Expansion Problems
 

I just finished reading the Beta Magazine...and wow. Talk about sugar coating our expansion issues.

We have 120 chapters...down from 122 on the fact sheet on the website and down from 129 when I pledged. Our pledge numbers are down from last year and our active number has decreased as well. I began looking at the recent expansions, and oddly 9 out of the 15 I could get actual number for are below Beta's national average in actives, with 5 of them being in the red zone. There are 13 chapters total in the red zone out of all 120 chapters.

That says to me that our expansion program needs to be reworked. I think rather than concentrating on more leadership programs and making chapters send delegates our AO needs to start dedicating itself to Expansions.

The only place in the magazine I saw a reference to 120 chapters was in Tom Olver's 'From the Editor' column. I still believe the number is at 122, as 120 is just a reference. However, only about 88 of the 122 chapters are actually in good standing. They are more focused in steady growth while maintaining a high level of quality chapters across the board. The expansions should be compared to campus averages, not Beta's national average. The first issue an expansion has to deal with is recruitment, as it is the most pressing need. Also, chartering is not possible if numbers remain below the all-campus average. I don't believe there are any issues with expansions that are being sugarcoated.

Another Approach
 

I would like to see the GF, Districts and Alums get together and pick some of the older closed chapters for re-colonization/activation. Just look at the list of institutions. There should not be a problem with GPA's at 80+% of them. Butler in Indianapolis, IN, The Naval Academy (if the Feds will let this happen, the Midshipman do have a lot on their plate) and there are others.

Also, look at joint chapters where two major institutions are very close. Yes, I know that there is some pride issues here but I am more for brotherhood than institutional pride or bragging rights. My dead colony at Indiana State (died 1983) and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IN would be a nice start.

A drive to rebuild must be undertaken. The Alums (myself included) need to come to the aid of chapter close to them. I am not near one, so I would support via $$$ or building a new chapter at U Pitt Johnstown, PA.

Just one brothers opinion.:)

In _kai_, Ed

I was lumping expansion and recruitment into the same catagory.

I've been to a number of the leadership programs, but the only ones that I actually enjoyed was BWC. The rest were not that fun nor did I learn anything that a brother who went through the rituals didn't already know. I would like to see more money go to expansion and more workshops on recruitment.

At the last Convention I attended someone said that each expansion costs $50,000. $50,000!! If that's true...then someone has their hand in the cookie jar. Granted I don't know everything that goes into their effort, but I find that figure hard to believe. We should be expanding to at least 10 campuses a year right now until we meet our goal of 200 chapters.

Recruitment workshops would help both the chapters that have just recently been recolonized and active chapters that are having trouble. Most of the active chapters problems come from recruitment problems, whether it's lack of numbers or drawing out of the wrong pool.

The Foundation is there the guarante Beta's future...well spend some of it on expansion and recruitment.

In terms of recruitment workshops, expansions are being given these. It is part of the first semester back, and it lasts about an entire day. However, I would not be unreceptive to the idea of creating recruitment consultants. A steady pace is good in terms of expansion. There is a trade-off between keeping chapters open, and opening new chapters. What is the good in opening 10 chapters, only in having to close 10 other chapters? I know that this coming convention will have a few more colonies than average applying for charter, mine included.

Again, that's why more recruitment/expansion resources need to go to both active chapters and colonies.

My chapter had a very difficult time recruiting pledges for the longest time. We fixed it ourselves, but after a lot of growing pains and a lot of medicore rush weeks. It should be a flag to the GF if a chapter that generally has 20+ pledges suddenly drops to 4, or if the chapter is far below the campus average of pledge class size.

I think a major reality that we need to face is that we are placing expansion efforts in the wrong places. Let's look at where we have expanded to in the past 3 years. Eastern Kentucky, Bethany College, Florida International, U of Iowa, Cal-Irvine, Loyola Marymount, Hampden Sydney, Denison, Central Michigan , U of San Diego and Colorado State.

Now, this is an alright list, but let's look at it in a slightly different light. We went to Eastern Kentucky, but don't have a chapter at the University of Kentucky. We went to Bethany, but haven't ever had a chapter at Marshall. We went to Florida International, but apparently forgot to get a chapter at U of Miami. Cal Irvine, Marymount, and San Diego, not USC. I hope you can somewhat see my point here. If we want to be taken seriously as a national fraternity, maybe we should put emphasis on getting into a couple more national universities, not the little ones in the area.

I find it interesting that the price of expansion is roughly $50,000 per year. When we were discussing the situation at Convention 2005 in Scottsdale, I was told that the price was $30,000. Going on the idea that the price is in the middle (say $40K), I think we should maybe see a slightly better return than we've been getting. When we expanded to Bethany this year, we got 14 founding fathers. That breaks down to almost $3000 per guy gotten. That just doesn't cut it. Recruitment has to become our major focus, especially since the capital campaign has concluded. 200 chapters isn't anywhere near an unreasonable number, and it's definitely possible to maintain high standards while still maintaining high numbers. Things have to change. That and the GF needs to stop shutting down so many god damn chapters.

I agree with the issues, we need to keep expanding, there's no question.

I tend to think that we baby our colonies and don't push them far enough enough fast enough. While I think it's smart to bring them along slower than most other organizations do, we go too slow...that might also help with the expense.

I've had discussion with fellow brothers about how the GF always brags about their founding father classes and who they are able to lure, but doesn't seem to have very solid recruiting tools made available to chapters (or colonies as it appears). While friendship based recruiting works, that's not something that really wows rushees to generate interest. Even chapters like my own which has won recruitment awards at convention could use ways to energize rush every now and then. We always complain about our lack of numbers of actives at rush events compared to other houses (remember we have summer rush so getting guys to events is a different challenge).

furmanbeta,

I asked a few of the GF officers why we don't expand to some of the schools you mentioned and some other very large, very greek schools. The answer I recieved was 'we don't want to associate Beta with the Greeks on those campuses'. Basically saying that they thought that the Greek and academic systems at places such as Wash. and Lee don't gel with how Beta wants to be known.

Then they went on to say that if my chapter was ever shut down, WVU, we would probably never be recolonized. Even though we have had State Govs., Federal Judges, Senators, etc all come from my chapter. It's really nice to know that we have that kind of support.

Recent Expansions
 

Projects for 2006-07 include:
Iowa State University
University of Miami
University of Southern California
Kettering University A
University of Dayton
Kettering University B

Beta Theta Pi has executed many expansions or recolonizations in recent years, including:
Eastern Kentucky University (2006)
Bethany College (2006)
Florida International University (2005)
University of Iowa (2005)

University of California, Irvine (2005)
Loyola Marymount University (2005)
Hampden Sydney College (2004)
Denison University (2004)
Central Michigan University (2004)
University of San Diego (2004)
Colorado State University (2004)
Indiana University (2003)
Virginia Tech (2003)
Columbia University (2003)
East Carolina University (2002)
University of Mississippi (2002)
Oklahoma State University (2001)
The College of William and Mary (2001)
University of Pennsylvania (2000)

Colony Education
 

Beta Theta Pi executes five to six expansions/recolonizations annually. The driving force and key message of each expansion is the Men of Principle initiative. The colonization is led by a three/four person team of professional staff members who will recruit founding fathers for approximately 20 days. Colony eduation consists of a seven-week educational model offset by three weekend retreats. With a dedicated advisory team and the support of the General Fraternity, a strong colony culture can be created that will be successful long term.

Upon accepting a bid, each founding father receives a colony education manual, a Son of the Stars pledge manual, three retreat work booklets, a Beta CD and a song book.

The seven-week educational model is typically conducted on Sunday nights in two-hour meetings. Below is a synopsis of the weekly discussion topics.

Week 1 - Founding Father Education
Week 2 - Cultivation of the Intellect
Week 3 - Leadership Development & Self Governance
Week 4 - Member Education and Commitment to Community
Week 5 - Colony Advisors and Responsible Personal Conduct
Week 6 - Communication and Lifelong Fraternal Brotherhood
Week 7 - Beta Initiation Week

A leadership consultant from the General Fraternity will be on site for the entire duration of the colony education process. A trained five-person advisory team also mentors the colony. At a minimum, the team consists of a chapter counselor, pledge education advisor, risk management advisor, recruitment advisor and financial advisor. Further, the Fraternity looks to place a leadership development advisor, a community service advisor, an alumni-relations advisor and a parents association advisor.

The colony education process is vital to the long-term success of the re-colonization. Beta Theta Pi values this responsibility as a top priority. The recruitment period is not viewed as "hit and run," leaving the founding fathers to educate themselves. Guidance, resources and support back up the colony steering them in the right direction to create a healthy, sustainable culture.

Request for Clarification
 

I hearby respectfully request that GF put this statement in writting or publicly refute the statement.

I remember the exact person that said that.

His name was Josh, I think, and he was a Ed. Const. for my chapter. I believe that ECUJacob knows him.

I dont know which one of you are from colonies, and which ones aren't. I myself am from a colony at a small school but a school that has a lot of Beta history (Denison). I keep wondering about how you guys think the colonies are spoiled. We don't get that much help, and when we do get help, it is more of a hinderous. My colony is rather self-suficient, and a lot of the colonies are, because the AO keeps finding the best guys to make them so. We barely get anymore attention then the chapters (and i speak for my area), so I really don't think that point, which keeps comming up is fair.

ALSO, we have to be offered to come back... we can propose yes, but the school can easily deny it, as I know my school has for 3 fraternities in the last 2 years. Some of those state schools may not want beta back, or atleast not right now.