Duke & ZTA
 

Do any of you know anything about ZTA and Duke University in NC?

I am an ADPi at Duke and I have always heard that we at one point had a ZTA chapter here until the early 1990s, when it closed due to numbers. Unfortunately no one seems to know for sure.

A lot of chapters at Duke had some trouble from 1960s-1980s when greek life was going through a downswing (or at least according to my mom, who was a Theta here in the 70s). We also used to have Kappa Delta too, but they closed roughly the same time as ZTA did. Alpha Phi closed in the 60s or 70s I think, but just recently came back on campus.

Why do I ask? There are rumors circulating that our Panhellenic is looking to expand and bring in another sorority. Unlike places like Ole Miss or other "big south" schools where a sorority might not be able to "come back" after such a situation, NO ONE at Duke knows anything about ZTA or its Duke history (nor would they care, frankly, if they closed b/c of this or that almost 15 years ago!). A bunch of us were wondering if anyone knew the Duke-ZTA connection/history was???

ZTA's Phi Chapter was installed at Duke University in 1915. I am unsure when the chapter closed. I'm hoping that when our new website is launched this summer they will have a section that includes the date of chapter foundings as well as the date of closings (much like TriDelta has on their website).

It would be great to see a ZTA recolonization at Duke. I think a ZTA chapter at Duke would do phenomenally. We have a lot of alum support in NC.

gosh,
 

wouldn't it be great if we could re-colonize at duke? fingers crossed!!!

I don't want to spread rumors and am apprehensive about posting this but my biological sister was/is a ZTA and she said the chapter at Duke pledged a girl. She was a great girl. Then it came out that she was the president of the gay/lesbian club. And they couldn't recover. Which is really awful. Her penpal was in that chapter and they (my sister's chapter) were so new and it was devastating for them to hear about a chapter failing like they did so quickly.

Wow...I can only hope that this was not the reason the chapter folded. How sad that people were so close-minded that it caused a great chapter (that had been around for years) to close.

I'm guessing the chapter was probably having other internal problems and this issue may have been the straw the broke the camel's back.

I think this is one of those weird rumors that gets around because I've heard the same thing about other GLO's at different schools. This is at least the 4th time I've heard this about 3 separate groups. It could be true but I'm a little skeptical. You never know though.

Panhellenic Extension Presentations are at Duke from Sept. 1-10. Does anyone know if ZTA is presenting?

ETA:
aopirose answered my question for me in the Greek Life Forum's Duke Expansion thread. Here's the link: http://www.duke.edu/web/panhel/newspage.html They announce under 8/30 that Kappa Delta, Sigma Kappa, and Zeta Tau Alpha will be presenting.

Best of luck to the ladies that are presenting!!!!!

Good luck to all of the chapters presenting and GOOD LUCK ZTA!!! :D :D :D

The vote is taking place today!!!!!

:::keeping fingers, toes and everything else crossed for luck:::
:D

ZTA WAS SELECTED AT DUKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:D :D :D :D :D

http://www.chronicle.duke.edu/vnews/.../41540b3661433

The article says we received 6 out of 9 of the votes. That's awesome!!!!

Woooo Hooooo!!!!!

Go Zeta! :D :D :D

I guess we get our Phi chapter back! I'm so proud of ZTA!

That's great news!! Go Zeta, Go Zeta, Go Zeta....!!

Congrats to ZTA and to Duke on the addition of a great chapter!

\^^^/

Wonderful news! I love hearing about chapters that are reopening!

Congrats to ZTA!

hooray
 

for us!!

Congratulations! A fine fraternity for a fine university!

Recolonization of the Phi chapter begins soon! Here is the information from the ZTA website:

Zeta Tau Alpha has been invited to re-colonize our Phi chapter at Duke University. Traveling Leadership Consultants will arrive on campus January 30th and will begin to register Potential New Members to attend our Colonization Recruitment events. These events include: Infoview sessions (a 20 minute one-on-one appointment with a ZTA National Officer) will be held beginning Sunday evening Feb. 13th and will continue during the day on Monday Feb. 14th and Tuesday Feb. 15th. Infoviews will be held in the Bryan Center Meeting Room A. Our “Experience ZTA” Open House Party will be held on Feb. 14th at 7 p.m. in the Bryan Center Von Canon A&B. Our “Think Pink” Philanthropy Open House Party will be on Feb. 15th at 7 p.m. in the same location. Both of these informational recruitment parties are open to all unaffiliated, undergraduate women at Duke University. We will hold our invitation-only Preference Party on Wed. Feb. 16th. PNMs will have had to attend an infoview appointment to be eligible for attendance at this event. Our Bid Day celebration will be held on Thursday Feb. 17th.
If you need additional information about our colonization activities at Duke University please contact ztaextension@zetataualpha.org or call the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at 919-684-9401.

If anyone is involved in the recolonization, make sure to keep us updated!

it's interesting that we're coming back to campus almost exactly 10 years after we left.

I wish everyone at Duke the best of luck!!

Today is Bid Day. Has anyone heard any news?

nope
 

nope, but i will see what i can find out

don't have any real numbers yet, but heard that the initial numbers were not as good as they had hoped.

I'm more than confident that we'll get the numbers up. There's so much alum support there plus ZTA is very popular in the Carolinas!

the information i passed on was from the director of new chapters who is over the fgcu chapter. by lower than hoped for initial numbers, i meant the number of women who showed up for infoviews.i hope you are right nicole, although from what we all have read on greekchat about duke, it is a whole different ballgame when it comes to greeklife there.zeta does have an excellant reputation in the carolinas so maybe that will shine thru. if i hear anything else, i will let you all know.lisa

Any new info? I'm going to be there on March 1st. VMI is playing Duke in lacrosse and my brother plays for VMI. I'm going to try to do some investigating while I'm there but any info would be great. :D

Phi colony's first meeting was yesterday
 

I'm so sorry not to have posted sooner. I'm the president of the alumnae chapter in this area and we are absolutely thrilled that Phi has recolonized. As someone previously mentioned it was a little touch and go last week during recruitment. Total on this campus is somewhere around 100 to 110 and there are 4 large chapters that are in the neighborhood of 150. They actually felt too big and impersonal and so the decision was made to invite a new sorority to help spread the numbers and reduce the oversized chapters. Three sororities presented, all of which had been at Duke before, but Zeta's presentation WOWed the group.

One or two TLCs were here in late January to publicize the recolonization and to start gathering names of interested unaffiliated women. February 14th there was a national team here including 4 TLCs, NP, ExtDir, ExecDir, VPAII, and Dir. of New Chapters. With total being what it is at Duke, National Council had set a goal of pledging a certain number of women to make the chapter happen. Disappointment struck on the 14th when only about 60 interested women showed up for the presentation, not close to the "magic number." The women were told that unfortunately that they would not be able to form a chapter with only 60 women. The "rushees" were so gung-ho about being Zetas that they asked what could be done. Deb Ensor told them to each bring a few unaffiliated women with them the following night. The Zetas at NC State who had come to help on the 14th offered to go back to the dorms with the "rushees" and help recruit more women. Everyone was so disappointed. It really looked like the chapter was not going to happen.

The following night the numbers had greatly increased. A few of the "rushees" were apparently great rushers themselves and were able to recruit several women. The national team conducted interviews and went forward with the rush plans. The national team was selective and so some rushees were not invited to the last party. It was clear that the national team wanted to put together a group of women that would be successful and competitive on Duke's campus, not just take all that they could to meet the numbers. They were very close to their magic number, the biggest factor was whether everyone who was extended a bid accept it?

The third night was pref. The Zetas at UNC-Chapel Hill sang "Feels like Home" acappella and Deb Ensor sang the Founders Song. It was beautiful and very touching. The entire group was offered a bid right then and there. A small few had to think about it and that pushed the pledge number just under the "magic number." But the national team did not give up. They stayed late that night, put together a game plan, made some phone calls and visits and rushed the uncertain girls and some new ones as well.

Bid night was Thursday and they had exceeded the magic number! By Saturday at formal pledging, the numbers had increased even more. And by Tuesday's first meeting of the colony, there were 5 more new members of Phi colony!

It was certainly a roller coaster ride of a week. But everyone here in the triangle is THRILLED that Phi is making its comeback. The challenge now is to keep all these women and reach 100% initiation, which is planned for April. With the numbers being so close, you can bet that National Council, TLCs and the Director of New Chapters is working very, very closely with this group and will be for some time. No one wants to see us lose Phi chapter ever again.

Katy Williams

wow
 

what a terrific story. congratulations to all who worked so hard to make the recolonization of phi chapter a reality!! sounds like there are quite a few natural born leaders in the colony. with the support of national officers and the local alumnae chapters it should be a successful colonization. what a way to make lemonade out of a "lemony" situation!! please keep us posted on their progress. zl, lisa

Yay! I'm so glad to hear that our colonization at Duke has been successful so far! Make sure to keep us updated!

YAY! I am soexcited to hear about Duke recolonization. My mom went there and had a few ZTA friends (she was a DG). I would love to go down there, maybe the new members can hook me up with a basketball ticket Duke vs. UNC! :p

The Phi chapter will be rechartered this weekend on April 16. :)