your GLO and 2-yr/junior/community colleges
 

I have recently been appointed to serve as the Extension Chair for Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity. One of the things that I am tasked with investigating/researching regards GLO's and the aforementioned college-types.

If you would be so kind, if you know this information (and if it is not a breach of protocol to answer publicly), I would greatly appreciate any input from members of the various GLO's represented on GreekChat...



What GLO are you a member of?


Does your GLO have chapters at 2 yr/junior/community colleges? Why or why not?

If they do not have chapters, do they have any sort of 'feeder system' or affiliated clubs/organizations for your GLO?


Thank you in advance for reading and responding!

All NPC women's fraternity and sorority chapters are at 4-year colleges and universities only.

Thank you for your reply. So I am to understand that there are no 'affiliate' groups for any NPC organization at the aforementioned type of college, correct?

I am just trying to formulate a basis for my Fraternity to either pursue this, or to move in a different direction, and I am looking to see what is the 'norm' in the realm of other GLO's.

It had been discussed by LXA at Gen. Assembly and voted down to approach 2 year schools.

While the idea of feeder schools, it is still up to the local chapter to vote to accept transfers. It was decided that this was not a feasible way to do this and resoundingly voted down.

With APO if that is what you are discussing, then it may be a different idea.

There is a difference between Service and Social Greek Organizations of course.

Most definitely, there is a difference. WE know the difference, others not so familiar with the distinctions do not. I'm not afraid of doing something different - I am just researching if there is any sort of precedent of *any* GLO doing something like this: 'social,' service, professional, etc etc.

No, the NPC doesn't have affiliate groups. 4 year universities only.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no GLO that is represented at both four-year and two-year institutions or even have affiliates at 2 year institutions. There are some Greek letter honoraries specific to 2 year institutions, but I don't believe they have a 4-year school equivalent.

I seem to recall a discussion on GC a while back that Teke once had some chapters at 2-year institutions, but I don't think they do anymore.

While the majority of our chapters are at 4-year colleges/universities, Tau Beta Sigma & Kappa Kappa Psi have a few chapters at 2-year schools.

wow - I didn't know that KKY and TBS had chapters at 2-year schools! Thanks for your input!!

I know that both Pi Lambda Phi and Sigma Pi have chapter(s) at 2-year colleges. They both have chapters at Vincennes University which is 2-year.

I have a friend who was a Sigma Pi at VU and then transferred to a 4-year school. He had to go through the normal process to affiliate with the Sigma Pi chapter at his new school, but he was able to do it.

Even though it is predominantly a 2 year school, VU does offer some 4 year degrees.

http://www.vinu.edu/cms/opencms/futu...reate_degrees/

I recall a thread that mentioned that Sig Ep had a chapter at a two year college. I may be wrong though.

I think their magazine's foundation report listed a dormant chapter at Tyler Junior College (Tyler, TX))...this is the only one I know of for Sig Ep. I've heard TKE had a couple somewhere.


Quala, something to keep in mind is with a JuCo you'll be turning your chapter's membership over every two years, if not more frequently. I'm not sure what APO's average tenure is like (I think my fraternity's about 3 years as an undergrad), but with constant turnover it would be tough to keep a chapter going and continuously moving forward. An alumni support group would need to be extremely hands on.

For what it is worth, Sigma Pi was founded at Vincennes University. I seem to recall (from friends who are Sigma Pis) that their Alpha chapter was closed for many years. Not sure why, but perhaps - and pure speculation on my part - it might have been a requirement by the NIC that to be a member of the NIC, all chapters had to be on a four year campus. In any case, many years later, the Sigma Pi IHQ made an acceptation to their "four year colleges rule" (and perhaps the NIC, if it was necessary to do so) so that their Alpha chapter could be re-chartered at Vincennes. I'm thinking this was in the 1960s or early 70s.

I didn't know that Pi Lambda Phi had a chapter at Vincennes. According to their website, their Vincennes chapter was founded in 1996. Again, this is just speculation on my part, but perhaps this may be after VU began to offer four year degrees.

another thing to consider, would be that the member transferring in from a two year college may not be invited to affiliate with the chapter at the 4 years institution. the two chapters could have widely different personalities, and the transferee would not fit in. there is no guarantee that a member will be allowed to affiliate, plus the volumn of members transferring from two year colleges to four year colleges could be so vast that it would be impossible to accomodate them all.

re: VU/Sigma Pi
 

TSteven, you are correct about your VU/SP post.

The situation was that VU used to be a 4-year college, and Sigma Pi
was founded there. Then VU became a 2-year college. NIC rules (at that
time) forbade chapters at 2-year colleges, but eventually an exception
was made just for Sigma Pi at VU so they could reopen (or keep open)
their Alpha chapter.

Now the NIC does not have a rule against chapters at 2-year colleges.
As Tom Earp mentioned, LXA considered expanding at 2-year colleges
a few years ago (I was at that Gen. Assembly). Before GA, when the
issue was being informally discussed, I sent an email to LXA HQ:
"do NIC rules prohibit this? They used to!" Someone at HQ checked it out with
NIC and found their rules no longer prohibit this.

Still I don't think its a good idea in general....2-year students/colleges
are very different than most 4-year....just think of the turnover!
No one in the chapter would be active more than 2 years!

You have to be invited to affiliate even though you're a fully initiated member? It makes sense that not everyone would be able to live in-house, but am I reading right that you also might not be allowed to affiliated at all with the chapter?

This wouldn't be a big deal in APO. I've never heard of any transfer brother being turned away.

I agree with this, and it's very good, helpful advice.

APO used to have something called extension membership. If I were to bring it back, I would use it as a way for Community College students to pledge at established chapters at 4-year universities.