Clemson Recruitment
 

Hi, any word on how recruitment is going at Clemson? It looks like they have a second night of prefs tonight starting at 5:30.

I am in upstate SC not far from Clemson and there is really bad weather today from the remnants of Fay. It looks like there was a possible tornado near downtown Clemson just a few minutes ago. The news says lots of trees and power lines down, although it didn't indicate anything on campus.

Edited to add: Several Clemson students have called into the news and said they received texts to get to the basements of their class buildings. Many have talked about seeing the tornado around campus (Hwy 93 and Littlejohn) and that power was out in their parts of campus. Yikes!

Clemson recruitment
 

From what I hear, bid day (or bid night as they're doing this year) will go on as scheduled. It's tonight!

I've only heard fragmented info from my sisters through text messages. I graduated last year and I'm 500 miles away, so I'm a little out of touch! But rush for the KDs sounds to be going well, albeit stessful.

Good luck to everyone going through rush there! Go tigers!

OK news from the Kappa Deltas:

Quota was 54 and they got quota +6 for a total of 60 new members!!!!!!!! The assistant Greek Life advisor said this was the best rush Kappa Delta has had since they started on campus in 1980. I am so proud of my chapter.

I don't have any information on the other sororities like who made quota or anything. If I hear more, I will post.

I also heard that one girl I wrote a rec for is pledging KD. So that put a huge smile on my face.

My daughter's friend is a new Kappa Delta at Clemson (her mom was a Clemson KD, too!) :)

I also have a friend who is a Clemson KD. Her H is a classmate of my H. She was the first Army wife that I met when I got married and moved to Ft Knox and was an invaluable resource when we moved to the DC area.

small world. i just found out one of my close friends pledged KD, she couldn't be more excited

Clemson Recruitment
 

The Gamma Phi Beta chapter took 62!!! Congratulations to the women of Epsilon Theta and welcome to all our new sisters.

My son said one of his HS classmates pledged KD. He doesn't know anything else yet, but he will keep his ears open.

Just heard from the EM President that they took 55!

Chapter Totals
 

Finally, complete Clemson formal recruitment results:

Quota - 54

Alpha Chi Omega - 61
Chi Omega - 54
Delta Zeta - 58
Kappa Alpha Theta - 68
Kappa Kappa Gamma - 55
Alpha Delta Pi - 54
Delta Delta Delta - 55
Gamma Phi Beta - 64
Kappa Delta - 60
Zeta Tau Alpha - 59

These numbers includes 48 quota additions.

Clemson Panhellenic voted last night to increase chapter total to 72, though by my count only four chapters are under that total after formal - Alpha Chi by 9, Chi O by 1, Theta by 12 and Gamma Phi by 1.

Total at 72? That doesn't make sense....do you mean 172?

SCTransplant,
Thank you for posting the numbers for all NPC chapters at Clemson.

yes sctransplant. thanks for the numbers and congratulations to all the clemson chapters.

Clemson Total
 

Sorry, didn't proof read as well as I should have. New total at Clemson since vote - 172. Another sorority will be invited to colonize in fall 2009.

ooooooooooh! ahhhhhhhhhh!

I wonder which sororities will be invited to make presentations....delta zeta colonized in 2004 and I remember phi mu presenting that year.

My guess would be phi mu will try again. my other guesses are aopi and pi beta phi...but who knows!?

Pi Phi used to have chapters at University of South Carolina and Clemson.

At one time I'd heard through the grapevine that we weren't interested in trying to recolonize at either school anytime soon. Things weren't "right" at the moment for Pi Phi back around the time Clemson added DG and USC added Gamma Phi. That was a while back though.

Our previous Grand President, Sis Mullis, was from one of the SC chapters. USC I believe.

Personally I would love love love Pi Phi to recolonize at either school. Don't know if it's in the cards though.

Alpha Gamma Delta was also at Clemson (1994-2000). Being that we survived only 6 years there, I don't know if the Extension team's really jumping at the chance to go back.

I know that SC is also discussing expansion right now. No idea who is actually presenting, I'm certain it hasn't been finalized yet. I have heard rumors of DG or Theta possibly recolonizing. Also heard Phi Mu is in the mix....

I believe the plan is to add multiple chapters over the next few years, it's tricky at USC because there are currently no lots left in the Greek Village. Whoever comes to campus will need a location to build (in order to be competitive with the other groups), and IMO more than one sorority needs to be in the new location. There are 2-3 fraternities also waiting on the new location, and at least one of those is ready to build as soon as they get a lot.

Since building houses in 2003, recruitment numbers have almost doubled and chapter sizes have done the same. It will be interesting to what happens over the next few years. I hope 2-3 more groups can successfully colonize and ultimately build at USC, I think it would be great for the greek system.

Clemson Recruitment
 

What is frustrating is the difference in the handling of GLOs between Clemson and USC. At Clemson, the sororities have difficulty with meeting and recruitment spaces, lack support in simple things like not holding fire drills during recruitment event times, get promises of new housing and meetings spaces numerous times and then having it come to naught. At USC the U plowed down a huge area for the Greek Village, sounds like they will do more of the same to expand the Village, are actively recruiting and supporting the GLOs. Hard to reconcile the differences - of course it is two universities with different boards, but still . . .

It took years (10 or more) to nail down the final plan for Greek Housing at USC. I know when I was at Carolina we changed location and actual housing plans 3 times. I am thrilled with the end result, the Greek Village is gorgeous and has improved Greek Life at USC substantially. It was a tough road to get there though. I didn't realize how much the Greek organizations at Clemson struggle with the university for support. I was under the impression that their ultimate goal was to move to houses or new meeting facilities. With such huge groups you would think the University would put more of a priority in meeting their needs! I can't imagine fire drills DURING recruitment parties, what a nightmare. Before USC had houses we were able to hold recruitment events in the press boxes and scholarship lounges at the football stadium (which was a very cool location!) Meeting rooms on campus were always available by reservation to accommodate chapter meetings and other events.

I will be excited to see what groups make presentations and are selected to colonize at both Clemson and USC.

And what exactly makes that difficult to figure out????:rolleyes:

As you say, they are two different universities with two different governing bodies so it shouldn't be at all surprising that they would have different opinions.

From irishpipes' thread:


Clemson University Clemson, SC: August 20-27, 2008
Quota=54
Campus Total=172
Quota last year=46
***************
Delta Delta Delta Beta Theta 1970 (55)
Kappa Kappa Gamma Epsilon Mu 1970 (55)
Chi Omega Psi Kappa 1970 (54)
Kappa Alpha Theta Delta Phi 1972 (68)
Alpha Delta Pi Zeta Nu 1976 (54)
Pi Beta Phi South Carolina Beta 1976-?
Kappa Delta Epsilon Tau 1980 (60)
Delta Gamma Epsilon Kappa 1981-2003
Alpha Chi Omega Theta Lambda 1985 (61)
Gamma Phi Beta Epsilon Theta 1988 (62 64?)
Zeta Tau Alpha Kappa Zeta 1990 (59)
Alpha Gamma Delta Theta Xi 1994-2000
Delta Zeta Pi Epsilon 2004 (58)




University of South Carolina Columbia, SC: August 17-24, 2008
Quota=77
Campus Total=
Quota last year=71
Registered PNMs=1,105
******************
Alpha Delta Pi Beta Epsilon 1928
Delta Delta Delta Alpha Lambda 1928 (82)
Delta Zeta Beta Delta 1928 (78)
Chi Omega Eta Gamma 1928
Zeta Tau Alpha Beta Omicron 1929
Pi Beta Phi South Carolina Alpha 1931-1985
Sigma Kappa Beta Beta 1932-1936
Alpha Omicron Pi Delta Phi 1933-1937/1978-1983
Kappa Delta Beta Zeta 1940
Alpha Epsilon Phi Alpha Pi 1945-1978
Sigma Delta Tau Alpha Kappa 1957-1962
Kappa Kappa Gamma Epsilon Kappa 1967 (82)
Sigma Sigma Sigma Delta Kappa 1977-1983
Delta Gamma Epsilon Chi 1985-2003
Alpha Chi Omega Theta Upsilon 1987
Kappa Alpha Theta Zeta Kappa 1990-2001
Gamma Phi Beta Zeta Sigma 2004

Geez. USC especially does not look like an easy place to colonize.

I learned something new today - I had no idea Pi Phi had an early short-lived chapter at Charleston Southern/Baptist College. Does that institution still exist? Interestingly, it's not SC Alpha so it must be a lost designation from before we switched to the current naming system... I'll have to research that one a bit.

Clemson
 

Congrats to all at Clemson and a big bouquet of pink carnations to Gamma Phi Beta for our 62 new members! Wooo hoooo:):D:D

Yes Charleston Southern still exists. They have greek life, but strangely it looks like they have no chapters of members of the national panhellenic council even though they do have national fraternities and members of the NPHC. Here is a link to their student life page: http://www.csuniv.edu/campuslife/clubs_org.asp

I would love to see Tri Sigma colonize at Clemson. I know that we have Mizzou going on, but that should be done by next year. Also though our SC chapters are at smaller schools, their numbers are strong. Hmmm...
Anyway, whatever sorority gets asked to colonize at Clemson will be very lucky!

As a sidenote - I thought that Clemson sororities had housing. That's crazy that such large chapters would not have housing offered by the University.

Clemson has housing, just not "houses". They have floors of dorms.

I was copied on an email yesterday that said that Phi Mu would be presenting at Clemson.

It is almost impossible to colonize on a campus that has beautiful new houses like USC unless there is a house that can be leased for several years...coming up with millions of dollars to build a house is too much of a gamble for most of our GLOs (at least mine!).

This is one of the main reasons schools like Ole Miss are not opening up for extension...because there are no empty houses for anyone to lease and no place on campus to build a new house.

Gamma Phi has done incredibly well since colonizing at USC in 2004. They somehow managed to raise funds to build a gorgeous house worth nearly $2,000,000 that opened in the Fall of 2007. I believe another chapter (or two) will see their success and know that it can be done and will be willing to consider colonizing at USC.

Since Phi Mu is presenting at Clemson I doubt they would make a presentation at USC as well. When I hear who does I will update.

Pi Phi is presenting at Clemson on Wednesday, November 12. Pi Phi did not present for recolonization in 2004 (even though we were invited) not only because we had our hands full colonizing other chapters but also because of concern about Clemson at that time. Delta Gamma had just closed in 2003. We had learned from Alpha Gams experience in the 1990s (who came on just as we were closing in 1994 or 1995) that coming on when someone is closing shop may not be the best thing to do. Alpha Gam ended up closing just 6 years later. Then DG 3 years after that. I remember many chapters having to COB all the time to stay afloat.

There was a big imbalance between big sororities and small sororities at that time, instead of everyone being around the same size and being healthy from an extension standpoint.

I'm glad to see that chapters are appearing to do better now on the Clemson campus. Seems like everyone is getting good numbers in recruitment.

I am hopeful for Pi Phi. After successful presentations at Mississippi State, NYU, and MIT recently, I hope another goes our way. Georgia Alpha is a great chapter nearby (one of the top Pi Phi chapters), and all the North Carolina chapters are strong. I went to NC State's installation in 2005, and they did a great job there.

There was never a SC Gamma that I recall. The only chapters in SC were at USC and Clemson, and that's according to the history book from the 2005 Convention in Tampa.

Sis was a SC Alpha from USC, btw.

And yes, the Clemson sororities have floors in the dorms. Pi Phi used to be 3rd floor of Barnett, between ADPi and Theta.

Alpha Phi is scheduled to present on Nov. 11. Not sure what the housing plans will be for an additional chapter. I will try to find out.

Thanks for the details on all that. And welcome to GC!

The third SC chapter information is coming from this post. Pi Phi didn't always use the state-by-state naming system. Early in our history, the sorority used a naming system similar to what most GLOs use: the Alpha chapter was at Monmouth, and so on. The system was a bit disorganized and I think there were alumnae clubs that were lettered chapters at that time as well. At some point fairly early on we switched to the state-by-state system, and all the chapters that were still functioning got new names. I know for sure though, that the defunct chapters at the time of the name reorganization did NOT get new names. Thus there ARE some closed collegiate Pi Phi chapters that don't have state-by-state names. Some of them are at institutions that no longer function.

In this instance, according to irishpipes' thread, Pi Phi had a chapter at Baptist College, which is now Charleston Southern University.

You can look this up in the comprehensive history of Pi Phi that should be in every chapter's archives.

You can also see it on the Pi Phi website. I'm not giving anything away on this because when you set up an account you can see this list without having logged in... So when you set up an account and have to choose your chapter of initiation, the options on the drop-down menu include:

IA Clarinda
IC Psi
Phi of IC
Rho of IC
Zeta of IC

I'm assuming that the IA Clarinda is in Iowa. It's a state-by-state name, but a non-standard one. We used to have a ton of chapters in Iowa that no longer exist, you can see those on the drop-down list. Oddly, there are two groupings, one under "Iowa" and one under "IA."

Interesting stuff.

Do you happen to know why Pi Phi did not express interest in USC when it opened for expansion a few years ago and is now expressing interest in Clemson? Just curious as the USC chapter was there for over 50 years before closing, and I have always wondered why they didn't try to come back.

If you are talking about when Gamma Phi colonized at USC, that was the same year DZ colonized at Clemson (2004), so I'm assuming some of the same reasons apply. I can't remember which chapter(s) Pi Phi was colonizing at that time -- I'd have to look it up -- but there were other commitments at that time, I guess. I know a lot of our national/chapter structure, programming, and marketing was changing at that time, too, so I suspect a lot of Nationals' money, time, and efforts were going into organizing that as well. I think many of those changes were positive and make us a more efficient and attractive organization today.

Also I really don't know much about the specifics of USC's Panhellenic, as I did not go there and never inquired about it. All I know is that Theta colonized and then closed a chapter at USC in the 1990s (one of my high school classmates was a founder actually), but I don't know if that played in role in them being cautious about how ready the school was to expand. Maybe they felt Panhellenic there did not do enough to support or promote their existing chapters to ensure a healthy Greek system overall. (???)
I went to Clemson and have spoken to our National NPC delegate about them before, so I'm a little more informed about them.

I'm sure they had to factor in housing costs (building a house), commitment of area alums to AAC and House Corps, opportunities for expansion at other schools, etc., among many other things that I have no idea about in their decision. Expansion is expensive, and you want that investment to pay off. I have no idea how all that played out for USC at that time, so all of this is just speculation.

Thanks for the welcome.

I saw that post, but I don't think it is accurate. I don't recall a chapter of that naming convention in the history in SC, and Charleston would have been far from where Pi Phi was colonizing at that time. That was right after the Civil War, and I doubt Southern women would have been very receptive to a bunch of Northern girls coming in to start a group. Most of the oldest of the Southern chapters started in the 1920s and 1930s, in my recollection.

Any news as to which group was selected at Clemson? Just curious...

I guess you'd have to ask irishpipes where she got the info.

Re: the 2004 thing, we weren't expanding a tremendous amount at that time (the NC State chapter does come to mind), but I think some of the other concerns you mention (difficulty of colonizing on those campuses and other major organizational stuff going on in Pi Phi then) could be factors. If you want to chat more about all that send me a PM. I did talk to some people "in the know" about it, as it were, at the time.

It hasn't been announced yet.

Clemson recruitment
 

sigma kappa has been chosen for colonization at Clemson.