Originally Posted by WishfulLegacy (Post 2459988)

Hello everyone! I was wondering if I could get some, outside of my family, advice about attempting to bring a new sorority to my campus.

For a bit of background, I go to a small liberal arts college in Arkansas. We already have three NPC sororities and two official fraternities (I forget the name for NPC fraternities) on campus. There is a clear imbalance among the three groups. One is considered the best one, the other to aren’t even on the same level as the others. Two manage to get Quota each Spring Semester (we don’t do formal rush in the fall like other schools). However, the not as good one has a low retention rate due to many girls either dropping their letters or fail/drop out of college. The third one can’t get Quota during Spring semester due to them have a bad reputation on campus. Each sorority has their niche on campus. I was really hoping to get the best one, but they are the hardest to get into. It’s impossible to get into after formal freshman year. I’m becoming a junior and my chances of being in a well respected sorority are going down.

There are clear problems with the Greek system as they’ve allowed such a big gap to form between the NPC groups. Our formal rush isn’t huge (last year it was 47), only 57% of girls pledge a sorority, meaning almost half either dropped out or rejected their bid. I, personally, think those are terrible numbers. The quota for that year was eleven plus one quota addition. Two got their quota plus an addition while the third only got six of the possible twelve. My point is that even if each sorority would’ve gotten their eleven plus a quota addition, we could’ve had another pledge class if another sorority was on campus. Our Director has made it clear to me she isn’t interested in having a conversation with me about Greek Life, due to the fact I tried to appeal the Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement (MRABA) because she was never clear about what we were signing or gave us a copy to review. I believe I need to go to Dean of Students.

My concern is the getting the expansion approved. Our numbers are already small and the girls I’ve been talking to, enough to make up that extra pledge class, worry about the vote for an expansion. Two already struggle and the girls and I want emphasize bringing on a strong national sorority (such as Chi Omega, Tri Delta, Delta Gamma). We understand we have no choice in which sorority is invited, but we worry by asking this, the top sorority may vote no because of competition (they are middle tier nationally). We worry by bringing on a sorority that’s weak nationally will only hurt the already damaged Greek system.

Tips and advice are greatly appreciated!!!

Originally Posted by BraveMaroon (Post 2459998)

So you didn't take the opportunity you were given and run with it. Then, you decided to challenge the validity of a document you already signed? Sounds like the sororities that were "beneath you" dodged a major bullet.

You could have joined the struggling sorority and channeled your energy into their future success - something more useful than righteous indignation, but you took a different path, and the letters that came with it were PITA.

Originally Posted by BraveMaroon (Post 2459998)

So you didn't take the opportunity you were given and run with it. Then, you decided to challenge the validity of a document you already signed? Sounds like the sororities that were "beneath you" dodged a major bullet.

You could have joined the struggling sorority and channeled your energy into their future success - something more useful than righteous indignation, but you took a different path, and the letters that came with it were PITA.

Originally Posted by Griffins&Quills (Post 2460008)

Just because a sorority is strong nationally doesn't mean they will automatically be strong at your school. Every NPC has fantastic chapters and some that aren't quite as shiny. A colony is a huge building process. There are a lot of factors that contribute to an expansion including alumnae support and surrounding chapters.

Originally Posted by clemsongirl (Post 2460014)

Hun, part of the reason there's such disparate sizes in your chapters is because girls like you think they're too good for the sororities they're offered membership to.

Originally Posted by panhelrose (Post 2460015)

Some users on here are like Sherlock Holmes with figuring out schools, but after some sleuthing I think I know what school WishfulLegacy attends. Rather than throw a guess into the wind, I'll add that if I'm correct, the "nationally mid tier sororities" have both strong and weak recruiting chapters across the country, as all sororities do, because national tiers aren't real.