2015-2016 Schools that Need to Open for NPC Extension
 

This is a sequel to this thread.

This list wasn't very satisfying because they are all so obvious. I could have come up with 75 more that need expansion, but aren't in the top 25. For this list I limited myself to 25 schools, and I tried to focus on fall recruitments only (a new list can happen in spring). Of course there is one exception, but that makes the rule, I guess. Obviously there might be compelling reasons that expansion will not happen at the schools listed (I'm looking at you, Texas and Arizona). This list just means the numbers alone seem to strongly support a need. Any school that is open or has colonization planned/occurring was not considered.

1. University of Arkansas (Q 127-166, QLY same, T 440, 10 NPC, last colonies AXO and PM 2012)
2. University of Arizona (Q 103, QLY 107, T 293, 12 NPC, last colony AXO 2013)
3. Missouri State (Q 94, QLY 78, T 244, 7 NPC, last colony SSS 2013)
4. Florida State (Q90, QLY 87, T 239?, 17 NPC, last colony AOII 2013)
5. Mississippi State (Q 86, QLY 82, T ?, 8 NPC, last colony ADPi 2013)
6. Baylor (QLY 84, T ?, 8 NPC, last colony SK 1989-1994)
7. University of Colorado (Q 80?, QLY 80, T 235?, 9 NPC, last colony GPB 1999)
8. University of Oklahoma (Q 80, QLY 82, T 275?, 11 NPC, last colony AP 2007)
9. University of Missouri (Q83, QLY 90, T 317, 15 NPC, last colony SK 2012)
10. University of Nevada Reno (Q77, QLY 86, T 222, 5 NPC, last colony AOII 2015) *rumor Pi Phi may return 2015* (edit: Pi Phi is returning Spring 2017)
11. San Diego State (Q80+, QLY 70, T ?, 9 NPC, last colony AGD 2014)
12. Louisiana Tech (Q 67, QLY 59, T ?, 4 NPC, last colony DG 1986-2003)
13. Troy (Q 70, QLY 57, T 188, 6 NPC, last colony XO 1977)
14. Colorado State (Q 68, QLY 60, T ?, 8 NPC. last colony KAT 2014)
15. Georgia Southern (Q 73, QLY 66, T 226, 7 NPC, last colony DPhiE 2012) *rumor XO is returning*
16. University of Southern California (Q 71, QLY 69, T 200+, 11 NPC, last colony AGD 2014)
17. Florida Atlantic (Q 67, QLY 55, T ?, 6 NPC, last colony PM 2013)
18. Clemson (Q 62, QLY 61, T 222, 12 NPC, last colony AP 2012)
19. Princeton (Q 53-63, 3 NPC, last colony DDD 1990-2005)
20. University of Louisiana - Lafayette (Q 62, QLY 53, T 121?, 6 NPC, ADPi 2014)
21. Southern Illinois - Edwardsville (Q 56-60, QLY 58, T 134?, 4 NPC, last colony AXiD 2014)
22. University of Texas (Q 61, QLY 65, T 255, 14 NPC, last colony AGD 1985-1996)
23. Georgia Tech (Q 62, QLY 50, T 164, 7 NPC, last colony AP 2009)
24. East Carolina (Q 61, QLY 57, T 154, 10 NPC, last colony PM 2013)
25. Stephen F Austin (Q 54, QLY 48, T ?, 5 NPC, last colony GPB 1990-1994)

I have about 20 honorable mentions. Mostly schools where quota isn't crazy high, but the number of NPCs is too low. (For example, CSU East Bay where quota was 48 and they have 2 NPCs.)

Thanks you Texas A&M for opening up and Texas State for forming an exploratory committee - that saved 2 spaces on the list!

Alabama needs to open up, but don't know if there's space to build a house and to be competitive an org would need one. Also don't know how 'the machine' would affect opening up.

Total at Georgia Tech is closer to 200 but I don't know exactly what it is. Alpha Gamma Delta posted on their instagram that they have 215 sisters.

From the master site plan for Alabama, there are like 3 lots available for a new group to build a house, but I know a lot of musical house construction has been going on, so that may have been a factor in why groups haven't gone forward with expansion there.

I'll take your lead and highlight my top 5. And since 2 cents is always required, my commentary

Space to build housing is an issue at several schools.
GA Tech -- from the campus map, I don't see available space (unless it's by the North Campus parking deck or the University President's house)
Univ. of Oklahoma -- what house is ADG using temporarily while their house is being repaired (fire damage)? Does KD still own their house if they were chosen to recolonize?
USC (California) - unless there's a fraternity that has recently closed, it would be difficult & costly to acquire housing in this area of Los Angeles. And, I believe, most of the sororities have security guards nightly (added cost).

irishpipes -- what are your honorable mentions?

It boggles my mind when I see chapter total being around 400. Arkansas seems to be asking for a new group to come in. lol

I wonder if the non-recognition of the fraternities at Colorado is a factor? Yes the sororities are recognized, but they don't exist in a vacuum, and I can see where that would make some groups nervous. Especially if they don't have a lot of active alumnae in the area to keep an eye on things.

And I said this before but will say it again. I cannot BEEEEELLLIIEEEVE how much the name change at Missouri State has changed things there.

There is a site plan for Georgia Tech. First one of the last row.

http://hugarchitects.com/portfolio/g...eek-housing-i/

It was done when Hug was chosen to build Alpha Phi's house. The site plan photos were actually together with the Alpha Phi house plans, but it looks like they've removed the house plans and just have the site plan now. As it is, Alpha Phi when they chartered were living in an independently owned cottage smack dab in the center of the greek sector that was never really intended for sorority/fraternity housing (due to size). That's now been sold to a fraternity that's been on campus a few years but was operating without a house. And Alpha Phi is renting the Phi Tau house for 2 years while Phi Tau is off campus. Originally they were planning to build next to ADPi but the story was that there were gas lines under the property, so, I don't know if that lot is a viable option anymore. Or what the status of their building plans are.

There are lots available. And any new group will need a house and quickly. But land is very expensive. The parking lot behind Alpha Xi is roughly $1.6 million. When Alpha Gam was building their new house, they lived together on a dorm floor.

There has been a lot of construction in the greek sector in recent years with more to follow. I know Delta Sigma Phi is working on plans for a new house, Alpha Gam, FIJI and Kappa Sig are all brand new, and TKE split their reconstruction into two parts and the back half of their house is new.

Wow. I'm being taken back to the mid-90s. ;) I dated a Ga Tech Kappa Sig before dating my now-husband. Didn't know that house was no longer.

Hug actually has photos in their portfolio of Tech greek houses they've done including Kappa Sig, Theta Chi, Beta.

And apologies, it looks like the Alpha Phi house plans are still on their site.

Expansion
 

Wish Ole Miss would open again but like many schools there is no room to build a house of competitive size. With quota of 142 and most chapters taking additions and total over 400 another chapter would be great.

Mizzou's exploratory committee is having its first meeting tomorrow. :)

Since you asked :)

In no order:
U North Alabama (Q 45, QLY 37, 4 NPC, last colony AGD 1977)
U South Alabama (Q 47, QLY 39, 5 NPC, last colony AGD 1984)
Northern Arizona (Q 72, QLY 65, 8 NPC, last colony KD 2015)
U Central Arkansas (Q 52, QLY 54, 5 NPC, last colony SSS 2008)
CSU - East Bay (Q 48, QLY 44, T 80, 2 NPC, last colony AP 1987)
CSU Fullerton (Q 61, QLY 71, 6 NPC, last colony ZTA 1979)
CSU Los Angeles (Q 45, QLY 29, 2 NPC, last colony AST 1993)
Chapman (Q 60s, 8 NPC, last colony PBP 2015)
San Francisco State (Q 46, QLY 39, 3 NPC, last colony AGD 1991)
George Washington (Q 53ish, QLY 53, 10 NPC, last colony KD 2012)
McNeese State (Q 43, QLY 30, 3 NPC, last colony ZTA 1971-1982)
Nicholls State (Q 55, QLY 48, 3 NPC, last colony AST 1997-2002)
U Louisiana Monroe (Q 42, QLY 40, 3 NPC, last colony SK 1986-2003)
East Tennessee State (Q 50, QLY 50, 4 NPC, last colony AXiD 1996)
U Texas Arlington (Q 50ish, QLY 33, 3 NPC, last colony AXO)
Colgate (Q 50-60, 3 NPC, last colony DDD 1996)

Also, I didn't include Florida, LSU, or Ole Miss because they have current expansion underway. (But we all know the current expansion won't be enough.) I didn't include Alabama because I wasn't sure - is it open? Isn't it?

And most of the toughest, neediest schools have some major barrier to colonization - that's why they're desperate. Usually it's housing, but sometimes campus culture is a major issue.

I don't know if ETSU has a healthy enough system to support expansion. Things may have changed, but as far as I was aware, they had disparity in chapter sizes.

I don't understand-none of the fraternities are recognized at UC-Boulder? This is what their Office of Greek Life website has to say:
"As a university we do not exercise direct control over the Greek system because sororities and fraternities at CU-Boulder are not legally affiliated with the university. On the other hand, the university does seek to influence the nature and operations of the Greek community that is recognized by the Panhellenic Association (Panhel) and the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC)."

But then when you go to the "Fraternity Life" subheading of the website it says "The University of Colorado Boulder is excited to announce that we are open to expansion and reaffiliation of all interfraternal organizations in good standing with their inter/national organization!"

So somehow the sororities are more recognized by the school than the fraternities?

Colonization
 

Yes, Arkansas definitely has the numbers to support a new colony, but it would be a bad idea right now. The campus culture is such that any new group is looked down upon, and one of the new colonies from 2012 is still struggling. Also, those 2 new sororities still do not have housing. There is a sign up for Phi Mu's house, but no sign of construction yet.

Here is your answer why CU-Boulder fraternities are not recognized. Looks like this has been happening for 10 years.
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_2692266

My understanding is that it's open for expansion, but that, of the sororities that aren't currently there, the groups are either not interested (at least right now) or don't have the resources to fully commit, so there aren't a lot of options left for the university.

Sigma Kappa/AXiD might be options in the future, but they didn't choose to apply the last time Bama opened up. They both are involved in a spate of other recent or upcoming bigger colonizations, so maybe when those are more established, they'll have more energy to put towards Alabama. But it's also possible that they have no intention of ever applying again since both seem to have some lingering negative feelings about their previous experiences at Bama. (And, I mean, it's just a huge commitment not only in terms of money but time and energy as well, and we have no clue when the Greek growth bubble that we're in the midst of is gonna pop.)

My understanding (somebody correct me if I'm wrong) is also that DPhiE was the only group that presented last time Alabama opened up, and the university chose not to extend them an invitation to colonize. I think they were planning their Georgia recolonization around the same time, though, and maybe that was part of the university's hesitation? But it's also possible they were worried about the alum base/culture fit/any one of a thousand things that won't change.

Beyond that I'm not really sure what options the university has. Does SDT still have a house there? It might be a good time for their nationals to come in and do a reorganization (by which I mean keep the current members but also try to do a big new rush with nationals' assistance--not sure what the correct terminology is for that). With Alabama taking increasingly more out-of-state students, there might be some more leeway for less traditional sorority experiences than there has been at Bama in the past.

But I think a goodly number of those OOS students who are going there and going Greek are there BECAUSE they want the traditional Southern sorority experience.

Oh, definitely. But traditionally Bama's system has not been the kindest to outsiders, which means that there chances of landing that traditional Southern sorority experience is probably smaller to begin with--and maybe, when those cuts inevitably occur, they're more likely to examine outside-the-box options than in-state girls would be. Or maybe not! Perhaps the newer chapters at Bama have done a solid job in filling that out-of-state niche. Regardless, I just think SDT is in the best position to feel that out while risking the least--not that they have any obligation to, obviously. I'm not sure what other options are reasonable for Bama at the moment.

OR...they want that experience, but are more open-minded about sororities and not so concerned with tiers like in-state girls or out-of-state girls with Bama friend or family connections would be. OR...if Rush just isn't working out for them, they haven't heard about being in ABC house their entire lives, so they're more open to other activities.

I went to HS with a ton of young women who were technically out of state, but grew up going to games and basically knew that they'd be going to Bama--and, they (and their moms!) also had an idea about which sororities they'd join.

For several years now, the number of OOS PNMs placed has exceeded the in state ones. Being OOS is not an issue. Check their statistics - the placement rates are excellent overall.

I can't think of Colorado without thinking of that reality show where the sorority women went and started a bogus chapter in England. Two or three of them were from CO, IIRC.

In the "honorable mention" category, isn't there a school - either one of the the smaller University of Minnesota or University of Wisconsin campuses- where there is only one group on campus, but has had some very large pledge classes in the last couple of years?

Re: Alabama - I'm not any kind of official, but my feeling is that expansion is on hold right now due to construction. 3 houses are being built, and there are only two "swing" houses (older houses being used temporarily by sororities under construction) which means ZTA is unhoused right now.

Once those houses are occupied, there will be 3 more to build.
SDT occupies a small university-owned houses on "new" fraternity row. They conduct their own recruitment separate from NPC's, although they are included (along with unhoused Christian sorority Alpha Delta Chi) in the Alabama Panhellenic Association.
They have been doing quite well the last few years.

And that timing works pretty well for Alpha Xi Delta at least. I don't see us conquering any sort of major colonies for at least a few more years. We'll see what happens after South Carolina and UCLA. And really, is it unnecessarily complicated that we are colonizing at USC and UCLA in the same year, but a continent apart?

UM - Duluth. I didn't have data from this year, but last year Phi Sig took a ton of new members.

Nevada-Reno is indeed welcoming Pi Beta Phi back Spring 2017, which makes them "ineligible" for my list. So I 'll move up Northern Arizona from honorable mention to the top 25.

OMG CSU East Bay REALLY needs to expand!!!!!

Should Belmont University(TN) be in its own special category?

I suggest: Schools were the administration needs to realize what's going on.

:-)

I think you will get your wish on CSU Los Angeles ... ;)
Saw Facebook posts saying "Everyone gets a Little".
Quota went from 29 in 2014 to 45 in 2015 & I think there were even QA's.

Please note: I have NO official info, but have heard rumors.
If any groups are looking at this campus, a "letter of interest" wouldn't be a bad idea.

Wasn't that the one where AST announced they were going to colonize this year and then pulled out? I feel like something's going on there to stop an announced colonization but have no idea what it could be.

You are correct. The colonization was announced last year, and then cancelled by their National Council in August.

I don't see ULM expanding anytime soon. There is no problem with growing out of housing. There is a pretty established idea that 3 chapters can survive well, but a fourth will always fail. When SK left campus, ULM was getting 10 women total going through recruitment. It's amazing that the 3 remaining groups all survived that period.

Irishpipes, you are the queen of all statistical data, and I bow down!

I think that some of these schools could have potential, but knowing that many of them are state schools that cater primarly to students within a region, I think it's hard to determine if further colonization is merited without knowing what chapter total is. Graduation rates at some of these types of schools isn't always great, so while quotas seem relatively big, perhaps the chapter total isn't really enough to sustain another chapter if the chapters tend to have a lot of younger members and not so many upperclassmen.

The only one with a total number in the honorable mention list is CSU East Bay. I am not familiar at all with this campus, but the numbers kind of help to make my point. With a quota of 48 and a total of 80, what's happening to those 48 pledges along the way? I appreciate that for some women, a chapter size of 80 may seem too big, but with pledge class of 48, a chapter total of 140 - 160 would seem reasonable if women are hanging in there either academically or just as active members. Then again, maybe that's not the correct total number, and this is all a moot point. Sorry if I'm rambling.

I always get my hand smacked when I talk about Belmont, but it's an odd bird of a school. The administration thinks it knows better than anyone what is best for its students. I'll leave it at that.

I know why Texas is a shot in the dark for colonization but what's preventing it at Arizona?

Housing

I still stand by my suggestion that a purpose built high rise apartment would be super cool and would be a huge draw. I'm not talking about REGULAR apartments, but ones where the chapter/shared areas would be on 1 or 2 floors, complete with dining room, TV room, all the stuff of a regular house, and then floor/s for the bedrooms. Then the chapters who all live in that building would have a communal pool, gym, restaurants and shops on the first floor, as would be typical in a luxury high rise apartment building. And having 3 or 4 (or more.. I don't know how tall buildings can go there) chapters on one chunk of ground would be much more space-efficient.

You must have seen the plans for Sorority Terrace in Tempe,AZ. It fell through. The numbers didn't work.

Heck, DS, I want to live there now after hearing this description. :D