Quick Question
 

What new colonies are we picking up this year?
I know Eastern Kentucky in the spring, but thats it

I'm pretty sure Bethany is re-opening.

They have a house and a huge alumni base. I think they were shut down like...maybe five years ago.

iowa, florida international, bethany, eastern kentucky
usc (fall 06), iowa state

i'm looking forward to see FIU's colony, i went there for 2 years (born & raised in miami) before transferring to UCF and rushing Beta. btw, hope everyone's having a great rush so far. We already had 6 guys accept their bids before rush started, and then by the end of the first night, we boosted our total to 15 guys (now at 22 after the 2nd day, we're on pace for 30 guys). This is the best rush the Zeta Psi chapter's ever had (we were founded in 2000, so it's easy to track when we've had good rushes still lol)

taking 30 pledges would more than double our current #'s... the pledge class could conceivably outvote the entire chapter on legislation if/when they got initiated. It's always a crazy thing for me to see how other chapters are doing.

I can't stress the importance of having continous rush. It's the best thing you can do as a chapter to bring in quality guys and to make your chapter stronger.

^ I completely agree. We hold "rush" events throughout the semester to attract guys for the upcoming pledge class(es).

I would like to see Beta break 200 chapters by 2010. There is no reason we cant do that. I personally don't like Beta being mentioned as a tier two frat nationally.

I know numbers are not the most important thing, but Beta needs to get a little more active in expansion and catch up with frats that are years behind us in being founded. It would also give us a larger safety net and bring in more quality guys that don't have the opportunity to be a Beta b/c we are not at their school.

I completely agree!

I think that 200 chapters nationally is going to be just a bit too ambitious at least by 2010. Beta Theta Pi doesn't have a tendency to expand quickly, we have a tendency to expand effectively. There are also so many chapters around the country that could really use the help of General that we shouldn't overlook them before being on such an expansionist mindset. Universities all around the nation are virtually begging Beta to come to their campus, but we need to make sure that we expand in the right way, and to the right places.

200 by 2020 would be a good theme!

I agree, expansion is key to our fraternity. It's like Rush for your chapter, but on a national level. We SHOULD be competing for that 'interest group' at XYZ university that is currently interviewing with Pike.

But, 200 chapters by 2010 is a little ambitious, but I love the thought.

About 5-10 years ago, General had a campaign of (I think) like 150 chapters by 2000 (or something like that), but that campaign was quickly axed.

Anyway, I agree, expansion is key to our fraternity. Afterall, we claim to be the 'pioneering' fraternity.

PS, I'd LOVE to see us get back to some of our closed-chapter campuses, as well as going to new campuses.....

I did a count one time (I was really bored) and we have had 198 or 199 chapters ever.

When I was at convention the point was brought up that nationals needs to help chapters already in existence and concentrate less on expansion...

I do not see how our GF can help individual chapters, nor do I see that as their job. The GF needs to concentrate on the larger issues and expansion. Chapters already in existence need to concentrate on their own improvement. Beta lets us have self-governing chapters but if we start running to them everything there is a problem soon they will have too much say in day to day issues of a chapter.

I actually dont understand the NEED to up their in the chapters... I understand the importance of expansion, and I especially think we need to revive the fallen chapters... but our first thing should be 'to make good men better' and make sure the fraternity is in a good place first.

This topic of expansion has been debated - sometimes quite ludicrously - for a very long time.

One of things you ought to bear in mind is that it USED TO BE the active chapters which concerned themselves over expansion.

It is the same reasoning as the idea of initiation. The active chapter (note the singular) selects her own members; the active chapters (note the plural) selects the schools where we are to grow our new chapters. That is why the alumni do NOT have a vote on granting/revoking charters! (Unless that was changed; I have not seen any recent versions of the Code, if such still exists.) It is a good and right thing.

Another interesting point: it was the first duty of the "assistant general secretaries" which we now call "district chiefs" to assist their chapters by doing the preliminary chores in preparation for the consideration of a new chapter. (Without examining the current methodology in detail I cannot comment whether such chores are useful or pointless; broadly, I think that far too much can be made of numerical measures. But this is going too far into details for my purposes now.)

I think it is a good thing to consider our inactive chapters, and try to restore them to life. It is also a good thing to look for other places... that is what our original founders did, and they went to Cincinnati, and if they hadn't we would not be here to talk about it (remember the snowfall in 1848!!!)

In any case it is most important that we seek those who will be good brothers. And I would let the other "frats" argue, and brag, about their counts. Better that we are good, according to our ancient lore.

(Please note that this is not an argument to be small - it is definitely an argument to be GOOD.)

And what do I mean by good? I often write it "3&7"... but this is where the hard questions come in.

Thinking about it, I believe both sides are necessary for effective expansion. There is a large negative conotation at universities about fraternities which far to often attract the men who relish in those negative spirits while turning away those who good men we are looking for. Our AO working on both sides will allows to spread Beta's initiative, while killing the negative cloud that rains on the greek world. I think it is necessary for the AO to work on both so that in the future we can be 200 chapters strong and be proud of all 200 chapters.

well, atleast its my humble opinion

Of course now, we as active chapters have no say in where we expand to next. I was at the last convention and nothing was brought up about expansion...besides raising our dues.:rolleyes:

It used to be that if a Beta transfered to a school without a Beta chapter he could start a colony there-but no longer. I don't understand the rhyme or reason behind Beta's expansion and I certainly don't get a say.

I think that there is some room to manuever, from where we are now, to where I would like to see us be.

What I mean is that it is widely recognized that we baby our colonies. The typical colony process is usually at 2-3 year process from founding fathers to charter. As far as I know we are the only organization that takes that long (might be an interesting poll in Greek Life forum). I know from UIFI and talking with the equivalents of our Leadership consultants found that some other orgs grant charters within as little as 8-12 weeks of colonization. I'm NOT arguing for such a policy, but I think that we could continue to expand that the 4-5 chapters annually AND help our struggling chapters more, if we were to sped up the process of our chartering. However, I realize that I came into a chapter that won a Knox the summer before I pledged, and have no idea what it's like to charter a chapter, so I could be wrong. I have a ton of respect for the amount of work that must be done to get a chapter off the ground. Also, I do realize that we have a much higher success rate for colonies sticking around as chapters and success in new chapters (Miami as an extreme example) after recolonization. For those guys who are parts of colonies/new chapters, you're perspective might be more appropriate.

But either way, expansion is important. The 3 and 7 have meant the world to me and I hope that as many as possible who deserve to know them, get that oppurtunity.

How can the undergrads not have a say about it? You guys are front line, you should be the ones gathering your old high school buddies at the University 30 miles down the street, and getting him interested in Beta. He can then start an interest group with your chapters help.

I find it funny that people think the A.O. isn't doing 'enough' to expand, when it's all of our jobs. How many local's have you contacted in your state, to see if they'd be interested in being a Beta chapter? I have contacted probably 6 myself, a chapter brother of mine is recruiting locals all over the U.S.

So, yes, the A.O. could be doing 'more' to get more colonies, but so can you and I.

As for the 2-3 year period for getting a charter, I say 'god bless'em'. I don't want to be like TKE and SPE, if we handed out charters like candy, nobody would want them. Its just like your chapter's rush, do you hand bids to just anyone and initiate them after 3 weeks? I doubt it.

Beta is highly respected in the GLO community. We'd lose that respect if we just opened our doors to just anyone.

When I was checking into that, I was told that Beta doesn't do that anymore.

A brother from my chapter transfered to another school and was interested in starting a Beta chapter there. If one guy could start a chapter fresh it would be him, but he was told no it couldn't happen.

Wow, I find that very interesting. I don't think our A.O. would ever turn a blind eye to a GOOD interest group. I'd love to see that rejection in writing......but then again, I am sure they are turning away from interest groups all the time, just because they don't fit the mold we call Beta Theta Pi. I can understand the A.O. turning bad interest groups away, but not a good one.

There was no interest group yet.

My brother, Mike, was interested in getting one started and to eventually apply to be a colony. However our EC said that was a no go, that Beta doesn't colonize like that.

ECs are great resources, but they dont know everything... try to find out first hand... try contacting JB Scherpelz, he is the director of Recruitment and Expansion... he is an excellent guy and responds to emails very rapidly... jscherpelz@wooglin.com

It will be intersting to see how the Betas will do at EKU. The chapter had gotten a bad rep. The new class of Men will need to take steps to over come the old image and rep. I from that area. I know the rep had gotten bad on and off campus.

Its pretty much the same with any reconolization, alot of back peddling because clearly the chapter did something stupid to get kicked off. Its just one of the many challenges being a Founding Father