The Death of Greek Life... You're Next
 

While sitting in my office at work, I felt a draft though no windows were open. I didn't think much of it and continued my work. Upon feeling the draft again, I got up and checked out what it was. When I wrapped my head around the corner, I saw something so terrifying, so devastating, so mortifying that I could not bear to watch. What was it I saw you ask? It was the death of Greek life…

Dramatic? Possibly

True? Definitely

Chapters across the nation are stressed because of their finances, struggling with recruitment, and scared about the future of their organization. Though there may be thousands of chapters across the USA – all of these struggling chapters have one thing in common… little alumni involvement!

Now what the hell does alumni involvement have to do with finances, recruitment, and the future of the organization? Short answer is everything. Longer answer will be easier if we attack it by parts.

The first is finances: this one should be obvious. You’re probably really happy when a few alumni donate $50 to your chapter right? Well stop it. Don’t be happy about mediocrity! You have a database of 1000 living alumni and you’re thrilled about raising a couple hundred bucks from about 5 guys? You should be getting AT LEAST 100 of those guys to donate $100 a piece – that’s an extra $10,000 for your chapter. Now the couple hundred dollars that your raised doesn't seem so great does it? The first thing you have to realize is that you shouldn't fundraise yourself because it’s going to be way too much work for not a lot of results.

There two phases to this whole fundraising thing: the annual fund and the campaign. The annual fund gets your alumni involved (I suggest a company like *** because they have a “risk-free” option that doesn't make you pay a dime out of your pocket for the program). This first step is vital if you plan on ever having a campaign. The second, as I said, is the campaign (I suggest ***; they have been in the business for many years and are definitely the masters of Greek fundraising campaigns in my opinion). These campaigns can raise you anywhere from $500,000 - $10 million depending on how many alumni you have, how long you build alumni relations through your annual fund, and how good of a job *** does for you during your campaign.

All of this finances talk takes me to the next part – recruitment. If your chapter had a couple million dollars laying around for renovations, could you do a lot of work to improve your house? Of course you could! Recruits love a nice house and these campaigns can help you do that. Along with that, the annual fund will make the alumni closer to the chapter. A closer alumni base means better networking which means more job opportunities for undergrads! Which, especially in this job market, undergrads want to see if they’re going to join your organization.

Both of these things tie into the future of your organization. Without money and a good recruitment, your house will be next… Your house will be the next victim in this trend of dying organizations. Don’t be another statistic. Grow your alumni relations program and build your organization so it can reach its full potential!

Together, we can stop the death of Greek life

Are you the same guy who's shilling on g r e e k r a n n k?

Oh, and

ewww. Mark of someone completely unfamiliar with the Greek system - using the word "recruits." This isn't the military.

How I can tell you aren't a Greek Alumni Specialist...If you were, you'd be pushing for support in much more ways than just getting money. Many alumni donate to their organizations, not their chapters. But could easily build a strong chapter by supporting through advising first. Money follows later.

This is a very unusual thread. Kind of strikes me as fear-based click bait.... who are you and why are you here? Are you selling something?

Greek life is actually growing on most campuses. This is very strange.

For starters this is the only forum I belong to and this is my first post. Second of all, I'm a Greek alumni, I was on the IFC exec board of one of the largest greek systems in the nation, and I have a military family. So I'm definitely familiar with Greek life and I do have a military background, thanks for noticing :) Also, when I was a new recruit, our house just went under a $2.5 million renovation and that (other than the brother's themselves) was the biggest selling point to me

That's money isn't the point, it's just a huge plus! The reconnecting with your alumni is the point!! How are your alumni going to come back and advise if they aren't connected with your organization in the first place? The answer is: they cant! You guys have to wake up and see the importance of alumni relations in your chapters!

You are correct sir - it IS a fear based click because you SHOULD be scared! Greek life may be growing at your campus but overall greek numbers are declining (I've done a lot of research on this so I know). My purpose here is to get a discussion going on why people need alumni relations;what your org is doing for alumni relations? Is it working? Are your undergrads getting in touch with the majority of alumni? Are you raising the money that you need to run your house? If you don't have an alumni relations program the answer is probably no!

Glad you chose your organization in part because they had a nice house. I think you know nothing about alumni relations, at least on the sorority front.

I don't need you for this. My national organization handles all of this. I dare you to tell me my sorority knows less about alumni relations than you do.

This article was aimed towards fraternity men but can definitely be applicable to sororities as well - so tell me... what is your organization doing for alumni relations? Is it working? If you have at least 500-1000 alumni, are at least 20% of them coming back for events like alumni homecoming and founders day?

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I've used the Internet's quota of exclamation points for the day, so maybe he will stop posting now.

Enlighten me on what your chapter does to keep your alumni in touch.... does it work? Are you getting at least 20% to come back? I believe the reason you are upset is because you're not getting the results that you would've hoped for - everyone fails many times throughout their life, there's no problem with that. The real problem comes when you don't try to fix it! (it looks like the internet let me have an extra exclamation point today :)

QFP.

I am a woman. Knowing somebody's gender is probably a good idea when trying to market to them; you posted this in Greek Life, not Fraternity Life.

No doubt that having a good facility can give an organization a competitive advantage, but the idea that Greek Life is dying is just plain false from everything I've read. I would LOVE to read any data collected that indicates Greek Life is dying.

I wonder if this person has a new tool or app that will help chapters reach out to and connect with alums.