Why is this happening?!?!
 

Ok so tonight at chapter our panhel rep brought up an issue that they want us to vote on. There is a chapter on our campus (I'll call them XYZ) struggling with membership and if they do not have 100 members by next December and 65 girls living in the house their charter is gone. Now our greek system here at Mizzou is HUGE but unfortunately it's also very competitive and cutthroat. This house is asking if anyone would mind if they brought in other members from different chapters to help with fall recruitment so they wouldn't have to double or triple rush girls. This isn't against ANY rules but they were just giving the 13 other houses a heads up, which I think is the classy thing to do. My chapter sees no problem with this AT ALL, we don't want them to lose their charter, b/c we know how much our sisterhood means to us so it must be similar for them and I can't imagine losing my chapter. Now the problem is though bigger houses out of the 14 that have like 200 or 240 members are OPPOSED to this and are saying that they're going to tell PNM's in the fall that some of the women rushing them at XYZ aren't members here. Who cares? They're still XYZ sisters! I don't understand why the chapters that aren't even COMPETING with this chapter are being so cold and hurtful about this. It really discourages me and makes me sad to be part of this greek system. Does anyone have any similar stories, or ideas about anything that can be done? I don't think anything can and that makes me very sad. :(

I think your attitude truly shows the panhellenic spirit!

I cannot understand why successful chapters would not want to do everything in their power to help the smaller chapters - especially when it means (literally) the life or death of a chapter. And in this case, the larger chapters are not being asked to do anything except be supportive.

You are absolutely correct - the chapter did not have to give anyone a heads up that they were going to be doing this. I do think it is classy that they did. And I think that you are classy to be so supportive.

FAB, I commend you for your statement!!

Dont the Greeks at Ole Mizzu know that the weekest link is still important!

I know LXA was taken off of Campus, but they are recolonizing again!! :)

Just when in the hell are Greeks going to come to the realization that it is US against the rest of the campus?

Just what the hell is wrong with Greeks Helping Greeks!:confused:

It is a sad commentary when a 65 member Group is threatened to be taken off of Campus!:mad:

Fab i'm glad you're standing up for this chapter. The reasons small but good chapters fail are many, but one of the most important is that they don't get much, if any, backing from the rest of the greek community. Continue to fight for these women to retain their charter. I know how hard it is to have to close due to low membership and I would never wish that on anyone else EVER.

I think your spirit is amazing because a couple of years a go....I belonged to a chapter much like this and if it hadn't been for help from other houses we would've never made it. HANG IN THERE....You'll be rewarded. Let's here it for Panhel's MVP!!!

-MLK

If there is nothing in the rules saying they can't do it, then does the vote even matter? Are there rules saying that the members from the other school can't talk to the pnm's or anything like that? I've never heard anyone having a problem with it before, but maybe that's because the only ones I know about had always been kept more of a secret.

FAB, I think you and your chapter should be proud they show what panhellenic spirit is all about!

If there is nothing in the rules that opposes it, why would the bigger (240 members :eek: ) chapters have a problem with it?

Honestly - how can those other chapters be so heartless and cruel!! :mad: All I can say is, karma bites you in the ass eventually - if that is how you treat the weakest among you, sooner or later it will come back to you tenfold. If the other chapters bring it up, t will just make them look bitchy to rushees, imo.

Laura, I think that the "vote" is more of a courtesy to the other chapters so they know this is happening (in case XYZ's national prez or something pops up, for example) because whether this sort of thing is permitted should already be in the bylaws. If it's not mentioned, they can't shut the barn door after the horse is out. As previously stated, giving the other chapters a heads up is the nice and classy thing to do. It's sad when you have to be sorry that you were nice to someone.

It's my understanding that the XYZ members from the other school would have to be distinguished from the Mizzou XYZs anyway. Like, their name tags would have to make note of the fact that they're from another chapter. So it's not like it would be this massive deception anyway.

I do kind of see where the objections are coming from in that I don't think it would be fair to have PNMs think that all the XYZs are from Mizzou, and then after the PNMs have accepted their bids, half the XYZs pack up and leave for their college. But as long as it's made clear that some of the XYZs aren't from your school, I don't think there should be any problem with it.

Does anybody know the official rules on this kind of situation?

FAB, was this already voted on?

I also agree with 33girl when she said if the bigger chapters bring it up during recruitment to the PNM's they are going to come across as very mean.

Fab,
I wish you went to my school and were on pahellenic there...we are having that problem, but instead of helping other houses do ours the disservice of talking crap during rush and telling PNMs that they shouldn't join our house because it's going to close. With more members like you in a greek system smaller chapters have a chance. Thank you for sticking up for the smaller chapter. Thank you, from my heart.

Wow, that scenario is so sad. :(

How far away are they from their hundred? Do you have any idea of the general consensus of the chapters on campus? Perhaps if they are a minority, they could somehow be shamed into silence by the other chapters? (IMHO, they should be ashamed that they are even thinking of doing that! What a horrible thing to do, kicking a chapter when its down!)

*fervently gives thanks for her wonderful campus and Panhellenic*

Re: Why is this happening?!?!
 

Every member of every sorority should write a 5 page paper about the meaning of the Panhellenic Creed. :p

Seriously, though. . .I just don't understand. I have a hard time believing that this chapter will wow everyone so much that EVERY PNM will suicide that sorority and leave the 13 other houses with ZERO new members. What's the point of being a national sorority if you can't take advantage of it's resources? It burns me up to no end to see this. There are PLENTY of women to go around. The more we believe that, the more secure we will be in our sorority, the more confident we will be, and more women will be drawn to us and into Greek life.

Isn't that what we want?

You know, the more I think about this, the more I want to kick the butts of these chickie-babes who obviously know nothing about sisterhood, maturity, or Greek unity.

I wish that the women in the chapters that are protesting could hear from some of THEIR sisters who were in a chapter that struggled and/or eventually closed, and have them explain how painful it is.

Whoever said the vote doesn't really matter was right it doesn't, XYZ just did a proposal to give a heads up to all other greek houses. Even if these big houses vote against it I know they'll do it anyway b/c when they come back in the fall they will only have 55 members, that is if NONE of their current members leave besides graduating seniors and my campus seems to have a problem with retention anyway! So quota is usually like 65ish, so they're going to have to meet that to retain their charter and last year 7 of the 14 houses didn't make quota at first, but most of us snap bidded/COB'd up to quota so hopefully they will be able to do that! They were never going to try to pass off their visiting sisters as Mizzou sisters, they have a small presentation prepared for 9 party day to let the PNM's know what was going on. Last year we had over 1000 girls going through rush so on the first day we had parties of at least 85 or 90! :eek: I fully support them and I hope they get everything worked out ok, one of the nicest girls I first met when I got to college is an exec member of XYZ and I know how much her chapter means to her and it would be horrible if they lost their charter. :( I hope things work out for them!


Edited to add: AXWoah...clean out your PM box, I tried to send you a message but it says your box is full! :D

FAB, as many others on this board did, I commend you and your chapter for really being mature and Panhellenic about this whole thing.

I just wish members of my chapter could be more like you guys... people seem to oppose EVERYTHING that has to do with recruitment changes and as recruitment chair it's my job to present it all to Panhellenic...when I AGREE with Panhellenic, not my chapter, on most of these things.

Enough complaining though, you guys sound amazing and people should follow your lead.

Fab,

God bless your Panhellenic spirt! I think the chapter should be allowed to bring in other sisters from other campuses. What an excellent selling point for them to show the PNM that sisterhood (at their chapter and in general) is not just inside that particular chapter. I wish them the best of luck and I hope you'll let us know how it goes! :)

Fab, I wish there were more chapters like yours out there. The reality is that sometimes even bringing in non-chapter sisters still backfires. Trust me, though, those chapters need all the support they can get. A Panhellenic is only as strong as it's weakest chapter. Kudos to you and your sisters for getting it.

Fraternally,
Christin

Way to be classy, Fab :) It's wonderful that you & your chapter are so mature & understanding about this issue. And shame on those other chapters who have a problem with what XYZ are proposing to do!

I think that what XYZ is planning on doing could really work out to everyone's advantage. PNMs can really get a feel for how you have sisters all over the country, not just Mizzou & how sisters are there when you need them.

FAB, let me also commend your Panhellenic spirit. :)

With only 55 returning members at a school where total is 160 and some chapters are around the 250 mark ( :eek: ), allowing alums and actives from other chapters to help out with rush is only the right thing to do! They can pair up each alum with an active from Mizzou and have each pair rush 2 women during round 1.

I really don't understand why the big chapters are being such sticks in the mud... do they really thing that letting XYZ bring in some "outside help" so they have a shot at getting close to quota will really hurt their numbers all that much? Wow, they might end up with only 249 members! :rolleyes:

I hope everything works out. :)

Fab, you are correctly named! Kudos on your Panhellenic Spirit!

A very similar thing happened on our campus (but with smaller numbers!) when I was an active. I wrote letters to the National Panhellenic Council, our EO, and anywhere else I thought would help. Luckily, your group seems to be smart enough to go ahead with their plans.

I hope someone reminds the other sororities that the shoe could easily be on the other foot, and THEY could be the ones who are struggling.

Please consider running for a Panhel office, Fab - we need more people like you! :)

Good for you FAB! You embody the panhellenic spirit. I wish that all of the chapters on your campus would follow your lead.

OMG Excuse the language but this is BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I too go to Mizzou...do those bitches not understand that THEY CANNOT EVEN PERFORM RUSH without those girls from other schools?????
There is no physically possible way 55 people (which, with graduaters/transferers) can handle a party of 90 people without getting in trouble for hotboxing/dirty rushing...let alone being totally overwhelmed. Let XYZ do whatever is within the rules to get the maximum help-- at least so that we'll all be on the same level during rush.

I missed chapter on Monday but I think, actually I KNOW we could care less. They have been struggling for at least 4 years and who are we to cry that something's unfair???? I think it's unfair to not get partners for Homecoming, or not have enough $$ for parties, something that has happened to them lately. Why in the hell would houses who ARE ABSOLUTELY NO COMPETITION even give it a second thought???!!!

Sorry I am soooo riled up right now :mad: :mad: At Mizzou (and FAB and I have talked about this before) we have, like, a 3 tier system. The "worhsipped/ top tier" houses don't even come in contact with those on the lower rung. Personally it makes me sick, but it's just how it is. They are so quick to act like they wouldn't concern themselves with a smaller house, but now that they're getting some help those bitches are suddenly acknowledging their existence. UHHHHHHHHHHHH!

And Tom, you actually brought up a good point...without knowing it, haha...Lambda Chi Alpha left our campus a couple of years ago, for lack of involvement within their chapter. They recolonized this year, and we are partners with them for Homecoming next year. I couldn't be more excited, they already have about 70??? guys, and are bigger than some of the smaller houses that have been here for awhile. And they have been welcomed with open arms. The guys are so much cooler about this crap...... and FAB's house just got here too! They came last year and we were so quick to welcome them......where is this loving Greek support now that XYZ needs it??!!!!!

All I have to say is that I hope the chapters that don't like this situation can act like FAB and be Panhellenic minded. They need to be concerned about their OWN chapter and not cause Panhellenic conflict and not distrupt the unity that NPC strives for at every campus! Like others have said-what chapter XYZ is doing, is not going against any rule and it would very upsetting for the current active members to lose their chapter becasue others didn't like the support services that chapter XYZ's alumni and nationals are providing them. BEST OF LUCK TO THAT CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!;) FAB and others at Mizzou-keep us updated!

Jules~

You are going to have so much fun with the Lambda Chi's, all the ones I met are SOOOO fun and incredibly good looking! And I understand your anger, I too am so upset, but even more sad than mad.


I just don't get these houses AT ALL! Why are they being so selfish? I wish these bigger "powerhouses" would realize that us smaller houses down in the middle and the bottom of the system have amazing sisterhoods too, and we have just as much to lose as the next person. No one houses sisterhood is any more important than anyone else's, but these big houses seem to think that if they win everything that makes their sisterhood and sorority more important. I feel like I am in jr. high all over again. :(

Ladys, thank you for the kind words for My Brothers at M U!!

It is a shame that Greeks on individul campuses do not figure out that they are no stronger than the weekest!

It is no harder in Bigger Schools than it is in smaller schools!

But, I think if anyone checks, the % of Greeks per school enrollment is lower than it has been for a long time!:(

Re: Re: Why is this happening?!?!
 

ha ha ha ha ha.. yes they should!


I wish XYZ the best of luck with recruitment!!! I can't believe a house of 55 women getting their charter pulled tho.. that's a wonderful size!

Re: Re: Re: Why is this happening?!?!
 

Actually, that just happened to one of our chapters! They had over 50 sisters, but only 3 would live in the house. I think that says more about the housemother than the sisters, though.

I hope the "small" sorority goes ahead and does what's right AND not against any Panhellenic rules I've ever seen - and rushes with alumnae or other chapters!!

EVERY chapter goes through ups and downs and, even though they might not be around to see it, the chapters these nastyass witches are from are going to go through their downswing one day.

When that happens, I fervently hope that "what goes around comes around"

Everyone else on here is right, where is their Panhel spirit???

Re: Re: Re: Why is this happening?!?!
 

It's not a bad size, but average chapter size on this campus is around 150/160ish...and there are several groups at 200, and one group at 240 :eek:, and there were over 1000 girls going through rush last fall. It's just very small when compared to the other numbers on this campus!

I sincerely hope everything works out for them, I will let you guys know if anything else happens! :)

It actually is a pretty poor size, considering our soror # stats....on other campuses it would be fine but here its really affecting their livelihood....for things like homecoming where its ALL work and about who has the biggest #'s to get things done, obviously they're going to have a harder time finding someone who wants to work with them.

Here's to hoping things work out. :(

I was just wondering if the National Headquarters of XYZ have offered to help them? Or are they helping them by bringing in other sisters? If for some reason XYZ doesn't make quota this year a great idea would be in the weeks after bid day to have a special XYZ rush. Where all the Greek guys and gals are wearing buttons like go XYZ and all unafliated fr, soph, and jr women in the college are invited to a rush party at XYZ house. With the massive PR for XYZ that occurs with their special rush they are sure to get more women! Sorta like a refounding their chapter... I have seen this work and it does wonders! The problem is you have to get ALL other sororities involved and I am guessing your campus might not like that since they are so competative but its just a thought! :)

I have an idea for XYZ...

Before we closed our PHC and IFC helped us out by wearing T-shirts with our letters...

Front: A New Begining in ASA(in greek letters) Come Join the Fun

Back: Greeks Support Greeks (surrounded by all of the GLO's, much like a Greek Week shirt could be)

Even if not ALL the other soroities are willing to buy and wear them you can probably get a bunch of Fraternities to buy and wear them.

It was too little too late for us.....but it could help XYZ

when i rushed, my chapter had sisters from other chapters present. while talking to those women, they said that they weren't from the campus, but they were very knowledgeable about phi mu. they didn't have different name tags or anything. if they were asked a campus related question, they deferred it to one of the chapter memebers. as far as the other sororities on campus go, no one made a big deal about having other sisters there (at least to the rushees), however, there were many comments of "oh, well phi mu is closing, so you probably don't want to go there." for the 3 years i was in the chapter, the other groups said that. we always had a ton of rushees ask us when we were closing bc they heard at xyz party that we were!!! ugh. i really hope that panhel pulls it together for these women. being in the smaller chapter is a lot of work....but that doesn't mean the sisterhood is any less.

FAB and AXJules:
I hope you can spread some of your Panhellenic spirit around!

I pledged in 96 and there was a chapter on campus with the same problem. They had been recently colonized and their Nationals had pretty much left them on their own without much support. I know ZTA and another chapter tried as hard as possible to get the word out and help this chapter. We even held an ice cream social in our suite as a rush event for them. I would take down names and numbers of unaffiliated women in my classes fo them. Unfortunately, it didn't work out for them and they ended up closing.

Maybe at the next Panhellenic meeting some of you can take a stand and help them out.
I hope it works out!

JohnsDGsweethrt & AlphaFrog have great ideas for XYZ :) I hope things work out for XYZ, and I hope the greek community can support them
:)

Those ideas are awesome! Sadly though I really don't think many of the houses on our campus would be willing to help like that, but it might be worth a shot. As for their Nationals helping them, I know that they came in last fall during recruitment and tried to help them then and they did several informal rush events throughout the year, but I think they only ended up with 11 new members, and I don't think all of those new members stayed. :( They are pretty much at the very end here, which makes me sad b/c I wish there was something I could do to help, but this system is so messed up and so wrapped up in politics and things that it's hard to get your voice heard.

Are the women from XYZ's other chapters that are coming in to help from schools in the area? That might actually work better than having chapter consultants or national reps come in...because as someone else pointed out what works in Louisiana doesn't always fly in Ohio. A school local to the area will be more familiar with the culture of the campus, etc. Not only that, there's a possibility they will know some rushees and connections can be made that way.

I'm pretty sure they're talking about bringing in girls from local colleges. We have about 7 other big schools here in Missouri. Last year I know they brought in girls from one other school about 20 minutes away....if it wasn't a big deal then, why now??

Just to clear something up- they haven't recently colonized. They've been on campus forever and used to have pretty decent numbers, although from what I've heard the reputation was fairly the same.

The T-shirt idea.... we tried something like that to coordinate when they were COB'ing girls last year. No houses decided to participate in wearing them.