Unhealthy Greek systems - Can they change?
 

Have you seen an unhealthy Greek system change for the positive? And by this I mean a Greek system of some size, not just a couple of chapters that didn't get along. I'm talking a top to bottom, long-term toxic environment as chapters relate to each other.

Were you in one? Advised in one? What turned it around?

My chapter has been closed over twenty years now. And the Greek environment is such that I don't even want it to come back because I don't think it would thrive there.

And it really stinks.

With the right alum support, I'll bet it can be done. Just forget about people calling you "top tier."

My chapter is in a similar situation. It has also been closed for 20+ years and in the past 2 decades the campus has seemed like a revolving door of closings (some due to low membership and others dues to RM issues) and re-colonizations. While other groups have wanted to come back to this campus, Chi Omega does not appear to be interested at this time. I know many of my chapter sisters are upset that we are no longer represented there, I can see why the unstable environment might be a deterrent. One long-established chapter just closed in the spring, and another group just re-colonized this semester (which had been planned before the other group announced its closure).

I would hope that Chi Omega is keeping a close watch on the situation there and will monitor whether the re-establishment of an additional NPC chapter causes an increase in interest and participation in sorority membership. If it does, then perhaps Chi Omega would re-evaluate their position, and consider returning at the next available opportunity. However, if overall sorority numbers remain flat (or even decrease), and the opening of a new chapter simply causes an existing chapter to fall to the “bottom of the pecking order” and be the next to close, then I would understand why Chi Omega would not want to be part of that cycle.

Of course there could be (and there probably are!) other reasons that Chi Omega doesn’t want to return, but I’m sure that a healthier sorority environment would definitely be a step in the right direction towards bringing our chapter back.

"Unhealthy" is not really an easily defined word
There are some schools where the backbiting and tent talk during rush are beyond ridiculous, yet all the chapters have huge numbers and girls are trpping over themselves to get in.

An NPC-wide lessening of the focus on quota and total, and increased praise for the groups and systems that have superior RETENTION, would help all Greek systems considerably. As long as it is shoved down everyone's throat that bigger is always better, nothing will ever change.

Yup. And we obsessively report recruitment results around here, which certainly doesn't help.

I would say this is not the case at my alma mater.

Here's a quote about the group that recolonized from that other site we all hate:

"I really hope the new sorority start off someone in the middle and not bottom tier because there's really no moving anywhere once you're in the bottom."

And you know what? At this school, this is the gospel truth. The rankings have not changed one bit in over twenty years. Four groups closed and it just meant the groups just above them were now the bottom groups.

We had sooooo much help before we closed. And over and over again we were told that we could turn it around, they've seen groups go from last to top in just a couple of years, etc. It may be true at other campi, but I'm telling you... This particular campus must just be the poster child for long term dysfunction in a Greek system.

Here's another comment. This person gets it:

"All of you girls should be thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed of what you call a Greek community. You're all catty and disrespectful, and all you care about is money and looks. Coming from out of state where Greek life is very popular, I was so disappointed going through rush. The whole time I heard nothing but sisters trash talking other houses. Girls we're mean, and even the rho gammas treated us like garbage. It's sad to see all of the houses competing and tearing one another down. A community is supposed to help and support each other. Maybe if yall could come together and just be nice and happy for one another you could really experience an amazing Greek life."

She nailed it. Totally and completely nailed it. It is a campus OBSESSED with tiers. I mean completely and totally obsessed. Tearing each other apart is the way they do Greek at this school.

I don't know why I started this thread. It just really stinks to see so many great Greek systems around the country (warts and all) that go out of their way to welcome new groups, etc. and realize how I would never encourage anyone to colonize or recolonize at my school. :mad: :(

I think that starts with the Greek Life director and the alumnae advisors. The girls are only perpetuating what they know. Yes, it sucks, but that's just how it works, right? Well, no, it doesn't have to work that way. Calling the girls on the carpet every time they're caught saying/repeating any of that crap would be a start. You may not be able to stop the chatter in the girls' heads, but you can stop it from happening out loud.

Ms. Sallie, on the other side of the symbolic coin, how are the fraternities are your alma mater? Are they encountering the same issues as the Panhellenic organizations?

I do have to wonder, with three chapters slated to recolonize over a period of 4 years (one did, this fall, one in 2015 and one in 2017), if that won't automatically shake things up a little? I'm pretty sure this is the school you're talking about.

I think a lot has changed in this Greek system over the past 20 years- with regards to risk management issues- because of significant efforts by the University. Hopefully the rest of the climate can change too.

TriDelta Sallie - when you say that your chapter had so much help and were told they could turn things around, what exactly did your HQ expect? For you to go from bottom to top or bottom to lower middle? I mean, unrealistic expectations don't usually help a chapter, even if presented in a positive light. You have to celebrate the little victories rather than constantly overreaching and constantly failing.

I hope you are right. Honestly, I'm glad it's not my chapter recolonizing. I haven't seen anything (albeit from a distance) that convinces me that anything has changed in a substantial way. But I'll be happy to be proven wrong. :)

No, we were never under pressure to become a top group. We were just trying to stay open and relatively competitive. There were a lot of factors that contributed to our closing, many of which I truly believe were completely out of our control.

When I look back, I honestly don't think we could have done anything differently that would have changed the outcome. The fact that three more groups folded after us just reinforces that there were a lot of factors at play that went beyond our particular chapter.

I should also say this was before RFM. That might have made a difference. In fact, I'm sure it would have made a difference.

I hope you are right. Honestly, I'm glad it's not my chapter recolonizing. I haven't seen anything (albeit from a distance) that convinces me that anything has changed in a substantial way. But I'll be happy to be proven wrong. :)

I would imagine that they might be capable of changing BUT there would have to be a desire to change from the chapters involved. Including not talking smack about each other and working on panhellenic-ness.

Was it uncommon for women to have friends in other chapters? I think that was the biggest thing that made me respect other chapters; actually having friends in the other groups, or at least working with women on panhellenic committees, presidents' council, etc.

This is a big reason I'm such a huge deferred rush cheerleader. It's easier to understand "the girls in the other groups are all great too" when they're people who have been supportive of you in the dorm, academic tutors, in your classes or extracurriculars, etc. for at least a semester.

As someone from an unhealthy Greek system, I think the university has to want to change, the Greek Life Director, and the alums. Rankings at my alma mater are pretty darn close to what they were 20 years ago, and the system has little or no growth. The women basically replace themselves and that's it. Even worse for the fraternities, S their membership dwindles down farther and farther. The university makes Greek life a zero priority, and the director is awful. So I'd say without a lot of things changing, it'd be quite difficult to change the sickness in that system.

I think with the unhealthy systems everyone is out for themselves. This is not a good way to think because when a chapter fails, it does effect everyone else.

When my chapter closed in 05, it was before RFM came into play. The campus was notorious for bad-mouthing each other (no it isn't ASU either). One chapter would also "string" girls along and then drop them right before pref-night, therefore truly not allowing that PNM to give other chapters a second glance. Thanks to RFM that doesn't happen anymore. As for the talking smack about each other, I think that just resounds around women in general. We are catty. We talk crap about each other. I don't know how the campus is nowadays though.

When I was at ASU, the system was pretty awesome. There was a particular sorority that was in failure of closing. The other chapters decided, unanimously, to not recruit during the spring so that chapter wouldn't have to "fight" for PNM's. Plus, they (apparently) sent PNM's the chapters way. The sororities stood together to help this chapter. Unfortunately the chapter did close (but has since recolonized). I give this example because it shows a healthy greek system. You are only as strong as your weakest link.

When you say "growth," you certainly don't mean more chapters, do you? As far as total, it's one of the bigger ones in the SSHE from what I see and as long as no one is building 70 person houses, I don't see the point of wanting to raise it. No one at a school like we attended wants to be in a chapter with 200 members.