Schools that need to open for NPC expansion
 

We've all seen the boom in NPC extension lately, but there are lots of schools that are not open, or do not have a future colonization planned, but have numbers that seem to support the need. I'm not talking about quotas in the 30s. I mean seriously bursting at the seams numbers.

Some of these may have barriers to expansion or may be "special" places with undesirable circumstances, but they sure have solid numbers, or too few groups to sustain the high numbers.

My top 25 candidates for expansion:
1. University of Alabama 17 NPCs, Total 360, 2013 Quota 117. They were open, but nothing ever happened. Groups that aren't already there may be scared of the commitment, but if the numbers ever supported it, it's here.
2. University of Arizona 12 NPCs, Total 220, 2013 Quota 94. Yes, Alpha Chi Omega just recolonized, but let's be honest, that's a drop in the bucket.
3. University of Arkansas 10 NPCs, 2013 Quota 130. Despite 2 recent colonizations, this school needs more than 10 NPCs.
4. Louisiana State University 11 NPCs, 2013 Quota 99. Alpha Phi's current recolonization won't do enough to diminish the need for further expansion.
5. University of North Florida 5 NPCs, 2013 Quota 74
6. University of Oklahoma 11 NPCs, Total 263, 2013 Quota 81
7. Florida International University 7 NPCs, 2013 Quota 69
8. Cal State Fullerton 6 NPCs, 2013 Quota 69
9. University of Colorado 9 NPCs, Total 208, 2013 Quota 82
10. Baylor University 8 NPCs, 2014 Quota 79
11. Colgate University 3 NPCs, 2013 Quota 65
12. Florida Gulf Coast University 5 NPCs, Total 180, 2013 Quota between 56-72
13. Belmont University 4 NPCs, 2013 Quota between 61-69
14. Texas State University 7 NPCs, 2013 Quota 70
15. University of Kentucky 13 NPCs, 2013 Quota 82
16. University of Delaware 11 NPCs, 2014 Quota between 71-78
17. University of Missouri 15 NPCs, Total 288, 2013 Quota 80
18. University of Minnesota - Duluth 1 NPC, 2013-2014 New members = 71
19. Cal State San Marcos 3 NPCs, 2014 Quota 59
20. Samford University 5 NPCs, 2013 Quota between 62-65
21. Troy University 5 NPCs, 2013 Quota between 49-64
22. Texas Tech University 11 NPCs, 2013 Quota 68
23. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 9 NPCs, Total 190, 2013 Quota 67
24. University of Texas 14 NPCs, 2013 Quota 70
25. University of Florida 16 NPCs, Total 185, 2013 Quota 70

Honorable Mentions:
Auburn
Northern Arizona
Central Arkansas
San Diego State
Yale
University of Georgia
North Georgia
Tarleton State
Texas A&M
Virginia Tech (although Kappa Alpha Theta is scheduled to recolonize at a date TBA)


What schools do you think demonstrate a real need for more NPC groups?

I agree some of these have special circumstances that may not make them desirable to the chapters not represented on their campuses, like Alabama. It would take several million dollars to build a chapter house there and the whole old row vs. new row thing might come into play, not to mention the publicity surrounding the aftermath of last year's recruitment. Kentucky might also fall into that category. Quota may have been higher than usual, but one chapter missed quota by quite a lot. Total was raised and over half of the chapters had to go some sort of informal recruitment. So, using quota this year as a benchmark for expansion might be premature. I would want to see what next year brings before opening for expansion. Those were the two that stood out to me.

This will be a great thread for discussion! Thanks

I'm so glad you made this thread! Every so often I go through the lists and just look at schools that I think will open in the next few years based on the number increases. Good to hear what others think.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Alpha Xi Delta recolonizing at LSU in 2014?

Also, Delaware sure does need to open AGAIN, they have been opening for extension continuously for the most part since 2008 and even with the addition of Phi Sigma Sigma in Fall 2013, that still didn't lower quota. I think it makes sense that they may consider opening soon again.

If Auburn does decide to open in the future, I sure hope Alpha Phi pursues it. It would be nice to be at both Alabama and Auburn.

To add a few to the list:
1. University of Florida: 16 NPC's, 2013 quota was 70.
2. Florida State: 17 NPC's, 2013 quota was 72.
3. Florida International: 7 NPC's, 2013 quota was 69.
4. University of Georgia: 17 NPC's, 2013 quota was 69.
5. Tulane: 8 NPC's, 2014 quota was 66.
6. Ole Miss: 10 NPC's plus Alpha Phi colonizing in 2015, 2013 quota was 117. I think even with the addition of Alpha Phi, the school is similar to Arkansas in such a high quota, they need several more.

Not that I'm aware of and I can't imagine it with what we have on the horizon right now. We just colonized at Michigan State and American, with Wisconsin and Oklahoma State coming in the next year, with UCLA and South Carolina right after that. That is a list of BIG schools with a lot of room for failure. I hate to see opportunities pass us by to recolonize closed chapters, but yikes! There's only so much you can do at once! Of course, if we still own our house (I have no idea) and a really strong local alumnae group (also, no idea), then it's always possible. The school can warrant the growth and the curse may have been put to rest.

Putting on my psychic hat, I'm going to guess that Arkansas opens up this year for another expansion in 2015. And further, that someone will bite on Alabama in the next 2 or 3 years. I also think Mizzou needs to open for expansion again.

What's the criteria for a calling quota too high? I really don't think 66 is all that large when there are places where 80-115 seems the norm.

I completely agree that one year's results shouldn't lead to expansion. I only listed the current year, but that's because I'm lazy. :).

I didn't list some schools that have the numbers, but have undergone very recent expansion or planned expansion that may help alleviate the overcrowding (i.e. San Diego State, Florida State, Georgia College, Ole Miss).

I also wonder what the inner workings are that lead some to schools to open when there doesn't appear to be a demonstrated need. I know there can be other compelling reasons, I just wish I knew what they were in each case!

Rutgers University can use another one or two NPC orgs., since Phi Mu colonized with 150 girls successfully. Any thoughts?

I think chapters do a fantastic job of coping with super large quotas, but they have to negatively affect the sorority experience. In these days of short new member periods, there is no way new members even know the girls in their class prior to initiation. Again, the chapters do a wonderful job of mitigating this, but it is a challenge that could be alleviated if classes were smaller. It is also difficult to find meeting space for the chapter.

I think 66 might be just fine at a huge school with a nice big house providing a common ground. But at some schools 45 might be more imposing than 66 is at another school.

Personally, numbers below about 50 at large, housed chapters make me nervous, because we have seen the ups and downs of Greek life. If numbers dip a bit, you don't want to have to worry about filling the house. But then I think when you get to the 70ish mark, things get pretty tight.

I know that in a couple of cases it's the need to bring more alumni money into the university. Greeks donate to their undergraduate alma maters almost twice as much as their non-Greek counter parts. If a university creates more Greeks, they are expanding their potential donor base. In one of my PhD research classes, we were in class with individuals from all disciplines. One of the ladies in the class was from University of Kentucky and worked in the alumni giving office and every piece of research she found indicated that students are more likely to donate to their undergrad institution than their graduate institution. Alumni who were Greek feel more highly identified with their alma mater than non Greeks and give more. At some schools, almost twice as much or more. I have a feeling this is the real reason my alma mater suddenly found land for Greek expansion after saying for two decades there was no land.

I would throw out TCU.

12 NPCs, quota in high 60s past few years. With addition of AOII there was only a small drop in quota this past year- 69 to 65.

Students choose TCU because they like the small feel of the school (<8500 undergraduates) and the small academic classes. Yet, almost all of the sororities have over 200 members. It's in complete contrast to everything else about the school. Quotas in the 40s make more sense there, and that is still an ample pool to fill the 36 bed facility each year. In addition, quotas/total at that level would allow the chapters to conduct meetings in their chapter room instead of in lecture halls.

There is talk of rebuilding the Greek village (TCU owns the Greek chapter houses) in the next 3-5 years, so my guess is they are waiting for that to open so that any new chapters start off on even footing. There is no where left to put any new chapters in the current housing.

I would think also, especially at schools that don't have chapter houses, keeping pledge glasses in the 30 or under range makes the physical restrictions of space more feasible. You have to meet somewhere other than the football stadium! Even in the largest schools with mega-houses, having a reasonable percentage of the members live in is a goal to try to obtain WITHOUT building airport sized facilities. While "those" schools are doing admirably, having quotas such that a third to half of the membership lives in seems both practical and less stressful. Not so small that EVERYONE has to live in, because that is additionally stressful, but not so many that you could have that beautiful house and never get to live in it. Plus, being a size where you can have chapter meetings in your home might be a goal. So my feeling is even at schools with huge chapter houses, a quota in the 60-75 range is probably more than sufficient. Slow expansion, of a new chapter every couple of years, should allow for the existing chapters to slowly shrink in size and not play havoc with their budgets.

You are correct. This explains recent NPC expansion on a campus near my hometown which, while perfectly filling the need for additional Greek money-giving alums, doesn't solve the university's other problems.

I am very puzzled that Baylor has not opened for expansion. Chapters are much too large for being unhoused in my opinion.

Totally agree Irish Pipes, large houses require bigger numbers just to pay for the upkeep of the houses and Greek Life does go in cycles. Just a footnote, according to the Vice President of Student Life ( think that is his title) at Texas A&M stated at a Greek Advisors meeting not to long ago that they expect Greek Life to double soon in part because of their membership in the SEC.

Correlation is not causation.

Despite a lot of extension, Cincy still has high numbers, but I am not familiar enough with the university or its Greek Life to know if that is a good read of the situation.

Next vote is for any campus where AOPi already has a chapter.
; -)

Sonoma State (again)
Nevada - Reno
Wake Forest

This is like saying "the tire is flat so I'm going repair that hole in the roof of the house." If there are chapters so large that they need a semester for everyone to get acquainted, then stop this ridiculous one size fits all jazz and let them have a semester long pledge program.

No. When LSU opened, the ONLY group to submit an interest packet and present was Alpha Phi.

Right, it's all about the atmosphere at the school. At smaller schools without houses, it's near impossible to get a big group together and build bonds. At schools like Yale, on the list above, I think a CHAPTER of around 60-80 is optimal. A big part of the interest in NPCs at these schools is connecting with upperclassmen, and there's not much connection with upperclassmen if you're struggling to learn 50-60 names in your pledge class.

I deal with demographics data a good bit in my job, and I hope that our GLOs and the educational institutions do some interest/membership potential projections when making expansions decisions. For example, looking at the number of females ages 9-14 and their income & ethnicity characteristics to estimate what the demand may be in the near future.

My grad school advisor did demographic analysis for the admissions office and for the State Department of Education, looking at future demand, for use in planning for campus expansions. For those of you that have experience with greek life departments, have you seen this type data used?

Like LDF said, it's different at every school. Go by the law of diminishing returns, i.e. the sizes have gotten so uncomfy for that school that it deters women from joining. Dartmouth was wanting more sororities and complaining about size when the chapters got to like 110 members. At Arkansas, the chapters had to get to like 350 before they were at that point. Just saying "xxx is too big of a class" is arbitrary. Also, how many from that class are still there senior year? Once again it seems the focus is on quota and total during rush and retention gets swept under the rug. Kind of like the girls who spend months planning for the wedding but can't be bothered to spend 2.5 seconds figuring out a household budget or discussing what religion the kids will be...the things of the actual marriage.

True, BUT member retention through 4 years might improve if they don't feel that their usefulness has passed them by. If all of the leadership in the chapter is handled by a small portion of the sophomores and juniors, you can't possibly live in the house, and you are completely over the fraternity party scene, what reason is there to keep paying dues and attending chapter meetings that are bigger than freshman lecture classes? If that 350 member chapter goes to 250 that is still a freakishly big group, but some of the above could be diminished, at least for a few girls.

There are some schools where it seems member retention must be terrible. I notice huge pledge classes, but quite large spring rush numbers as well. The only way that can happen is if they are losing well more than the odd disgruntled member who bails, or the odd member who transfers to a different school or simply drops out of college. Now, part of that is special snowflake inability to keep to a commitment, but that can't explain all of it.

I think part of the issue at Arkansas was the sudden increase in interest. The chapters had been a healthy size, but not huge, for 15 years and then BAM all of the sudden they were dealing with massive quotas. The chapters hated that from the start but it was a slow process to open for extension due to concerns about housing and the administration's slowness to accept the issue as a real need. By the time they finally opened, the chapters were at ridiculous sizes.

At Arizona State they already have several stacked but nothing is moving due to ASU's problematic housing....so bad that the house corp officers of all 12 groups are now working with a developer for their own high rise.

I know of at least one campus on the list that is expanding and has the group picked out already...maybe sometimes it happens without publicity? I'm not sure how that works.

Sometimes groups don't publicize where they are presenting, but I haven't heard of anyone keeping it under wraps once they are selected. They usually want all the publicity they can get at that point!

And the new building at ASU is currently designed for 14 groups and they have 12 on campus now.

.

I only know that the group has been selected, I do not know for 100% if the group has accepted the invite--maybe that could be the hold up?

Ahhhh I wish we would pursue LSU. Maybe someday.

My opinion, I think University of Georgia and Georgia Tech are ripe for expansion.

I stand corrected. My usually solid sources evidently were misinformed.

Snowflakemom, if the school on the list that you are referencing is Colgate, Theta left with an understanding that it could return at an appropriate time in the future. If it is UK, I believe that Sigma Kappa departed with an opportunity to return that it is exercising.

Re UGa and GT: housing, housing, housing .....

I don't think Georgia will open while the current Greek life director is there. And housing for sororities is such a problem. You really need to be on or very near Milledgeville for recruitment. Since the fraternities recruit individually, they can be more spread out. And they have been very creative with housing! One fraternity turned an apartment complex into a house, another turned an old restaurant into a house, a few are in university owned houses, and I believe Sigma Chi purchased an old building in downtown Athens to turn into a house.

I hope you mean Milledge, haha.

Ah!!! Damn auto correct on my phone! Totally meant Milledge.

On your Honorable Mention list, I would add Missouri State University. Three years ago (2010), the sororities at MSU were a range of 129-188, with a quota of 60ish. This year, 4 of the 7 orgs have 200+ members, 1 is close to 200, and the other two are making strides. Quota this year was in the 80s. My observation.

Keep an eye on Kent State University(OH). Their quota jumped to the 70s and Phi Mu had a very successful colonization.

Two other nominees to watch in Tennesee:
Rhodes
Vanderbilt

In the spirit of the season of Cinderella teams (you may not be thinking of them, but they merit watching):
- Coastal Carolina (no spikes or ramps, but steady growth)

-- Nicholls State
-- San Francisco State
-- Loyola -Chicago

I'd also love to see expansion come to Clemson, somewhat selfishly-the pledge class numbers have leveled out in the mid-60s the past couple of years but our chapters are getting a little large to comfortably host at a school with no houses. My chapter has 226 girls and rooms that can hold that many people are in limited supply, plus the general sentiment is that it's hard to get to know everyone in your pledge class when they're that large (how schools with 100+ pledge classes handle it is beyond me!). I know that the interest is here for a new chapter, and with university-provided housing a colonization here wouldn't be that expensive. Sigma Kappa and Alpha Phi were both incredibly successful in their recent colonizations. Okay, I'm done stumping for my own school now:)