Raising Total
 

A friend's daughter told me about the sorority membership situation at her college. This college, which is quite near us, has 5 sororities with 4 at total or above. The other group is much smaller; I don't know why since they're one of the older groups.

Anyway, the 4 at total are wanting to raise total so they can have a spring rush. Apparently, there are plenty of girls who want to pledge them. However, our friend's daughter is in the 5th group--they only took 9 last fall when everyone else took (I think) 35. They haven't been able to get any pledges in open rush.

So what do you think Panhellenic should do? Should they try to help the smaller group or should they go ahead and raise total? This being the South, it's awfully hard to convince PNMs that they should go to the smaller group as they tend to have their minds made up before rush.

Oh, Carnation, this one's so hard. I'm from the "underdog" sorority myself, so I definitely sympathise with the members of the smallest group. Other than that, we come from two different worlds. The closest I've ever been to the South is southern Illinois.

The small group really needs to get its you-know-what in gear, because I'd wager that Panhellenic will maybe give them another year before they raise total/open for expansion.

Good luck to them.

We only have 3 sororities at my school, but up until about two years ago, no one could maintain a steady membership. Panhellenic decided that once ALL three sororities reached ceiling, and were able to maintain numbers around ceiling, the idea of expansion and raising total was not an issue. Now that all three sororities have managed to keep numbers up, and draw in a large amount of potentials for this coming formal recruitment, our school has contacted NPC to let them know that we're interested in expanding. Raising total still is not a factor, and although several sisters in all the sororities want it, I don't know that it will be any time in the near future.

My school also has 5 sororities, with one (AEPhi) considerably smaller than the other 4. Less than a year after AEPhi colonized, our Panhel president decided she wanted to open the campus for expansion. At the time, total was 80 and we had about 20 sisters. Expansion at that time would have destroyed my chapter. We fought it tooth and nail, and eventually it was voted down because AEPhi was so new.

Several years later, total is the same, there has been no expansion, and AEPhi is now much stronger (though still smaller than the other sororities). In this case, Panhel successfully protected the "underdog" chapter by not expanding.

So, part of me wants to say HELL NO, don't raise total.

But the more realistic part of me realizes that there are a lot of women out there who would love the chance to go greek, don't fit in with the smaller chapter for whatever reason, and are being denied the chance to join a bigger chapter because of a number. So the best course of action may be to raise total just a little bit. This will allow the bigger sororities to take small NM classes (unless they're WAY over whatever total is now). Hopefully the smaller group will realize that they have to recruit more aggressively if they want to stay afloat; since they are not at total, they can recruit at any time.

Her chapter advisor should contact the National Office and have member of the NPC Delegation for that sorority contact the NPC Area Advisor.

Sometimes there is nothing that can be done when its 4 against one! I hate situations like this!

Why Would Anyone Deliberately
 

keep young women from joining the sororities they want - and who want them - just because one group can't seem to attract more members? It's like closing down all the Cadillac dealerships because Geo's not selling well.

It's funny this thread came up. There's been talk on a campus that I advise of raising ceiling to 70. I'm very frustrated because the chapter and I (along with the other advisors and alum) just worked very hard to get these girls about halfway to ceiling. There are 6 houses that are at the current ceiling (60), one almost at ceiling and the other 4 about half of that. Personally I'd like them to wait. The chapter I have isn't even the smaller group and if they wanted to raise it that high, they could invite back the sorority that closed in 1998.

SIGH, I guess there isn't really much I can do. I really feel for the girl you know carnation. I also understand that not everyone wants to join every sorority, it's just difficult to accept.

Okay sorry I'm a little off topic, I'm just a little upset!:(

They should try to help the smaller group. Anything other than that would be contrary to Panhellenic spirit. The smaller group also needs to do some work on their own as far as COB and thinking outside the box in terms of pledging something other than the tradtional freshman rushee. They also need to emphasize their age/tradition, and due to years of alumnae, connections connections CONNECTIONS!

Firehouse, boys just don't understand this stuff, so don't try. You will be much better off. :p

raising total
 

>>>It's like closing down all the Cadillac dealerships because Geo's not selling well.<<<

I haven't thought that analogy out very well, but the thing is, Firehouse, you aren't talking about car dealerships you are talking about sisterhoods - and PEOPLE. Even though that one sorority may be small, they have still put effort, probably a great amount, into keeping that sisterhood alive, and it means just as much to them as to those in the larger sororities. They are just as connected to each other, just as devoted to their cause as they would be if they had 100 members. It is not fair to institute some new chapter total if it is going to mean the end of that sorority, unless it is obvious that they can't make necessary changes for improvement.
33rdGirl made some very good observations. I would also like to point out to you, Firehouse, that NPC groups do not operate even remotely like fraternities when it comes to recruitment so you can't compare the two. I am not saying NPC is right and IFC is wrong, because there is room for improvement with NPC, but you just can't compare the two systems.
To answer the original question, Carnation, I do feel for that small group. I think raising total would be preferable to someone deciding that the campus should be open for expansion, for that would be the sure demise of the small group. That group, however, does need to take a good look at how they are doing things and ask for some assistance from their National office. Definitely if they are only getting a fraction of quota during recruitment and they are unable to COB any new members, they may need some fine tuning.
Sorry I was so wordy!

I would not have total raised. To me, it's coming off as the bigger groups are well, selfish, and the PNMs being stuck on the rep of a house, and not the idea of a sisterhood or being Greek.

I'm not familiar with the campus in question, but I'm sure the much smaller group isn't in their position because they are partiers or "slutty" or anything like that. It's probably because there are internal problems or they are not "attractive", and that's why PNMs won't join. So what happens then? You have 4 groups at total, with PNMs waiting for COBs. Then there are all of these quality girls waiting in the wings for bids.

My opinion? Keep on waiting, chickadees or suck it up, take a stand and join the smaller house. All GLOs are different, but underneath, we are all the same. It isn't like XYZ stands for sisterhood and philanthropy and ABC has a secret agenda of mass hazing and neo-Nazism!! No one is truely going to end up with a raw deal if total isn't raised!!!

There is another thread out there about "should we start a new house or mass takeover a struggling one?" These girls need to take over/help the struggling one!!! Unless there is a HUGE upswing of women rushing, bigger houses allowing more women in is just taking away from potential bids/COBs to the smaller house. One or two good pledge classes could save this smaller houses, and the same one or two pledge classes can change a reputation & fix long-standing problems. I have seen it happen.


Pheww......sorry if that made no sense. These kind of situations make me so sad and angry.

I'm going to side with holding total as is. WHY??? It seems to have worked at LSU. There was a sorority that for several year was "off" in comparison to the others. Then BOOM, a HUGE group of PNMs went through and they got a GREAT pledge class with strong numbers. The second year, the same thing, another solid class.

It's funny what you can learn over the course of a few years and a bit of the responsibility lies with the sororities themselves.
Though this sorority is superb in other southern states, it isn't a "classic" sorority in the deep south. So, they have THAT to deal with. What is a REAL bummer is when other, stronger groups
say things like, "They never cut anybody." The implication is clear, but the fact is, its their POLICY not to cut first round. So, until all the sororities can work together and promote GREEK instead of resorting to small minded tactics, I'd say keep quota as is or run the risk of creating another, "weak" group. At least that's how I feel at the moment and acknowledge a good solid debate could change my mind.

Okay, I am taking this off-topic and running with it...

When total is raised on a campus, it is usually by about 3: 3x11=33 new girls.

10 girls is WAY too large of a jump, and I have never heard of changing it by that many all at once.

I think this is a hard topic, but it's easy to sit here and say that the smaller group should be protected and PNMs should join it. However, it's just not that easy. When I went through rush back in the day, there was one group on my campus that was a lot smaller than all the others. I would not have wanted to join that group. In fact, even if 20 of my friends had wanted to join that house with me, I would not have wanted to because I ABSOLUTELY would not have fit in with them. You really can't expect a PNM to be happy with the 20 or 40 or however many people belong to an organization if she just doesn't fit in with them for whatever reason. It is true that *most* greek organizations have things in common with each other, but when it comes down to it, a PNM has to be comfortable and happy with these PEOPLE on a sometimes daily basis. Why join at all if it's to be with people you don't even like, or with whom you have nothing in common, or whatever?

I wouldn't even think raising total should be considered if there are several groups below ceiling. But when you have ONE group that is only getting 9 members while everyone else is getting 35, I think you really have to ask WHY, and the members of that organization have to ask themselves the same question, although I'm sure they already have.

I'm wondering, though, how long this group has been so small. Was there one incident where something happened to reduce the membership so much, or has it been happening slowly, or has the group always been small?

I know they've been the smallest by far for at least 5 years. Coincidentally, I met an alum of that chapter today and she said, "We stink at formal rush but we shine in open rush." But they don't! Last year, they didn't pick up anyone in open rush but she doesn't know that I know that.

valkyrie-I wouldn't even think raising total should be considered if there are several groups below ceiling. But when you have ONE group that is only getting 9 members while everyone else is getting 35, I think you really have to ask WHY, and the members of that organization have to ask themselves the same question, although I'm sure they already have.

Now there you have one of those points that make you think.
This is an excelent example. Maybe each sitution MUST be considered independently because campuses are so different.

I too can imagine different situations where, no matter WHAT, I wouldn't want to join. Carnation, some of the examples from you own campus would certainly qualify! :eek:

As valkyrie said, the WHY is pretty important.
Are they the kind of people your dog would bite?
Is their arrest record longer than the line to the bathroom at a beer bust?
Or, have they fallen victim to a campus image that is nearly impossible to shake.

Someone would really have to be impartial to make a fair decision.

While I feel for the smaller group, it is THEIR responsibility to meet the standards set forth by their international/national organization. I guess the thought process here, is do new women go through recruitment and drop out in the end b/c they don't want to go to this smaller group, or is it just that the smaller group isn't getting people back period? If the system works properly, and often it doesn't, then the smaller group should gain ground eventually.

Like Aphigal said, the first thing that should happen is the chapter member should call her NPC delegate and talk to the area advisor.

Just as an annedote though, one of the campuses I work with came up with a creative solution to this problem. There were 3 chapters that were about 70 members over total, 4 chapters that were above total but about 10-15 members below average chapter size and 2 chapters that were at or right beneath total but about 70-100 members below the largest group in size. These two small chapters did not take quota every year, but that was also by choice.

No one could agree on raising total or expansion. What we could agree on was that we didn't want to lose any of the chapters that were there. Instead, we put a plan in place for all of the chapters to help the two groups who were smallest recruit well and improve their image on campus. Panhellenic actively advertised COB Rush and the collection of names for informal recruitment, the other sororities attended BBQ's and other non-alcoholic social events hosted by the two groups and we started an alcohol-free exchange rotation for the whole row. After a year, those two groups were a more competitive size and were willing to pass a resolution to raise total closer to average chapter size. Then those groups in the middle could COB as well. Then, after Total was raised, Panhellenic voted to expand.

It was a long and arduous process, but in the end the chapters are a lot more stable and anyone coming on to campus will be more comfortable with the status of the other groups.

Good luck!

33Girl, I Apologize
 

You are right: boys don't understand that way of thinking. I knew better but I put my 2-cents in anyway. It's obvious that Panhellenic has a great system in place that ensures stability of the system.

Re: 33Girl, I Apologize
 

OK, Mr. Sarcasm :P. Believe me, I don't think NPC is right in the way it does everything, in more than one matter I think it has its heads up its ass(es?). But the fact of the matter is: NPC was created to strengthen and support the sororities as a WHOLE - not to do things that may hurt one of them. Cooperation has to be the guiding factor in everything they do. NIC, on the other hand, was not founded to serve that purpose.

I agree with MoxieGrrl: keep waiting and miss out on Greek life, or get together with a few others and have the courage to make a positive change. If you can't do that, do you really want sisterhood, or the shallow popularity that will mean nothing the minute you graduate?

33Girl: I Was being Sincere
 

Honest. I meant it. You make a good point about NPC and NIC being founded on differing principles. The PanHellenic 'attitude' has always mystified me, and yet it's obvious across the country that the sorority system is very stable and prosperous. I have always believed in free, unregulated competition, and fraternities prosper under those conditions. I think men chafe under regulations and rules, but women seem to take comfort in and respond to (what?) - 'cooperative effort' (?). Would that be the right phrase? No one can argue with the success of the NPC system, and frankly I've change my mind, slowly. I have always felt that if sororities operated the same way as fraternities, the sororities would be more successful in keeping chapters from going under. I no longer believe that, but it's been hard for me to accept. It has taken me a long time to understand that men and women (young men and young women anyway) think differently and respond differently to circumstances.
I went to a southern school that had 19 NPC sororities, mostly old chapters. They were large chapters and beautifully housed. Five of those national NPC sororities have left campus since the 1960s when I was in college. Their beautiful homes are now gone altogether, or bought by fraternities. A sixth left campus and came back later, successfully. It was a very predictable, very disheartening process. Each time a sorority failed and left campus, another took its place at the bottom of the ladder. You could tell just by looking who the next one to leave would be. Each had exactly the same profile as the last one: the fewest members, the fewest prospects, the least hope. And yet - and this is what I didn't understand - the sorority system insisted that everyone participate in the same rush under the same rules at the same times every year. Every rushee got to see every sorority under the same conditions. The ones with few members never had a chance to compete. Of course, they were allowed to open rush in the spring, but no one taught them how to do it, and they lacked confidence in themselves. I thought it was a cruel system. Something else: the five sororities everyone regarded as having the highest status when I was a freshman in the mid-1960s are the same five that occupy the same status today. Yes, the NPC system provides stability, but no one seems to be able to move up from their assigned place; if they move at all it is only down and out. We lose another sorority at the rate of about one every five years.
No, 33Girl, I was not being sarcastic. I have seen your posts before on GreekChat and I respect your opinions and admire your involvement. My apology was sincere. You're right. I just don't see it the same way, and I don't think any of us guys do. There is much to criticize in the fraternity system, and I'm sure there are things about us that mystify women too. Maybe not. Women seem to understand us much better than we understand them.

Leave total alone
 

The smaller group should be supported and allowed to grow at their own speed----as long as the system as a whole remains healthy. There are just times that are better than others....don't punish them for having a bad semester/term.

So......
If you can't buy a Cadillac in town, you go to the next town to get it. If those women are determined they won't join the smaller group and want one of the others, they can wait and just go thru formal recruitment when those chapters can pledge quota----even if it puts them over total. If they don't want to wait, well then it didn't matter enough to them in the first place!

I would say that the problem there is that at larger Southern schools, it's difficult to get a bid unless you're a freshman. Not trying to start up something we've already discussed before--but that is a fact down here.Therefore, waiting til next fall isn't really an option for most women.

Sarcasm/Sincerity Firehouse?
 

I think that if you have to say over and over that you are sincere, not sarcastic and you really really mean it, but you go on to refute what the original poster said and make your point once again, perhaps you are not as sincere as you think or want others to think.
No one tried said that they think NPC recruitment and membership regulations are better than IFC's, and many people agree there is room for improvement, even NPC women. However, Firehouse, these are the rules under which NPC groups are obligated to operate. Change may come but change is slow. We (NPC members) have to make the best of what we have and sometimes that includes protecting small sororities from demolition, thereby protecting all sororities at a particular campus from demolition. Because one thing the I know FOR sure is this: if the underdog sorority folds, there is going to be another underdog to take their place. There are MANY other threads where members have posted the sad stories of the death of their sorority because the women's greek system at their school did not help them, but rushed to increase chapter totals or expand just to help the larger groups. Certainly there comes a time when, if a small group ceases to grow, (which sounds like it may be the case for Carnation's friend) and cannot overcome whatever is holding them back, that the campus should make a decision to do what is best for the system as a whole, but that is not the first plan of action for NPC.
For all it's faults, I doubt that you will convince many NPC women that the willy-nilly way that IFC fraternities recruit and retain members and start new chapters, is preferable, and yes (on this I agree with you) a lot of it is because women and men respond differently to rules and regulations. You give a lot of statistical information about the openings and closings of the sororities where you went to school, but I would also be interested to know how many fraternities have started up and folded in the same time period (I bet just as many).

I think it's important to note that low numbers are never the problem itself; they're the most visible symptom of the problem. It was the same way with my chapter. We had horrible internal problems, which resulted in our shrinking as women left. Freshmen did not want to join a chapter that was obviously so small and weak, so we continued to shrink and the internal probelms grew. The first step is to halt the cycle in the only spot where the members have control: the internal mechanisms of the chapter. Panhellenic should not raise total-- yet. Panhellenic should give this chapter a few years' chance to get its act together. It could require some major restructuring. But I can tell you from experience that the moment the internal problems begin to be ironed out, PNMs can sense it. They'll automatically stop to give this chapter a second look.

To: AOPIintheSky
 

Yes, you're right about the fraternities and their tunrover. In fact, even more fraternities have left than sororities. That's to be expected in the sort of 'wild west' arrangement the fraternities have. The fraternities do tend to come back and re-establish their chapters after the weather clears though.
At my alma mater, both the sorority and fraternity system is in splendid shape with bright futures. I was curious to hear that the freshman-pledge problem was a regional issue. I didn't know that, but you are absolutely right: here, if a young woman doesn't get in as a freshman, she'll never get into a high-status house. I wish just one sorority would specialize in junion transfer students. There are a great many outstanding women who would make terrific sorority members. They are never solicited.
Your signature indicates you are an AOPi. I was the AOPi Pledge Sweetheart when I was a fraternity pledge myself. But our AOPi chapter went under during the bad times in the early 1970s. They sold their beautiful house to a fraternity, and now I doubt that they'll ever re-establish themselves here.
I've been told that in life, whatever decision you make, you have to give up something in order to get something else. The sororities get stability and strength across the system, and give up chances for expansion and, as you say, whomever is close to the bottom automatically takes the place of the one that just left.
Fraternities get freedom to grow and experiment, and to be as large or as small as they want. Sometimes, that results in chaos, and so we give up the system-wide strength and stability that make sororities so consistently solid.

thanks for your take on it...
 

Your points are well-taken, Firehouse. You are right when you say that NPC groups DO trade flexibility for security. Again, that may be another battle of the sexes.
You don't say where you are from, but I am in the South. It is true that recruitment is very competitive and even on smaller campuses (but especially on large ones) it is hard to compete with Freshmen for spots. I agree with you that sororities should consider the maturity of upperclassmen and all the things they can bring to a chapter that a freshman can't, but that often doesn't happen.
I do think that sororities know they have to work VERY hard to maintain their status-quo even, because if they leave campus, who knows if they will ever be able to come back. Every decision they make regarding membership has to be the right one. Sometimes not a good place to be.

Maybe there could be a compromise. I know at my school we had a similar issue. There were several groups at total and wanted to participate in COB, so Panhel decided to comrpromise by allowing those already at total to take enough girls to go 5 over total. So with people dropping out over the summer (we had COB in the fall), that worked out to be around 10 girls for those chapters. (A considerably smaller number than those chapters who were actaully allowed to COB). So everyone got to participate and everyone was happy.:)

I know that at my school, there are only 3 multicultural sororities, and 2 of these are local. The local groups are considerably smaller while the international NPC sorority continually has to turn away girls because they are at total. However, one of the reasons that I feel that total should be raised in some cases is because certain sororities have values, philanthropies, etc. that better fit some girls than the values, etc. of other sororities. Why make girls feel like they have to join a sorority that is not right for them in order to be a part of greek life simply because the other sororities did not make total. :o

>>>Why make girls feel like they have to join a sorority that is not right for them in order to be a part of greek life simply because the other sororities did not make total<<<

You don't say whether you are a member of an NPC sorority, but it is not the "NPC way" to open campuses for expansion or encourage a campus to raise total (by much anyway) if there is a struggling NPC group there. Of course, if it is obvious that the struggling group can't move forward that is a different story, but the first plan of action would be to give them a chance to do so.
Women SHOULD join the group that they feel is right for them, but who is to say that the sorority of the moment would bid them anway? It is a mutual selection process. Just because you have a group of girls who say "we only want to be XYZ" doesn't mean XYZ feels the same way.
That being said, I am speaking strictly of NPC groups and the campus panhellenics that govern them. The situation at your school is a bit different, however, since only one of your sororities is NPC. Do those groups recruit together? Has anyone spoken to the greek affairs person at your campus about opening for NPC expansion? Perhaps one of the existing locals would be interested in going national, which would certainly expand the possibilities for everyone.

I was looking at old threads and this post really made me think. Any new opinions?

Just a little bit from my standpoint....
We are the smallest chapter at a large southern school with 14 other NPC's who (for the most part) continuously over-reach quota and total. We don't. Last year, they raised total by about 10 women, which allowed the largest chapter to recruit during the spring. It was one of the most depressing informal Pan-sponsored spring recruitments we'd ever seen- we extended bids to a lot of women, but all accepted bids elsewhere (at most springs we get 10-20). It has been so hard for us to continue to compete with the other chapters- even the ones that we were comparatively close to in size before. Now we're nowhere near the other chapters, and they just keep expanding (we only got 1/4 of quota, where other chapters that weren't at total were over quota). We'd love to meet total and quota, but it's just not feasible to double our chapter in size where the majority of women would be new members. We continue to recruit to try and at least meet a total set internally by our members to something we think is practical, because our Pan. Advisor doesn't seem to want hear about anything that isn't "hunky-dory." She looks past "dirty-rushing" and the chapters who do it recieve nothing more than a slap on the hand. There were two MAJOR infractions this year committed by other chapters against us specifically, but there was "nothing that can be done now"--I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say the specifics of it until something more is done (our NPC delegate has taken it into her own hands).

Perhaps it is easier when there is no total set. Since I'm on an all-local campus, we don't really have a "total", each house just exists as it is. One of the largest now (with nearly 70 members) was only at 6 members less than 5 years ago. They grew with a lot of hard work and have a really strong tradition of leadership in Panhel and on campus in general (they rock).

When I pledged, I think my sorority was at 8 or 9 actuves. Now we're at 20 (2 successful pledge classes of 9, half of quota). going along with what the above poster said...we can't physically/ financially deal with doubling our size with new members. Going from 20 to 40 would be very, very difficult for us to do, since we haven't been at that size since the 80's (perhaps later!). We don't have any experience dealing with that big of a pledge class. Not to say I wouldn't pee my pants in excitement, but the planning would be interesting. Also, if we had more NM's to actives, I'd be worried just because it would be very stressful on the actives to care and attend to 2 littles. We typically have 2 bigs to a little, flipping that ratio would be interesting.

Also, there is the potential for that class to end up running the sorority if they vote as a block, which I'd like to think wouldn't happen, but can obviously happen. A group of girls comes in, puts on the happy-sister garb, and then secretly votes to take over and displace the traditions and hard work of older members. It's something to think about.

"...but it's just not feasible to double our chapter in size where the majority of women would be new members."

Yes, it is feasible, in fact it's just about the only way you're going to get good. Slow growth is excellence is a myth. The only wa sa new chapter or a weak chapter gets great is quickly. Slow growth might get you from bad to decent or even good, but never to excellent.
Pledge as many women as you can as fast as you can. Whatever you lose in "control" or in imagined "sisterhood" will more than be made up for in enthusiasm and elevated morale. Plus other sororities will begin to talk about you and that's a plus. No one wants to be unknown or ignored, or pitied. If you have the ability to double your size in one rush, DO IT! And then do it again in the spring. When anyone asks you how you did it or why, just say, "It's our goal to be the best, and we're determined to take the top honors ion rush and everything else."

In one recruitment in 2001 (I believe) the chapter had 40 going into recruitment and pledged right at that number. There were no more than 8 members left in that pledge class by the time they graduated. It was really hard for them to retain that number of women. One more thing...Do you always associate "good" sororities with being "big" sororities? I love my sorority and love the fact that we are smaller. I can say with confidence and no doubt in my mind that we have the closest bond, and I love knowing that I can walk into a room of my sisters, and know the name of every single one.

I think I would have to agree to a certain extent. If so many women are interested in joining and help turning things around in a chapter, why not? They can come with new ideas that the current membership didn't think of.

On the flip-side though, if new women come in and cause turmoil, that could cause the older ppl to want to leave, and then the chapter is stuck in the same situation.

Additionally, I wouldn't just say "pledge as many women as you can and as fast as you can" because that pretty much equates to "bid every girl who isn't already greek" and you definitely want to keep in mind that you need Quality girls, not just quantity.

The problems you encounter by growing fast don't compare to the problems that derive from having too few members and all the associated difficulties. Are good sororities associated with big? Yes. That may shift slightly from campus to campus, but in a typical campus world where being cometitive means a Greek house has to have enough members so that everyone doesn't have to do every thing, it is devastating to realize that a chapter cannot compete socially, in rush or on any other level.
If you're at a school where all the prestige houses have only 40 women, then forty is all you have to have to compete. If you're on a campus where the "name" sororities have 150, then your forty will be lost.
Sororities cost money. They are a luxury, and members want value. That value comes in the form of social life, and of interaction with other women like themselves with common interests. What's it worth to you in dollars to be able to walk into a room and "know everyone" regardles of how long or short a time they've been in school? If your sorority is so small that they can't attract enough members to make total or quota, then you're paying a hell of a price for what you want. And, it doesn't appear that the women in other sororities are troubled by being so much larger. Based on their experiences, if those other women had it to do again, would they pledge their sororities, or yours? If YOU had to do it again, would you join the same one, or would you look for a better deal?
It may be that you are absolutely in the right sorority for what you want. But if so, then you cannot complain about the small size and inability to compete.
Look...You have the solution to stability and strength and long-term success. Numbers rule. That's just the way it is.

It is completely feasible to turn your chapter around while using the Quota/Total system!! Just six years ago, my chapter took only ONE New Member during Formal Recruitment. Two of us sat in at the next meeting and explained, "You are the masters of your own destiny. If you choose to give up, do so now, so that the New Member still has a chance to accept another bid. If you choose to fight, we will back you all the way - but Alumnae are NOT going to pour money down a rat hole!" (Their finances were a mess, too)

They had a series of Pride Meetings that week, and by the next meeting, they were ready with goals and ideas. Some worked, some didn't.

Fast forward two years: they came back in the fall with 12 members and a plan. They did FR nicely, but not expensively, and used the money instead for COB. By the end of the term, they doubled in size. By the end of the second term, they had tripled their original size! They saw that COB was their strength, and ran with it. By last year, they were at Total; by the end of this year's FR, they are 8 away from Total. While the other sororities are either at Quota or otherwise done with Recruitment, they are now playing their strong suit!

I'm really proud of them, as we couldn't COB our way out of a paper bag - we had to kick tail during FR!!

But back to Carnation's situation: to me, I would instead consider asking a new sorority to colonize (or recolonize), and allow the smaller sorority to recolonize. If there were over 10 sororities, I may feel differently, but with only 4 at Total and one not doing well, it sounds to me that another sorority is needed!

Firehouse: Our dues run along the same lines as everyone else's. I don't know of any other group with significantly less dues or significantly more. Any suggestions on how to keep up with a new member class that equals what you already have? Again, I want our sorority to grow, and you're completely right, it is SO hard to recruit women when you don't have anyone that is as small as we are. Social aspects are easier when there are decent fraternities on campus that are around our size. But yes, decent fraternities aren't nearly as exciting as the "best" ones.
Honeychile- Give me as much advice as you can! FR for us was okay, we took more than last year, but still nowhere near quota/ total. COB hasn't been very good for us either. We have gotten 3 in the last few weeks of COB, but we are kind of at a stand still. I'm not sure why it is that we can't grasp the idea of COB (or formal recruitment for that matter). We just had a change in our membership(recruitment) VP and perhaps that could have hurt instead of helped? I really want to see our chapter succeed, but I really don't know how it's going to happen; I'm willing to give my all, but I can't be the only one. Our exec is committed, then a few other chapter members, and then there are the new members. We have a few great alumni, but the rest don't want to "waste" time and effort, and have pretty much given up. We have the support of Nationals, but they can only help us so much. They can't continue to send our ELC and AF every week.

Yes, your dues are the same. So...if you are a looking to buy a car and the Civics cost the same as a Mercedes, which are you going to buy?
DON'T WORRY ABOUT HOW YOU ARE GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF LOTS OF NEW MEMBERS. That's like worrying about what you're going to do if you win the Lottery.
Yes, a huge influx of new members does present challenges. The answer is to KEEP bringing new memebrs at the same rate. There's no enb to the enthsuasim. The loudest complaint you'll hear are from the old members who sense their influence slipping away. Tell them they need to provide leadership. Truth is, many will fade away ("This is not the sorority I joined"). They're right, and what you cannot say to them - out of feelings of fraternal affection - is that it is not the same sorority, it's BETTER.

I Think Firehouse has brought up many excelent points.

So, while everyone surmises that each Chapter at a certain school should really work harder is BS!

If, I said If, there is Greek Unity, which there isnt, then the over powerful Sororitys need to be so greedy to just Keep Taking women who may be a great mix with "The Other" Less well to do GLOs.

Are All of These GLO Chapters throughout Colleges all Good, No.

So KKG is a crapy Sorority, I dont think so.

Is GPhiB a slub at all schools, No

How great are all of the NPC Sororitys at each school and can they hang in there if they are getting pushed into a corner by Thier NPC Sisters?

How many National Sororitys are Number 1 in and all campuses?

Go to College Web Sites and see Who is Missing in action!

AXO, XO, DDD, KD, DZ, AGD, Etal.

If you dont think this is a problem, then You are foolish to the Nth Degree.

Help other GLOs? Sounds good dont it? Is it true? No, it is BS.

We Want To Be The Biggest, does that make us the best? Hm, interesting question.

So Grows the Greek Societys on Campus or eventually Die.

Be the big fish and be alone!


WOW, NPC has a degree of relationship, but it sounds good giving lip service!


For the Newbies who are Rushing, there are many Great Sororitys out there. While maybe not on Your Campus, they are Great in their own right.

Be in the Biggest? Why, what can You do to help be a Member of a lesser Sorority on Campus?

Todays Biggies wont be forever! Give something and make something grow!:cool: