Clarion Chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma :)
 

So, from what I remember since my time, our chapter has never been fantastic at formal recruitment, and from what I know - I believe that recruitment isnt 100% formal now, 33girl can help me on that...

However, my chapter got two new girls during formal, and now have COB-ed 8 more - so... a total of 10 so far! I believe they're still doing COB too, and they do a "second half" class later in the semester. (Our NM class is 4 weeks, so we have time to do "two" but considered one class.)

I am so proud of them. When I visited last year they had such a strong sisterhood, truly all friends. It gave me warm fuzzy feelings :)

They are at 21 sisters now, adding 10. That is great! I believe total is 50 still, but I dont think there are many there. One sister mentioned a chapter was down to 8, so you can see where the greek system currently is...

I was talking to an alumna the other day, she remembered when we were at 60 (total at 60) and turning girls away, I can only hope this for Phi Sig, and all of the CU greeks - then there could be more expansion and bring back some closed chapters (TPA, ASA and AXD are some that come to mind, we didnt have ASA or AXD when I was there, but ASA was a recent closure before me, and I have seen AXD in the scrapbooks!)

End of my raving... so happy for my chapter!

This is amazing! LiTP

Congratulations to your chapter! During my time at Carnegie Mellon, we were down to under 20 sisters at one time. The system has rebounded, but there's something really special about small chapters with strong sisterhoods. These women are truly special!

That's great! Don't forget the importance of member retention and feeling the love for the ENTIRE chapter. Congratulations. You'll be at total in no time flat.

How's the DPhiE chapter doing there?

From what my girls said, I think DPhiE is doing well! I know when I was there, DPhiE and ZTA were two of the strongest chapters :)

I get my info from my pen pal, the Alumnae chair! I am hoping to stop by next week when I take my daughter up for her college visit!

Ali - who is down to 8??? PM me...I thought the other chapter that was lower in sisters had recovered from that.

West Chester has crazy big (for SSHE) pledge classes, like around 30. I don't know what they are doing/not doing that Greek life is so strong there.

It's definitely a money issue, plus I wonder what the Greek housing is like compared to dorms/other off campus housing. Not that any of what we had was palaces, but if all these students have known is suites where the most people they had to share the bathroom with was 1...I can see them bitching about the prospect of moving into a 14 person, 2 bathroom house. Obviously the alcohol factor plays into this as well. And of course the fact that Greek life is not a "must" for achieving a social life is part of it too.

For as much as the SSHE schools are investing in new buildings and construction, it seems like they are more "suitcase campuses" than ever. I lived in a crappy cement block dorm for 2 years and a teeny made over family house for 2 years...only went home when the school kicked me out for breaks...wouldn't change it for the world.

They're at 12 new girls now! I'm so impressed!

I'm the advisor for the AST chapter at West Chester. Most of the chapter have pledge classes of 35+ girls. Our last class was 38.

Most of the chapters here are 80+ girls. But, they are expanding to add a 9th NPC chapter in the fall of 2013 and maybe fall of 2014 (which would make 10 NPC chapters.)

Happy to hear good news about your chapter at Clarion!

I'm from the area, and many of my high school classmates go/went there and some are in Greek life. I hold Clarion as a special place in my heart!

I wish them continued luck!

So, what is the secret??? How are yinz doing it?

You guys had other houses way back in the day (same as Clarion did, off campus and not connected to the school officially).

It's making a circle now I think...when I got to campus (in 85) there were groups who had "houses" but nothing with letters on them, just off-campus housing that got passed down through the years (landlords are lazy and if you tell them you know some great girls/guys to fill the house they're not going to think twice). Then all of a sudden the Greek system was flourishing, the sororities were leaving/being asked to leave their dorm suites and houses were possible. Now official houses are almost more of an albatross than an asset.