough money to shore it up - if that's possible with the design.

As for adding groups, what happens more often when they want to add more than one is that they stack them - what happened to us at Alabama as we were offered the slot after Alpha Phi but it was put off an additional year as the land situation was not approved by the BOT. At UAB when we went on, we were offered the first slot and Alpha Xi Delta the second one, supposed to be two years after. It ended up being 3 years (or maybe 4) as campus conditions didn't warrant it after the second year.

So, all this is to say that the group or the campus can decide to move it out a year - or more - if need be.

North Carolina State University was the campus that has the 3 planned expansions. Kappa Alpha Theta will join in 2013, Kappa Kappa Gamma in 2016, and Alpha Xi Delta in 2019. This is actually the second time that NCSU has had three groups present and then stacked the expansion.

At Ole Miss, the DG house sleeps 54 - last time I checked.

As for NCSU, KD colonized last year (I think it was). With the stalled Greek Village project, am not sure that the other colonizations will proceed on time. Only one house has been built and of the remaining 3 in Phase 1, none are ready to start. Without that phase completed or at least pretty fully underway, they can't even demolish the old houses that were due to go this year. Things are way behind there.

I'm waiting on pins and needles for Ole Miss to make the announcement of who will be colonizing....so Ole Miss Glitter or Mary Poppins...PLEASE share the info as soon as you hear. (If that sounded like begging, its because it was.) ;)

I agree with this post so much. Just because Greek life is hot right now, doesn't mean that growth will continue forever. Let's not go too crazy with expansion that can't be sustained when trends turn downward, which they will. Ebbs and flows are inevitable.

Also, at some of these ultra-competitive campuses, it can take a long time to become established. In my book that takes a lot more than mere numbers. There are still chapters at Ole Miss that are perceived as "new" by many, and the most recent colonization was 1979.

Heck, 1935 is still considered "new" here!

"The past is never dead. It's not even past." - William Faulkner

I remember this...Delta Gamma rejected campus offers three times between 1984 and January 1990, then accepted June 1990 when their alum base had been built. DG installed in 1991, and Alpha Xi in 1997.

We did not reject 3 offers before accepting. We declined an opportunity to present but never an offer to colonize.

Cherrio and Titchou, for the good of the order, please clarify that you are not talking about Ole Miss in post 310 and post 311. Thank you, M.P.

OMG, no! I mentioned UAB and that is what I am talking about and assumed Cherrio was responding to that as I know some people "think" we turned down offers to colonize at UAB but that was not the case. We turned down the opportunity to be considered. I was the interim GA at one point in that time period.

Thank you! It's easy to lose track in these longer threads I think.

Per the official Alpha Delta Pi Facebook page:

We are thrilled to share that Alpha Delta Pi has been selected to colonize at Ole Miss in Fall 2013! We can’t wait to “Come Home” to the Ole Miss Panhellenic community!

WOO HOO! <>

I have to admit that I am surprised. ADPi has not been gone from Ole Miss very long. I thought they would choose another group this time. No matter, I am very glad to welcome ADPi ladies back to Oxford :)

azureblue. You beat me to it. I was just about to post the same thing.

<>

Welcome! Now we'll have both halves of the Macon Magnolias!

Congrats to ADPi. How exciting for you!

So, question for those who know Ole Miss:

Is a new colonization a good chance to go after some real diversity in an NPC group, or would that doom the group from the start?

Define "real diversity"...

Um, women of color? Let's start there.

I have no intention to try to derail this thread, but I really do think this statement is utterly ridiculous.

1. College has always been accessible to women / people of color.

2. There are a number of people of color who have been, and are already, part of the middle class.

The veiled meaning that I am reading here is that as more Blacks move up the economic scale, then they will want to join historically White organizations.

Ummm, no......

Still silly.

Ever heard of HBCUs, that have been in existance for at least 130 years, where the majority of the students attending are people of color / AfAm. So, Blacks have been earning degrees for years. Not "every" Black kid going to college is a first generation attendee.

I think you are trying to make a very broad assumption / generalization based on limited knowledge / awareness.

College has not always been easily accessible to women or women of color and NPC groups have not always been accessible to women of color. The first woman of color initiated into an NPC at my alma mater in 1992 (very liberal, urban, high African American population campus). The first man of color was initiated into an IFC fraternity on my campus in 1986. It was a BIG deal both times, causing a big uproar. There are more women of color attending college than before and there are more women of color joining NPCs but it is still far from the norm on most campuses. The percentages of women of color in NPCs are not the same as the percentages of women of color on college campuses. When that's true, then I would say it has become the norm.

I think KSUViolet has more awareness into this than most of us, frankly.

The legacy factor has a big influence also.