If you could change one thing...
 

If you could change one thing about your organization at a/n (inter)national level, what would it be? Please feel free to PM me if you want. I will give you an example of mine: I believe philanthropy should be made more important. I also think one of our ceremonies contains some really outdated language and ideas.But I won't get specific on that!

I would say more support for the smaller chapters.

the one thing i would change is better fundraising so we can have a realistic budget. i have kept my reciepts for the past 2 years i have been rush chairman, and i have spent over 1300 dollars of my own money to fund my rush parties and events. we have not had a good fundraising chair until now but i doubt they will ever be able to pay me back. glad i am vp now not rush. poor guy.

As much as I love my sorority, there are two things I wish would change:

Our website. IMO it's outdated, it doesn't really tell all that much about us and it's B-O-R-I-N-G!!! I feel vaguely disloyal saying this, but when I look at Tri Delta's or Delta Gamma's website I always think to myself that I wish DZ's were like that too.

I mean, depending on whom you ask, we are either the first or second largest NPC organization. We're not some struggling national with three chapters or something like that, and our website should reflect that.


I also wish we would concentrate more on colonizing at "name" schools. Bigger schools with more name recognition. Although I am happy with recent colonizations at the University of Florida and Wake Forest.

I wouldn't change anything our Founders did because I don't think it is our place to do so, plus I love our Rituals the way they are :)

The only thing I would change about SAI is our National Membership Exam. I think it's sad that, with all that information on it, the one thing new members are NOT required to memorize is the Symphony!!

In addition, someone brought up at Convention in a forum with our National VP for College Chapters that there's almost too much info on that test, and that I think like she said, maybe some information should just be understood, not memorized for the test.

Kind of in the vein of what Arya said, more support when it comes to rush and risk management, especially for smaller chapters. We're losing one of our oldest chapters at the end of the year because of this, and I honestly think that we have enough money to provide more support, but we just don't.

Also, make it easier to change policies on the local level. I'm not talking about things like shacking and drinking policies (haha) but more in line with judicial things and the way things are run. At the beginning of this year in our chapter, our standards board was able to kick out an officer that they felt was not doing an adequate job (not for "standards"-related behavior, either -- it had to do with a decision she made for her office) even though the entire rest of the chapter disagreed with them. When we called our advisor about it she basically told us that we had no recourse because Tri Delta's national policies were set up to let standards could do whatever they wanted and they couldn't be changed -- not okay.

We got over the drama, but a lot of people became disillusioned and frustrated with national policies that they perceived as being "unfair" (including me, could you tell? :p ) and it all could have been avoided if we'd just been given a chance to contest standard's decision.

I would have to agree with you on this. My chapter is small and finally Nationals is actually paying attention to us, after maybe the 242371978 time we've asked em and it also be nice that the person who over see's our greek orgnizations and other orgnizations on campus actually pay a lil more attention to my chapter since she IS an AST alum!:mad:

More aggressive expansion/colonization process. At the moment, it's very effective. We've undergone some changes at a national level with expansion, however, we are generally only opening one new chapter per semester. Not fast enough in my opinion.

I feel kinda disloyal to say it but I would like AST to provide help to chapters to help increase our Alumnae base. We are small and we will need those alumnae to help sustain growth with our programs. It seems to be the key to a strong sorority, but I may be disillusioned cause my chapter is so young. I know some chapters have an amazing alumnae base...I dunno how to help my chapter get that.

Phi Kappa Psi
 

If I was answering this post's question ten years ago, my answer would have been the size of a book. We've got our act together, and I'm basically content. If there was still one thing that I would change, it would be to hire 1 more man for extension. This academic year, we will colonize at 5 campuses. I would like to see a sustained rate of extension of 8+ campuses for the next 20 years, and then drop it down to 2-4.

ETA: Now that I think of it, there is one thing that I would really like to change. I'd like to see a $100,000,000 fund to buy top flight houses for expansion, and for those chapters that need them.

Have more diverse RDs (Traveling Consultant). More from smaller Greek systems.

I think they really try. I know when I mentioned my interest in being a Consultant to one of our VPs, she got really excited about it, saying that they would LOVE TO HAVE someone with my background and experience to help chapters.

Most of our consultants come from big Greek systems--they are coming from environments that would be okay with taking a year off after college to work for a sorority. I don't see any of my chapter sisters or like-minded friends who would do anything like it.

Hmm what could I change about PDT?

Well, let's see....we've been around since 1848, and we've expanded to 181 chapters. I believe we should halt colonization for a while and focus on strengthing some of the smaller PDT chapters.

Depending on who you ask, PDT is somewhere in the Top 5 strongest fraternities in the nation, and the strongest internationally. And it should reflect even in the smaller chapters.

definitely would have to agree on the website thing. it looks professional but it has nothing on it. i heard at convention they were re-doing it but still haven't seen anything

more alumnae involvement. from what i have seen with aephi the alumnae get involved directly with national or chapter and i haven't really heard anything about regional alumnae groups. i think regional groups would keep the casual alumnae more connected - not everyone is going to be a hardcore national alumnae. i have also noticed that APH don't have many aephi's. I live in NYC where there are probably more AEPhi's than a lot of the big NPC groups but we didn't have anyone on APH until i told my chapter advisor about it and she got involved.

If I could change 1 thing about Phi Sig it would be

1) Our website... they just updated it like two year ago I think... but after seeing like Delta Gamma's and I think Pi Beta Phi's websites I have to say A LOT more information could be included in our website as well as I really wish we had a members only section where would could send in our reports and such instead of having to submit them the way we do, which is through E mail.. but it's quite annoying since each report has to go to like three different people... Humm.. what else...

2) More rush support from national... I know the other two orgs on my campus get some rush support from their nationals... I would like to see some kind of national program implemented to help us with formal rush the way they have come up with Vision for getting women through informal... I think that Phi Sig is sometimes so foward thinking that they forget that some traditional practices still take place...

Could not agree more on any of these posts.:)

LXA had a Great Web Site but developed some glitches and lost the web maker, went through another who did not last long and the Brother who was in the process of getting it updated resigned for other position!:(

While we do have a faily large aount of ELC ( Traveling Sec) with the size of LZA, it is hard to have enough to get around to all of them enough.

LXA is on a two pronged program of recolonizing closed chapters and into new schools.

Having House Building funds, well taht is another problem. We have LACP which is all volunteer to help in housing.

Check the LXA Web and go to properties.

But, here comes the But!

The small Chapters who run into trouble at times seem to have problems getting a Big helping hand from HDQ!

I do not know for sure what actually happened but the Chapter at Tx. Weslyn was closed for membership. I know a Brother there who was bitter about it, but still feels very strongly about LXA! Oh, He was the last Initiate there!:(

Beleive it or not, There Are Members of Hdq who are on these threads and see what is being said, good or bad!:cool:

Maybe they will happen across this thread!:D

Our website is embarrassing. They've been working on improving it for about a year now but they stopped for some reason. As one of the largest sororities, you'd think we'd have a decent website.

We do colonize a lot of chapters a year but they seem to be contained in the South. Specifically in Florida, Virginia, and South Carolina. We tried expanding to Kansas but our efforts were futile. I would like to see expansion out West and in the North.

Alpha Phi Omega: I would like to see more active regional alumni groups. There are only seven recognized alumni associations in the country!!

On a local note: I'd like to see us not be local. I want us to affiliate with a national, meaning, I want to see us more dedicated to the dream we were founded on.

i know the person who is updating your website! i think she was supposed to be starting in nov. she has gotten a little busy since she had a little legacy in dec! it is funny becuase i know her from the aph!



on topic....our website definately needs updating. our sisters only section has information from 2 years ago!!! it would be great to have more info and access to manuals, etc from the website.

i would love to see more recruitment training...like a recruitment boot camp or something. i would just want to make sure that different styles of recruitment were represented....not just rush from big southern schools.

OMG, I thought I was the only one who thought DZ's website was, shall we say, a bit lacking. I'm so glad someone else thinks so!

Other than that, though, I wouldn't change a thing. :)

Hey, we appreciate your kind words about our DG website! I was on a national committee this summer to evaluate it and make recommendations. All I can say is you haven't seen anything yet! Wait till we update it in 2004!

Good news! This is in the works...and its supposed to be awesome. Not sure how soon the rollout will be, but I do know an update is on the radar & it will be competitive! Yea!

ETA: I didn't say what I would change...and that would be that I would make it easier to donate to the Foundation. I wish there was an EFT/automatic draft function available (I've seen other National Org's web-sites with an option to make a donation from their web-sites as well). Anyway, for EFT, if I could set it up for the Foundation to draft $X from my bank account every month, I would be so much more into contributing. Sorry to admit it, but I am just lazy & sometimes writing a check at the end of a long day is more than I can do...I always forget & before I know it, its next years drive!

FWIW: The DG website as it currently looks was just launched at Convention in 2002. Prior to that, the DG website was (IMO) not too exciting. Thankfully, they did an overhaul and I think it looks great now.

I just want to comment that this is a great thread, where we constructively criticize. Keep up the good vibe!

I echo the website...and I WANT a Sisters-Only section....as long as I have been active, it's been down! I think the main website is actually really nice...although I do want that damn blurp about Beta Kappa taken off of there...you know what I mean Shelia...

Also, I'm being totally superfical, but I really love the color purple and wish it were one of our colors...ok...how stupid and superfical did that sound amoung I want more support from alum and I want more emphasis on philanthropy....

Ditto on that point. Also the way our election/slating (whatever you want to call it) is ran. Don't like it at all. Caused much drama in our chapter...not sure we'll be over it any time soon.

I hear you there!!!

I've met a bunch of your RDs, and that's true. And that would be great for our CLCs too! :D

I'd like to see DU have more of a presence in the South.

Change our philosophy on chapter expansion and retention.

I choose this because if this was done, other things would change as well.

that's not stupid at all!
 

I have a few friends that hate their colors, or mascot or whatever. That's why people get local colors sometimes I guess. I am so lucky I love all mine.

I'd say, and I'm sure all the other Beta's on this board would agree, more agressive expansion.

I could be happy with one or two more colonies at one time, but I'm sure that some of the other guys want 2-5 more per year.

BetaRulz
 

We'd like to have your Beta chapter back at Florida State. Can you lobby your National?

I understand completely. This is the third year in a row that we have had a split election. Our chapter is STILL not over the drama from 3 years ago... This year was the worst I've seen, so there is no telling how long it will be until we're over this one!


-Lindsay

:( Slating! OMG, Don't even get me started on slating. I hate the way we do that. Not to go into too much detail, but we have a Senior, Junior, Soph, and Freshman rep for every big committee ("Invitation committee for rush, slate committee-whatever) and basically you are eliminating the democratic process. If the entire chapter-minus 3 people -want to vote you in, but you don't selected for slate b/c one of them wants it, well you don't get it. We also tend to nominate everyone instead of a few people when it may something where feelings are involved. Like Sister of the Year, or Dream Girl. It usually goes to a senior. One or two people get nominated and then someone always says"I nominate all the seniors because they are all wonderful!" Which is actually very sweet, but kinda defeats the purpose.;)

I would like stronger chapters in the northeast and west.

About slating officers...can you not take nominations from the floor when the slate is first presented (the meeting before the vote, etc)? Otherwise, what's the point in actually voting? Another question...if everyone wants a certain person for President (example) and the slating committee doesn't put them in that office, why doesn't the entire chapter vote NO on the slate?

(We didn't slate when I was a collegian...we took nominations one week and voted the next.)

PsychTau

I know I'd like re-colonization and expansion to happen more frequently. I'd also like more chapters in the northeast and at smaller schools.

echoing ztangel
 

the most pressing change should be updating our national website. it is soooooo outdated and difficult to navigate.so what is the first thing they do?? change the main page?.........no. Change the navigation?.............no. they shut down the sisters only portion. go figure!! however, that is what sent me scurrying to greekchat, and i have never enjoyed myself more. lisa