From colony to getting chartered - what happens if a sorority won't get chartered?
 

Hey guys! (:

I am new to the Greek community and to my current university because I just recently transferred from my community college to a 4-year school in my state.

Anyways, I did not have the chance to go through Formal, or Rush, and did COB, or informal, instead. I recently joined a colony on campus and have also been recently initiated.

I love my sorority and all the girls in it but the thing is .. They have been on campus since May 2010 or so but only managed to get four girls during Formal in 2011. Currently we only have 16 members in our sorority and a few of them are graduating this year.

One of my sisters now told me that our sorority might have to close if we don't get chartered .. and it seems unlikely that we'll get a lot of new members during Formal this year :(

What would happen in that case? Will I still stay a life-long member of my sorority? :(

And - if anybody knows of a similar experience - what can I do to recruit more members? A lot of new members seem to prefer bigger sororities.

Some sororities give the members of the closing colony the option to a. initiate into said sorority or b. be free to go through recruitment and join another sorority if they choose. Some just let you go free and clear to join another group (which you are free to do if not initiated.)

Every sorority handles this differently. This would be a good question for the Leadership Consultant or whatever staff member is helping you out (colonies usually have a staff member/consultant working directly with them.)

Well .. I am not sure if our colony has to close.

My sister just told me that it might come down to that and that we won't get chartered if there won't be a lot of people who want to join during Fall recruitment this year.

I really love our sorority though and all my sisters - there's really nobody that I don't call my friend - which is exactly why I do not want our colony to close. ):

The sad fact is that our sorority is recolonizing on campus - the chapter had to close in the 80s due to not enough members being in it. I just don't want this to happen again.

It just makes me feel sad because every time when I am meeting other PNMs at COB events they use our sorority as a backup and then wait for the bid from a bigger one.

Can someone jump in here? How can she be an initiated member and still only be a colony member?

Maybe right now instead of focusing on what will happen if your colony closes, you should be focusing on recruitment and getting more girls interested. You need to be meeting as many girls as possible. Sure, some of them will have you as their "backup" or whatever, but there have to be plenty of girls on your campus that would be interested in joining, you just aren't reaching them.

So, how could I be meeting them?

There are not that many PNMs who show up to our COB events .. and I'm pretty new so I'm not sure how to "reach" interested PNMs, I guess.

Your successful rushes won't be from the girls who show up, it will be from the girls who are personally invited. It's hard to do but you need to be getting to know the girls you have in classes, clubs, activities and invite them to your events. Especially when you're the new kids on the block your best bet might be the girls who never really thought about rush or sorority life. They won't have preconceived notions about who you are or your status on campus.

But I still don't understand how you can be initiated AND still be a colony member.

Oh! Okay, now I have a better understanding of what I can actively do(:

Thanks!

Our sorority has been a colony since May 2010 .. it just hasn't been chartered yet because we do not have that many members. By-laws, etc. is all done, it's just that we need to have more active members, I think.

I've been initiated about two weeks ago now but I never really thought that being in a colony instead of being in a chapter does/would make a difference in some way.

No, really, I am confused...how can you be initiated without a charter? Don't those two go hand in hand?

Melinda, that's what I'm saying. Maybe there are NPC sororities who don't follow the protocols of the majority, but in my sorority, installation and initiation happen on the same day and it's a HUGE deal. Women come in from miles, even hundreds of miles away to observe and participate. Also, it's very unusual to allow a colony to struggle along for 2 years. I think standard would be if you can't get all your ducks in a row (for whatever reason, it doesn't mean you have failed of your own accord) within a year they'd have cancelled the colony as a mercy.

I think the OP needs to do some research about what she really has and the repercussions of closure. I would also suggest finding a poster online who is an alumna of your sorority and ask her privately about your policies and procedures. And that is after you've tried and failed to get these answers from your alumnae advisers, your leadership consultant, etc.

I'm glad you are willing to put in the work. That's important, but something still isn't adding up.

All I can say is RECRUIT,RECRUIT,RECRUIT!! Lol chalk your letters up (if your campus allows that) get your name out there!! Set up a table in the Student Union (with campus permission) and RECRUIT!! lol

Other GCers have in the past mentioned I Heart Recruitment; I'm not familiar with it so don't know if it will help you or not.

However, this post from the Fraternal Musings blog made SO MUCH sense to me I wonder why it isn't required reading for small organizations. It is adaptable enough that I doubt panhellenic councils would get huffy - AND it's a smart move.

Have someone in your sorority invest in the book "I Heart Recruitment": http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Recruitm...1552458&sr=8-1

You're totally lost on how to COB and get new members, and that's understandable. That book is an incredible resource for chapters in your situation - where informal recruitment will make a huge difference, and the traditional methods of just hosting an open house event aren't bringing in the women.

Good Luck!

ETA: DGTess beat me to it! We posted at the same time, with the same thought!

I don't understand the initiation and no charter thing, either.

I don't have more than 1 experience to base this on, but the chapter I advise did initiate their 1st new members about 3 months before they received their charter. This was a special situation, because the campus was trying to charter 3 sorority chapters at the same time with all 3 getting their charters at the same time - and 2 were not willing to follow through with their colony charters at the original installation date.

I am sure there are lots of reasons for this, but in this particular case the alumnae advisory board asked for this to happen because the Leadership Consultants were out of town (the colonizing LC left in Nov., and 4 other LCs came for 3-6 day visits during the Spring Semester, and the colonizing LC came 2 more times) and the colony was acting like a chapter (had its officers, etc), but did not have access to all the tools (not only ritual, but membership, member ed, etc) and were constantly having to ask the local alumnae to log onto the national website for them to get additional information and access to do their job. Initiation was the only way for the women to have that access. During this time (colony with initiated members), the colony acted like a chapter - recruiting new members, running a new member program, holding philanthropy events, running chapter meetings, etc.

Again, I know the above situation was special; but I can understand that if the colony has been on campus for awhile as the OP said, I can see where the national organization would not be able to have an LC still in residence due to other needs of the organization.

I guess it's pretty hard to function for two years without initiating people at some point. Tp the OP, if you've been initiated, you would have lifetime membership. Different organizations handle what status it makes you when chapters/colonies close. Try speaking with your designated delegate from HQ about the situation. She may have more information for you, and tips for your colony to improve your recruiting.

To go off topic a bit, a strange situation I know of occurred when a chapter repeatedly was found to have hazed. Their national didn't close them but just made the chapter a colony. I don't understand how a regular chapter could be pulled back to colony status.

Wait, did the OP ever say this was an NPC group?

I would also suggest the book I <3 Recruitment. Based on the concern in your posts I'm assuming your colony is quite a bit smaller than the other groups on campus. If that's the case, you will need everyone recruiting all the time. And by that I don't mean setting up COB events every night of the week - as LABlondeGPhi said, that has probably not worked for you thus far.

Your chapter will need to work on making friends. Probably the easiest way to do this is to follow the outline provided in the Fraternal Musing blog post someone else linked. DON'T mention your sorority when you're doing this. You don't want to come off as only caring about that person so you can build your numbers. Eventually you can introduce your sorority to people, but it should come after you've made friendships.

If everyone in your colony can do the above, they should be able to find at least one person to join, in which case you would have doubled your membership. It will take work, and people will probably become burnt out, but the rewards can be really great. Good luck.

I know many NPC groups are hesitant to close chapters because extension rules make coming back in a timely manner difficult and uncertain. It sounds like the group did some crafty by-laws interpretation to revoke the group's charter and immediately establish a colony at that university. Whether or not that would have actually been kosher from the standpoint of the university and the NPC is debatable. I would guess this is a university that it would be very desirable to have a chapter at?

/tangential swerve

This is more common than you think. As long as there are collegiate members, the group may maintain its status as a member of the CPH. So, you can kick out all of your members but one, wait until she is a senior, pledge a single new member, wait until she is a senior, and then recruit again, with a 6-year "break", but without going through the competition of expansion.

^^^ And don't some groups have a reorganization status for chapters? Is it possible that for them, reorganization status is essentially like colony status?

This national did expel some members but not all of them. I always thought that the colony thing was done to make it look like some disciplinary action was being taken. Some years earlier, they also did a sort of reorganization in which they put all current members on alum status and immediately absorbed a local, so it was like they were never off campus at all and didn't lose any of the privileges of Panhel membership.

Come to mention it, there's no actual reference to NPC, just formal vs. informal recruitment, which could mean a local or non-NPC National. But a local local (not affiliated with any other schools, but the Alpha and only chapter) wouldn't need a charter at all, would it?

I feel like this is NPC, though.

AEPhi also had a colony at UC Irvine for several years before they got their charter. As far as I know they were actually initiating their members before they got their charter.

As an AEPhi, I can confirm that AEPhi does indeed initiate colony members even if the colony hasn't been chartered yet. I was initiated while my chapter was still a colony. On my certificate, where the chapter designation would go, it reads "MIT Colony".

Anyway, to the OP: If you are in an NPC sorority and you've been fully initiated, you can never join another NPC sorority, but you will remain a life-long member of the sorority you are in - as an alumna. If you have NOT been initiated, you are free and clear to re-rush and possibly join a different sorority.

Honestly?

If the national hasn't given you enough help to get to total (or whatever they consider a significant number to charter) and is saying they would pull out AFTER women have initiated -and bound themselves for life - I would demand that they petition NPC (or whatever it is you have to do/whatever council you are affiliated with) to release you from your bonds so you can rush again. Not to mention, the host institution should rethink their relationship with the sorority.

This just absolutely isn't right.

I am in an NPC organization.

Our colony will most likely shut down next year in Spring .. we need about 20 to 30 people to be able to stay on campus and I'm kinda not optimistic anymore. I am sad to say this but I have given up.

There is another sorority which will be coming to my campus soon as a colony and maybe I could join that other colony but my organization kind of binds me to life after I am initiated - and I was initiated a long while back.

Right now my options are to disaffiliate and not join any other organization and not be a part of my organization anymore ... or maybe - if I will be able to contct my national - be able to join that other colony. I really don't know what to do.

Be a part of my orgnaization until we shut down and be an alumni, disaffiliate and live in an apartment or something - or try to join another colony .. which is officially not really possible.

What should I do? How could I contact national and ask them to release me from my bonds? I really do feel betrayed. Betrayed and sad.

There is no "kind of." You ARE bound.

Since you are an initiated member of an NPC organization, you do not have the option to join another. Even if you ask to have your membership terminated, you will not be able to join another group.

Is there really no way?

Because it seems that other sororities, other colonies - members there do seem to have the option to join another organization just like that.

And with my colony, with my organization - I was just initiated and then told that oops, we will probably have to shut down, sorry .. but at least you'll be an alumni.

This just seems super unfair to me.

I'm sorry that you have to go through this. Yes, it's unfair, but it's one of the NPC Unanimous Agreements.

It's quite possible that colony members are able to join other groups because they have not been initiated yet. In your case, you have been initiated, therefore initiating into another is not an option.

Well, that just sucks.

I just feel really betrayed because I really wanted to be a part of my organization for the four years that I am at my university and now I will not be a part of it for at least two years and that will most likely completely change both my university and sorority experience.

Would it be better to now completely disaffiliate from my organization or is the prospect of being an alumni a better option? I just don't know if I want to even be a part of an organization who does "that" to its members ...

I really don't know how I should feel right now.

It does suck, but I would recommend that you don't terminate your membership. If the colony is closed and you become an alumna, you get to decide your level of involvement, including whether or not you participate with an alumnae chapter or club way down the road.

While it's disappointing that you won't get the full four-year collegiate experience, there are lots of opportunities to be as involved as you want to be as an alumna. It's not a perfect option, but a good "fall back" in case you miss your organization once the wound has started to heal.

Just like initiation, termination is an act that cannot be undone for many organizations. So whatever way you decide to go, think about it very carefully.

This is REALLY, REALLY great advice. I hope you will take it to heart and believe Azgz. Some things in our lives get no "do overs". Sorority membership is one of them. In the long run, it really is better to be an alumna than to quit your membership entirely. Hang in there.

...Lane swerve - Is there something wrong with me because I did a little happy dance to myself upon reading that there's finally an OP who wants to be "a part" of their org rather than "apart" of one?

end swerve...

Whether or not your colony exists next year, is shut down, or whatever, you still have your sisters. The sisters are what make the experience in college, much more than the organization. (My chapter was as small as 15 at times, and we still keep in touch and get together every few years.)

The priorities may gradually reverse. As an alumna, you'll find sisterhood comes in many forms.

Absolutely true, this. I have "sisters" who wear different letters. Where would I be without those women in my life? We share a common bond, regardless of our letters; I get the most support and satisfaction from the Tucson Alumnae Panhellenic meetings (which are a RIOT!), and have expanded my circle of GLO sisters through that organization.

Yes, I understand that in college it is "different", but wow - if I'd walked away from Theta, I'd have missed out on years of fun and support. Recently I renewed an "acquaintance" with a pledge sister who resigned her membership senior year, and she still regrets it to this day. Sad.

Honestly, I see no benefit from terminating your membership, other than a childish satisfaction in saying I'm taking my ball and going home. In the end you have nothing. Yes, your chapter is closing. All of us know sisters who have been in your situation. It's painful, but you can make the most out of the bonds you've made and utilize your membership to network to your advantage in the future...or you can cut ties and have nothing. I'm sorry that you won't get the experience you wanted, but if you play your cards right, you can still get a lifetime sorority experience.

This is a hijack or tangent, not a lane swerve. A lane swerve is NPCers in a NPHC thread, or a guy in a sorority recruitment thread. :p

AFAIK (and someone correct me if I am wrong), no NPC group requires a financial commitment of its alumnae. You choose whether you want to be involved and pay alumnae dues or support your group's foundation or whatever else. I'm just throwing that out there, in case money is influencing your thinking.