Reorganizations
 

Just curious about when an NPC organization decides to reorganize an existing chapter. Does protocol expect that they work with or contact the campus Panhellenic and/or Greek affairs office?

It depends on the school and what kind of a "reorganization" we're talking about.

EDIT: Reorganization, not recolonization. Oy. That heat must have gotten to my brain. Move along, nothing to see.

I mean putting all the active sisters on alumna status and bringing in new members, not closing down and then rechartering. I hope I'm using the correct term.

I think it is extremely rare that a fraternity completely empties an entire chapter for a reorganization. Maybe someone is actually involved in this process for their group and can answer with more direct knowledge, but the decision to reorganize is a last ditch effort to save a chapter from closing. I think asking any sister to go alum so that they will help their chapter be more competitive is a very hard decision and a very touchy subject.

I believe Delta Zeta and Alpha Xi Delta both did a reorganization on UK's campus a few years back.

Delta Zeta was successful with the reorganization, but the new alums did put up some flack if I remember correctly from a Kentucky Kernel (student paper) article. This should have been around the year 1999/2000 if anyone is interested in trying to find it.

Alpha Xi Delta was not successful at their reorganization attempt. I am unsure as to why and do not know of any "scandal" per say regarding their reorganization efforts and new alums.

Delta Zeta also reorganized at DePauw with considerable controversy. Some of the new alumnae formed a new sorority, Psi Lambda Xi, that I believe became a member of the campus panhellenic (I can't find the article at the moment, but they're definitly a recognized student org, I'm not 100% on panhellenic)

It's a really interesting move to make to save a chapter, very messy.

Generally I think most groups give alum status to all current members and then start over with recruitment. The assistance of the college PH would be required as they would have to halt all other COB activities so that the recolonization/reorganization or whatever could take place uninterupted.

Actually, DZ attempted to reorganize the chapter and their attempt was unsuccessful. http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=85032

I think that COB halting for other groups is not a "given" - rather a courtesy for the sorority. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I know when we had new chapters come on our campus, we kept giving open bids. YMMV.

Regardless of that, yes, the campus Panhel and Greek life office should be notified that a full recolonization/reorganization* is happening and none of the old members are staying active sisters. For the sorority not to tell anyone - that would be kind of shady.

*I think you would call this recolonization as usually when this is done, the chapter reverts back to colony status. To me, "reorganization" is when they keep most of the old members (but maybe weed out some troublemakers) and the national org takes charge of rushing and bidding.

There was actually a men's fraternity on my campus which recently reorganized. Each member had an interview with a national officer to determine whether they would be allowed to choose alum status/remaining an active brother or if they would no longer be considered a member of the organization. The whole process began in May and went on through September. Made it kind of awkward when the brothers kicked out were already living in-house at the time of the decision.

ETA: the whole process was supposed to weed out the "bad seeds," but it's been a couple years and not much has changed by way of membership.

A sorority on my former campus did a reorg after the original chapter had been put on probation from their headquarters and the school. Some alum supported the reorg and after a few bumps and a lot of effort by their nationals and the alums, the reorg was successful.

I should hasten to say that my question doesn't have to do with any chapter of my sorority, just a situation I witnessed some time ago. Eh, I should probably release this bee from my bonnet, but I kind of weirdly enjoy its buzzing around up there.

I seem to recall Alpha Xi Delta went through this at Florida on or about 2000 and it resulted in many hurt and bitter feelings. I think it was a reorganization. I think we have a few posters on site who were around then and might remember.

Thanks for clarifying - I should have mentioned that it was unsuccessful. To be honest I was intentionally vague because I didn't want to open up a can of worms a la the linked thread. It's an example of how reorganizations can result in hurt feelings and even a new organization. You have to wonder what's going on in the inter/national officers heads when making this decision (I'm not condemning it - just saying it must be an extremely difficult choice to make.)