I need a little help please
 

Hi,
I live in Wales, U.K, and am interested in sororities. I'm going to University this year in the U.K, and was wondering if it would be possible to set up a chapter in a British University? The girls over here would absolutely love it, but Im confused as to how the system works, Helpppppp!
xxxx

Many NPC groups are international with groups in Canada, although I don't think any have any in other countries besides that.
If I were you, I would first check with the administration at your school about this. At that point, I would imagine that you or a task force at your school would contact NPC about opening the campus for expansion in much the same way that a campus that does not have any NPC groups does here.

I would go to your school's head of ativities and ask the requirements to start a new club, or semi-independant organization.

Then I would contact all the sororities by email and then phone call and see which might be interested in extending over seas. It will probably mostly be a cost issue so you will probably want an interest group in place.

Also, use GC to find ot which sororities have an alumnae group in the UK. That could be a vital difference in determining which groups are interested.

In fact, for those organizations that have an alum group in the UK I would cntact and meet with them even before reaching the National that way you have a some of the leg work already done.

Remember, the easier it is for them to accomplish the task of extension, the more likely they are to try.

"Wow thank you!!!
Ive already contacted the University and I am able to establish such a club as a society so that parts done. Im going to contact the sororities and try and find any with alums nearby, any other advice?
Thanks again!!

You can check out the website npcwomen.org to see the 26 National Panehellenic Conference organizations. There are links to all the sororities' pages on there, and you can see from there which ones have alumnae chapters in Europe. It would be exciting to see sororites expand into other parts of the world :)

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade here. But, I really doubt an NPC group is going to start an undergrad chapter in Europe. Adding international laws, international travel for chapter consultants, etc. to an already complicated system is more than most groups would be willing to take on.

Well here's some good news. Sigma Kappa DOES have an alumnae group in Europe and there is one in the U.K. If you go the official website for Sigma Kappa, click on Connections & then click on Europe. Once there, click on the link for European Alumnae. I'm sure that website can help you some & there are also contacts that I'm sure will be more than happy to assist you & give you information.

Good-Luck with this! Let us know how it turns out!

http://www.sigmakappa.org

Good luck with your quest! If getting a NPC group doesn't work, try forming your own chapter. There are a lot of local girls on the board that can help you.

I sent you a private message. If you need any help, let us know!

Thank you sooooo much! All the advice is amazing!!!!

I could be totally wrong, but doesn't one NPC group have a chapter in Germany? I don't know where I heard that, but I really think I did.

Funny, this was brought up at LXA General Assembly this weekend last.

It was cussed and discussed by the members.

As ktsnake said, the problem is costs to keep in touch with over seas Chapters let alone Chapters in Alaska and Hawaii.

I would love to see any and all Greek Organizations expand, but there are more Chapters that have been closed and on the edge that should be taken care of first and into expansion withing The USA and Canada .

We must remember, that Most Greek Organizations are not lush with money but like each of us, trying to make ends meet.

If you ever have a chance, go to one of your National Meetings and really find out what goes on. It is truely eye opening!

While there may be Alumnus Chapters, I do not for see any National Organizations expanding out of USA and Canada.

LXA did have expressed interest from The Phillipines, Scotland from Initiated Brothersw and Possibley Mexico.

Yes, Sigma Sigma Sigma has/had a chapter in Germany. HOWEVER, the "catch" is that it is at an AMERICAN university (University of Maryland-Mannheim) located on an AMERICAN military base. Plus, it is closing next year. :(


"After more than fifty years as a successful two-year residential program for U.S. military and government family members in Europe, the Mannheim Campus will close its doors at the end of the Spring 2005 semester"


.....Kelly :)

welshwoohoo,

Please carefully read over your students' union policies about starting a new soc. I'm pretty sure that the UK will not allow a student society which discriminates on the basis of gender. Though, I don't know if it's a UK law or just an NUS policy. If you were to start a chapter of one of our "International" sororities, you may have to make it an off-campus organisation which heavily involves itself at uni (though not recognized by the students' union). This is because they are single-sex only. If none of the 26 wish to start a chapter in the UK, you can start your own local sorority, which would also have to be off campus. HOWEVER, you may be able to get one on campus if you:

a) start a co-ed fraternity for men and women

b) form a sorority AND a fraternity and register them as a single society with your students' union to see if you can get around the discrimination policy. In other words, have ABC sorority and XYZ fraternity operating under your union as "ABC-XYZ".

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, e-mail me asap as I believe I am well-suited to assist you with this inquiry/project. I'm an American, but I am a postgrad with the University of Bristol. I'm currently in the US as I am finishing up my dissertation. I know how it works over there as I lived in Bristol for a year and a half. Plus, I work with university students! My e-mail address is csulbkds@yahoo.com

Which university do you attend? Where in Wales do you live?

Hope to hear from you soon!

.....Kelly :)

Kelly took the words right out of my fingers...

It is rare that you will find a campus outside the US/Canada that permits single-sex organizations.

However, I imagine you could start a great co-ed group. A few of my undergrad roomies were in groups like Delta Sigma Pi, and they had a great time, and had strong fraternal bonds with brothers/sisters.