What about small NPC's?
 

Every time I read an expansion thread or a thread about 'what NPC would you like to see at your school?' I see the same sororities mentioned over and over again, Kappa, Tridelt, DG, Theta, etc etc.

When is anyone ever going to say 'Well, I think Theta Phi Alpha should colonize on our campus?' or 'It would be great it Alpha Sigma Alpha comes back?'

I realize that a lot of these smaller NPC's can't compete with the larger sororities (ie ChiO) on large greek campuses. Smaller NPC's haven't been in the NPC as long, thus not having a larger national influence and don't have the monetary funds. However, if these smaller NPC's are prevented from colonizing on campuses with a strong greek presence, they'll just get smaller and smaller, and your Tridelts will get larger and larger.

As for my own NPC, we're struggling to keep our chapters as is.

Btw - when I say 'smaller' NPC's, I am typically talking about Theta Phi, ASA, AST, DPhiE, SDT, Phi Sig, AEPhi, Trig-Sig (although I know some are bigger than others).

What can we do to fix this?

I think it largely depends on the school and the geography. I had never heard the name of any GLO before I got to a college campus, had no preconceived ideas about what the orgs were like nationally and couldn't name any GLOs other than the ones on my own campus at the time I graduated. The only group that colonized while I was there was AST and it was their Alpha chapter so I don't recall any big presentations or anything. I don't think the NPC women on our campus were that aware of other GLOs at all.

Dee

AGDee is right about geography playing a big part. For example, Alpha Phi is well known in the midwest and western United States, but we're not very well represented in the Southeast.

And is it really an issue of not being "allowed" to colonize on larger campuses or is it indicative of the expansion policy with these respective organizations?

Paging 33girl...

I have definite opinions on this, but I'll save my comments after a few others have chimed in. :)

There was some discussion on that here:

http://forums.greekchat.com/gcforums...threadid=31980

Re: What about small NPC's?
 

As far as I know, TPA doesn't have any chapters at schools with really strong greek life (in the South for example), but I don't think we're getting any smaller. We just opened 3 new chapters this year and we currently have 4 colonies. I realize that our chapters are smaller because we're not on huge greek campuses, but we're slowly increasing our overall number of chapters. :)

Re: What about small NPC's?
 

I disagree with this. I think that the smaller NPCs are not getting smaller and smaller. We are growing. We're just not expanding on the big greek schools. Many of them aren't open for expansion, or if they are, it is too expensive to colonize there successfully.

I DO NOT think that Greek ladies of larger GLOs conspire to keep smaller GLOs off of campuses.

I believe that it has to do with several factors:

1) If there are more Theta chapters than say ASA, then it only seems logical that more people will be exposed to the Theta name... Thus, when it comes time to answer the question of who they would like to see expand they will most likely answer with a name they are familiar with.

I had never heard of most of those smaller GLOs. That doesn't mean that I would be opposed to seeing them expand. It just means that I would be more likely to say Phi Mu or KD than say Phi Sig.

It has nothing to do with people not wanting smaller GLOs on campus. I think that most Greek systems would benefit from any successful group strengthening the system of a campus.

2) Expansion has a lot to do with the HQ of the GLOs. It only seems logical that a larger GLO would have more resources available for expansion, ie money, alumnae, etc.

It is up to the individual GLO to submit packets for expansion. I know that when Middle Tennessee State University opened for expansion SK, GphiB, and AXO were the ones that were voted on for expansion.


So, to conclude, I feel as though your view of the situation may be a bit skewed. It seems as though you think larger GLOs are conspiring against the smaller ones. And, this could be further from the truth IMO.
I think it has more to do with name recognition and less to do with a concerted effort to stifle the growth of smaller GLOs.

Now, to the productive part of this reply. You can help your GLO in a few different ways I can think of. You can: donate to the foundation of your GLO, work on promoting your GLO first in your local community and encourage all of your sisters to do the same in the communities they are from, work on strengthening your relationship with the other GLOs on campus (one can always learn from others no matter who they are...), and encourage your GLO HQ to look into further expansions.

Re: What about small NPC's?
 

What chapter are you in??

my uneducated perspective..
 

First off, opinions are like a$$holes, everyone has one... here's mine:D

If you're a smaller organization that aspires to be a 'top tier' organization, you have to be willing and able to put out the effort to become competitive. Because you're not always there, you have to work twice as hard (probably harder) to get there as the folks that are already there.

Either you're not able (lack of resources) or you're not willing (lack of motivation). I'd tend to think it's more of the former and less of the later.

As the saying goes, usually, the rich just get richer.

Hey, I'd like to think that I represent A Phi quite well. ;) Actually, Sistermadly is exactly right. There's only 1 other chapter in Florida, none in Georgia, Alabama, and maybe even South Carolina and Mississippi (have to get back to you on that).

I think geography really is a big factor. When I come back home to Chicago, everyone knows Alpha Phi. As a matter of fact, most of the girls I graduated with joined Alpha Phi. But down here in Florida, no one ever hears about us, even though we are a large NPC.

Keep in mind that the "larger" organizations weren't handed charters on a silver platter. They had to work for those chapters too. And also, you can only have one of each chapter at a university... therefore, SDT, ASA, TPA, etc. have lots of opportunities to expand.

At Florida Tech, the only NPCs are Gamma Phi Beta and Alpha Phi. But we are probably expanding in the next year, and I have a feeling that the new chapter on campus will NOT be a "traditional" chapter. We are a very non-traditional school, so I have a feeling that it is going to be one of the smaller NPCs that comes on, because they're not going to have a stereotype to combat. Also, I've noticed that most of the chapters labeled as "smaller NPCs" are big in the northeast, and a majority of our students come from the east coast. In this case, geography will probably benefit the smaller NPCs.

Re: What about small NPC's?
 

US$300 million

The University of South Carolina voted to expand this past spring and only two groups, Alpha Xi Delta and Gamma Phi Beta, submitted packages. However, I do think the fact that all of the sororities opened houses this fall had a lot to do with the low response.

One thing that seemed really odd to me was that Pi Beta Phi did not submit a package. They were on this campus from 1931 - 1985, and their current national president is from this chapter that is now closed. I would have thought they would have jumped at the chance to come back. Of course, we have also had two groups fold in the past two years (Theta in 2001 and DG in 2003) and I think that may have had an impact.

I was really surprised that more groups did not express interest.

Is Gamma Phi Beta building a house??