Thanks again:)

Bama colonies
 

Sigma Kappa had a colony at Bama many years ago, but it only survived about two years. One of my close friends was going to school there, and they didn't have a chapter when she registered, but rushed right after Fall rush. Seems to me another chapter went on at the same time - possibly Pi Phi? Both groups had to settle for houses that were lesst han wonderful. I would love to see them add some groups - seems like quota is pretty high there.

I doubt it was Pi Phi, as our chapter has been there since the thirties or forties and the house was a beautiful old one!

Maybe she's thinking Gamma Phi? I don't know the details of our colonization, so I'm just guessing . ..

[QUOTE]Sigma Kappa had a colony at Bama many years ago, but it only survived about two years. One of my close friends was going to school there, and they didn't have a chapter when she registered, but rushed right after Fall rush. Seems to me another chapter went on at the same time - possibly Pi Phi? Both groups had to settle for houses that were lesst han wonderful.[QUOTE]

SK was chartered at Bama sometime in the early '30s, closed in the '50s or '60s (I think), and recolonized in 1988, the same year GPhiB first came to Bama. Before they closed again in the mid-'90s, they occupied the house GPhiB is in now (which used to belong to Alpha Xi Delta).

Talk about musical-houses.

I'm glad this thread was bumped. I haven't been around for quite a while and completely missed it. I'll tell y'all what I know -- or at least to the best of my knowledge/recollection. :) Please forgive the length of this post, but there's a lot of info to share.

Last April I attended a Chapter Advisor meeting put on by the now former Assistant Dean of Student Life and Greek Advisor. According to him Admin plans to grow the University student population to 29,000 by the year 2009. I believe he said it was currently (2006-2007 school year) at 22,000.

Due to the student population growth and increased interest in going Greek, for the past few years the total number of pnm's has increased dramatically. As such quota's keep going up and as has already been reported, Chapter Total was increased this past year from 150 (which was just increased the year before from 140 I believe) and is now at 180.

Admin and Panhellenic realize that we've sustained this growth with no indications of changing and therefore we need to expand through colonization. Here's the problem, offering any incoming sorority a site to build on and/or comparable housing. The NPC rumors I heard from my own NPC Delegate where that every sorority not currently on campus would love to colonize, but they know it's going to cost a lot of money to build a house and on this campus to have any hope at success a sorority needs a physical house.

This summer (2007) the University is implementing some major changes to driving and parking policies. How is this relevant to sorority expansion? Just wait, I'll get to that. First off they're putting in a major mass transit bus system for all students to use. Certain streets and lanes will now only be used by these busses. A lot of the street parking will be eliminated for these bus lanes.

In addition, the parking policies and permits are being majorly revamped too. For example, all commuter students will now have to park in one of the outskirt lots then us the bus system to get to class (or walk). Some lots are being eliminated, others just changing who is allowed to park there and there is supposed to be a new parking deck going in with one of the new dorms being built. While a lot of these changes are being implemented this summer, some of the will occur over a couple of years.

Now here's how this affects sorority expansion. For those who know the layout of the University or look on the map provided in an earlier link, the University plans on taking part of the parking lot behind the Chi O house which is behind Magnolia Drive and allowing sororities to build there. It was not clear how many lots/sites would be made available. The former GA did say that these new lots would be offered first to the existing sororities on campus if anyone wishes to build a new house. He did not say how many may be interested and if there were more interested than lots available, how the selection process would work. An existing sorority could then sell their old house to one of the (anticipated) colonizing groups.

This land usage proposal is part of an overall long term major campus plan that according to the GA was to be presented for approval to the Board of Trustees at this summer's meeting. I have not heard the outcome of whether it's been approved, rejected or changed. If approved, the GA anticipated starting the colonization process in the Spring of 08. He said the UA would first look to any sororities that had been on campus previously before going to any other groups. Depending on the speed of the process (which I have no idea how long this normally takes), he would like to see at least 2 new groups come on campus by the fall of 2008, but as I recall he felt fall of 2009 was more realistic.

That's what I have been told folks. Just please keep in mind that it might not be accurate any more because as we all know major plans like this can change.

As far as building the house, that's just the tip of the iceberg.

You can build the most gorgeous house in the history of the world, but if people would rather be in one of the "old row" sororities it doesn't matter.

Zillini, thanks very much for the update.
33girl is right, the newest groups on campus - even if they have a history there - are going to be at a huge disadvantage...alas, that's Bama's dog-eat-dog Greek culture. It might not be so bad if the groups didn't have such big houses that they have to have a big membership to sustain. Just a thought.
I know there was a faculty member there a few years ago who was wanting the university to force all Greek groups off campus. With UA real estate getting more and more valuable (especially around the stadium), I wonder if relocating sorority row (:eek:) has been discussed?

I agree wholeheartedly. It's going to be tough for any new group to come on to a highly competitive campus like Bama and be successful long term. Again I'd like to reference the Chapter Advisors meeting I attended where we discussed expansion. This very point was made and lamented by all of us Advisors.

The (again I should emphazie former) Greek Advisor said that the University is growing in size and the majority of that student growth is coming from out of state students. The University is recruiting very heavily out of state. I can attest to that because each year more and more out of state pnm's are coming through Recruitment. He anticipates that these women won't be hung up on or possibly even aware of things like Old Row, etc.

Also, he/Admin wants to see 2 new sororities come on campus rather than just 1 being "low man on the totem pole", or the "new kid on the block" or whatever you want to call it. The two will hopefully band together to help each other out, along with help from the current Chapters and Panhellenic.

interesting
 

I didn't know AxiD was ever on UGA's campus....

Update Aug. 29 '07 -- Article about Possible Exapnsion at Alabama

For what it's worth, there's an article about possible NPC expansion in the U of Alabama student paper’s August 29, 2007 online edition:

http://media.www.cw.ua.edu/media/sto...-2941740.shtml

Brief excerpts:

With the increase of women participating in recruitment each year, the Alabama Panhellenic Association is considering adding two more National Panhellenic Conference sororities to campus.

"We have definitely been thinking hard about starting the process for expansion, so that the larger houses can be smaller and have a greater feeling of sisterhood inside the houses," [UA Panhellenic President Julia ] James said.

James said the process for expansion, called extension by the NPC, is a long process, and a school must show a definite need for more chapters on its campus. . . .

Extension is a mutual selection process by the national sorority organization and the University. James said the Panhellenic Council would especially be looking for sororities that have Southern history.

"We're definitely going to start the process once the clouds clear from recruitment week," she said.

UA introduced their expansion resolution last night. It has been tabled and will be voted on by campus Panhellenic in two weeks. Oh and Roll Tide :)

Thanks, bamagirl! I've been watching for that. Roll Tide!!!