Would you welcome expansion at your campus?
 

If so, how much?

In my personal experience, more groups on campus = more total individuals as part of GLO's.

I'd personally like to see one or two more fraternities come on my campus and Panhellenic adding more sororites.

We currently have 5 fraternites (1 not recognized) and only 4 sororities (all but one at quota).

I would definitely like to see another sorority on our campus. However, there is a new local that wants to affiliate with a national eventually, so that is looking good. I really hope that they can affiliate with a national soon.

I'm not sure about another fraternity. I would think that it would encourage rush, but the guys are having difficulties with rushing as is, so maybe it wouldn't be a good idea.

Not sure about the expansion for other GLOs at Iowa State, since there are still some open spaces left for lots of houses (mostly fraternities, but there are like, 3 sorority houses that can get more members). Not untill we need more spots for members, I guess ....

Honestly, I think any national that wants to put a chapter at UMass needs to get off the crack. Bad system, bad school, bad situation. TKE and Sigma Chi both sent reps to look into it this year, and they both left as fast as they could. Tho it's definitely not because we have too many groups- just this year we've lost Lambda Chi and Delta Sigma Phi, and last year we lost Phi Mu Delta, Delta Chi, and Zeta Psi.

We have a Sigma Pi interest group right now. Our campuses is always losing and gaining fraternities.

I don't think we would be open to expansion for sororities right now, but I think that in a couple years there might be enough interest for it. We have a lot of sororities that aren't at total right now, but most of them are moving rapidly towards it. I'm not sure that Wisconsin is a very easy campus to colonize a sorority at, though. We haven't brought in a sorority since 1981, and that was a recolonization -- and they have been the smallest group ever since. And aside from that one sorority, every other sorority that's currently here has been here, in continuous operation, since 1921 or before, I believe (most of those since before 1900).

our system can't hold any more. We have room for another sorority, but fraternities are at max and we have nationals beating the doors down, and even groups threatening to go underground.... its a big problem right now.

Our school currently has 7 national sororities in PHC, 2 associates (including us), 9 national IFC fraternities (including one colony of ZBT), and many other local, NPHC, multicultural organizations. There is a local fraternity on campus that is looking to turn into a national. However, we have our ZBT colony that has struggled to get guys to become a chapter for a few years now, one is rebuilding their chapter, and another just got kicked off campus. If there were another national sorority to be looked upon to charter, PHC would probably look at us. But that isn't the goal of our chapter so expansion probably would occur only if another local sorority was started with the intention of chartering.

PHC houses are at or about total with the exception of one and then we are pretty high in numbers ourselves. IFC... well, the chapters are generally smaller but there are a few houses with about 60 guys.

So bottom line... no, expansion probably wouldn't be a good idea.

Yeah, but would be the only one on IFC to do so. Sigma Pi here was colonized but can't really be a chapter untill they come on campous. so are existing as kind of limbo state...not invited by IFC or some shit. That is so messed up. Because they would be the second fraternity on campous (we are first) that DOES not haze pledges.

YES YES YES YES! We have more fraternities than sororites especially with the addition of TKE, we need more sororities - but really cant do much until TPA gets their numbers up.

Nope. Everyone has to get at total first. And since coeducation for most of the fraternities it's been feast or famine. Every once in a while you hear people wanting ATO to come back (founded in Lexington, but at VMI) or the Delts (off since '95), but I think it would just kill another chapter.

Sororities may be able to expand within the next 10 years. There's a spare spot for one more house at the of "srat row" but we all have to get at total first... Who knows how long that will take??

Theoretically, yes... but it wouldn't be practical, especially now.

In terms of sororities, there are 5. 4 are at or over total, but 1 has pretty low numbers; bringing on a new sorority would kill that one.

There are a lot of fraternities - about 25, give or take (colonies form, chapters close...) There are also a few coed independent living groups. I would say that most men who are interested find a home.

Why not now: My school's greek system has just undergone two major changes. The school has gone to deferred rush (September for fraternities and ILGs, February for sororities), and freshmen are now required to live in the dorms (used to be that if you joined a fraternity or ILG you moved immediately into the house). Numbers were seriously hurt as a result. In the day, about 300-350 people in any given class would pledge fraternities and ILGs; this year it was about 250. Sorority quota used to hover around 30-32; this year it was 22. Sadly, I think some of the smaller houses may close within the next few years. :(

No way! We have 10 sororities, 5 of which are local. We only had 65 girls go through recruitment, due to the hideous reputation of the local sorority hazing. No way we can expand until they clean that stuff up!!!

shadokat: Where do you go to school?

archangel: What happened to Tri-Sigma? When I was at Duquesne from 97-98, they were there, but I haven't seen anything about them on Duq's Greek Life page.


My campus (Bethany College) needs to expand sorority-wise, but now is not the time. My chapter just closed last year, but the sororities remaining are now at around 75-80 with a campus total of 50 (which I'm sure can be raised). However, the housing for another sorority is available, but one sorority house itself cannot come close to giving that amount of girls a place to live.

I say the more the merrier as long it doesn't have a direct negative impact on the groups already there. If someone wants to be a part of XYZ organization and wants to start that chapter I don't it's fair to deny them. If someone doesn't like the greek organizations at their campus they shouldn't be forced to settle.

I'd like to see us expand more in the up coming years. But we have alot of stuff we need to fix as an IFC. So I'm thinking it might be a year or more before we take our hold off expansion. I want a bigger stronger system. But, I have seen smaller system that are strong and big systems that aren't strong at all. Which is why I feel we need to pay close attention to what the colonies are doing during their probationary period. This often reflects how they will conduct themselves after chartering.

oh and AngelPhiSig: I think it's admirable of TPA to have a chapter that small, it shows the ideal of sisterhood alot better than a chapter of almost 60 where you half to three quarters of the sisters don't get along. Quota, limit, and a single bid system are assinine. But, that a personal rant for another thread.

tri-sigma at duquesne was closed by their international organization.

All of the sororities do not have to be at total to open up to expansion. After formal recruitment they see how many women did not recieve bids to houses and the number that quota was set at. Like if 200 women did not recieve bids and quota was set at 54, then they could potentionally expand to 4 more sororities. It makes sense on paper, but if all but a few of the sororites are at total, then it would help out those smaller houses to not open up to expansion.

the case at PSK480 & AngelPhiSig's (and my) school though, there is one group way under total, and several groups slightly under. Only one or two are at it, I think. It's definitely not a situation where women are going unbidded - if we had 200 women go through rush period, it would be an event. If a woman really wants to be in a sorority and has an open mind, she can.

I would definitely not welcome sorority expansion here at Oklahoma. I'm not too familiar with all of the fraternities, but it seems that the 19 fraternities that we have are mostly doing well, and that system doesn't really need expansion.(I can think of a couple of exceptions, but who knows what will happen with them in the next few years.)

Our sororities definitely don't need to expand. Of the 12 groups we have on campus, 3 are way under total. One of those groups was re-colonized last year to add another house because of the rising numbers of PNMs, another was re-colonized about 5 years ago after Alpha Phi closed, and another had an incident in the late 80's-early 90's after which most of the house depledged. They're still rebuilding their house, 13 years later.

Until we can equal out numbers with some of these houses, or get some of the smaller houses closer to total, OU doesn't need to expand at all.

Ideally expansion would be nice, but most admins look down upon greek life. With the exception of the Dean of Students (who is greek himself) and several others. There is a bylaw in place preventing the creation of new Locals. I'm personally not very confident in the people "in charge" of greek life here right now... and many many others feel this way. Any one else in this situation?

Yes.
 

I personally would welcome expansion at UNLV. We're still very much a growing Greek community. Sigma Delta Alpha, a multicultural fraternity came onto campus last fall, and Kappa Sigma was reinstalled this semester. By Spring of 04, there will be another NPC sorority on campus. I would like to see another fraternity *cough* Sigma Nu *ahem* return to campus. But that's just my little personal preferance being an AXiD and all. So yes, I'm all for more GLOs coming to campus.

I'm still learning the ins and outs of expansion, but I know my school is expanding in September (adding one sorority, and maybe one more in 2005), and Pi Kappa Alpha just colonized here in 2003. I guess what I don't understand is why/how the decision to expand is made, especially when there are a couple of groups who are consistently under quota.

Ah, stupid newbie questions. Gotta love 'em! :D

There seems to be a Catch 22 case here!

If a campus has plenty of Rushees and they do not get a bid then why? If the Organizations are that selective and there are people looking to join up!

Why not expand?


If their are Chapters hurting, then why not help them instead of trying to force people to join them because of lack of membership!

If the week cannot survive, then let them be gone or get with the program and get help from their Nationals.

If you beleive enuff in your Org. and Your Chapter, get off of your duffs and bust some mean ass.

Just a thought, We all work together or We go down together!

My Old School has 6 Fraternitys and 3 Soroitys. All of the Fraternitys hate it!

Talked with the Greek Advisor, who whines, "well we do not have the 3 Soros. at capacity". Brain surgery is not her study of education.

Maybe there is a reason, DAH, women rushing think they are all bitches, snobs, or even lazy! Why join them!

I dont normally Name them But to show a point:

AGD, ASA, and SSS. This is no reflection on these fine Organizations, but the only ones on Campus.

At one time, we had ADP, DR(LOCAL THAT LXA Chapter help start), and KD.

If we as Greeks Dont help each other, we may be talking as Alums only!!!

I don't know that I've ever heard of a campus that didn't have more fraternities than sororities, but I'm also sure that I'll be corrected here if I'm wrong!

That said, I don't think Pitt should expand, Panhellenically. There are too many chapters not making quota, too many sororities that have thrown in the towel, to add another GLO. Over the years, I've seen so many good, strong groups somehow slip and go under when a shiny new colony starts up. I know that there are Pitt Advisors on GC - how many chapters have recolonized in the past 20 years? I can count seven (out of 11 sororities!), but maybe there's more?

Although, now that I've seen that there used to be Phi Mu and Zeta Tau Alpha at Pitt, I must admit that I'm intrigued...!!! :)

For sororities yeah, girls look hot in letters.

We actually just voted against a new sorority coming onto campus. We can't afford to allow any new GLO's on campus right now. We don't have a huge greek following on campus and all of the sororities are decently low in numbers- both nationals and locals. Until everyone can get their numbers up, we can't let any new organizations on campus.

Ahhh....I love your thinking :) That's what we're going through now, many of the sororities think we HAVE to pledge them and nothing else. Oye...*headache coming back*

I would love to see more expansion here at ole' Rio. Especially more National sororities...seeing that we have none. (well, if I have my way that will change) Also, I'd really like to see LXA and Theta Chi here. We only have 3 fraternities, 2 are national (TKE ASPhi) and one local. Alpha Sig will only have 8 actives next semester, I hope they can really boost their numbers.

I'm 100% for expansion. Greek Life here is starting to become a little bit better. My only Concern is that getting students to believe there is life on campus. Currently,Only less than 1% of the student population at Cleveland State are members of the Greek community. :(

I am anti-expansion right now. We already have 20 IFC fraternities. Membership ranges from 20-100. Some houses are really struggling despite the overall strength of the system. In the next 3-4 years, Sigma Chi, SAE and DKE are all coming back to campus. we only have 7000 students so 23 is a LOT to handle......

I don't know how I feel about it. We have 9 on campous fraternities (there are several groups who are underground) I don't know. It could be good, but only 45 guys came out to rush for all nine fraternites. I think once IFC gets stronger then we can expand. Or maybe expanding will help us.

we definitely won't be expanding at our school anytime soon (University of Toronto, Canada). we have 9 sororities and 17 fraternities, none of whom are at total.
we hope greek life will become more prominent on campus this year, due to the double cohort and that our numbers will go up. we are not recognized by the university.
:(

AAgamma girl- that sucks. I hope this next year holds some great new members for you!!!

As for my campus, I would definately say we won't be expanding. Just a few years ago, we lost DG, and other groups do not have as many members as they woudl like. If we were to expand, the university would have to provide housing... which is unlikely.

my campus will *hopefully* be expanding in 2004. My chapter is closing at the end of the year and Phi Mu is planning on recolonizing in fall 2004.

I wish Fresno State would get few more national fraternities, however there is a strong anti-greek feeling both from students and administration so I doubt we'll see any new greeks anytime soon.
The last fratenity to colonize at Fresno State was Theta Xi in the mid-nineties, they folded within a year. I've heard talk of Tri-Delt wanting to colonize but I think it's just a rumor, the sororities here, like a few of the IFC Fraternities are in bad shape in numbers.

I dont anyone else has brought up this aspect:
In my opinion i think an expansion of any greek system is very important. We have lost three sororitys on our campus in the time i have been there. I feel that a bigger greek system lends to a diversity with in the greek system. The three sororities that folded, they each lent a different feeling to the greek system. A lot of them were down to earth and each of them added something that a potential rushee could find a match with. The more you reduce the greek system the more girls that go through rush who will think ok greek life is not for me because maybe that sorority that went under last year would have maybe been her best fit. Im not sure if explaining myself well enough. For example, AGD went under the year i rushed. I really felt sad about that because i really felt that during rush i found these girls to be a great aspect of sorority life on our campus. Strong girls, involved on campus who were very friendly and down to earth. Take stuff like this away or prevent them from coming back (which i think they are...) then you are preventing people who would fit the best with agd from staying in rush. Our greek system likes to say that any girl who goes through rush will find a spot. Thing is a lot of girls drop out because they think it didnt feel right it didnt feel special enough, so then if there was more diversity then maybe they wouldnt feel that way because then more would truly find their spot.

My alma mater just expanded last year. I don't think they'll be ready to expand again any time in the near future.

We are expanding!
 

During the fall semester, USC panhellenic passed a vote to start the process of expansion. It was a very hotly debated issue, and only passed 5-4. Basically at USC, there are 2 houses that are WAY over total. We are talking total being around 160 and these two houses having around 250. Then there are three houses around the 170-200 area and three houses that are either right at total or just a few below. The problem is that since about 1980, USC has opened up for expansion about every 3-4 years, and then within two years of a new chapters colonization, an old chapter has gone under. The last house to go under for this very reason was Chi Omega in the late 90s.

Now, we are going through the process so we can officially open up for expansion within the next year. But I really do not see how this chapter will survive. At USC, no actives from other chapters can help with rush (alumni can.) How, when USC rush groups are about 50-60 rushees large will a new sorority get girls to join them? They will have to double and triple rush! There is no way that they will be able to compete with the 250+ houses.

Even the fraternities are against it at USC. Our bidding rate is pretty good (around 90% of those who go through a preference ceremony get a bid somewhere, not including snap bids.) So they feel that another chapter will only be getting undesirable girls. Lastly, every single sorority and fraternity at USC has a ahouse on 28th street. It will be very hard for a new chapter to obtain or fill a chapter house, and without a house, then rush will be even more impossible.

So in my opinion, its all up to the campus whether rush is a good thing or not. If the likelihood is that a new chapter will survive at a particular campus, then the more the merrier. But if the logistics of that campus make it almost certain that the chapter will not do well, then keep things how they are. Don't make people go through the trauma of finding a sisterhood and then being forced into alumnae status before they ever graduate.

Whew. That was the longest post ever!