Chapter reputation
 

I went to a rather large and heavily Greek SEC university for 2 years and then thanks to my dad changing jobs and out of state tuition becoming unreasonable in his eyes, I transferred back to my home state this semester. My sorority chapter at my old school had a very high reputation within the greek community but unfortunately, the same cannot be said for my chapter at my new school for reasons I tend to agree with. The girls just dont seem to take care of themselves at all and are very crude and talk about everyone both in our sorority and other sororities in public places WHILE wearing letters.
It seems that a lot of girls feel like because the chapter needs really numbers, they can get away with anything without repercussions no matter how disrespectful it is to what our sorority stands for.

They are a fairly new chapter at my new school and so anyone can join and maybe just the mix of people isn't right yet but if it keeps on like this I don't know how my sorority will stay on campus here. I hate hearing other people talk about a sorority that I seriously LOVED at my old school and that I am quite frankly almost embarrassed to be a part of here. Is there anything I can do?

Take early alumnae status.

I think you sound like you want to help, so I would get involved with the chapter and start setting a good example, stay positive about your sisters, get involved with activities. Don't be preachy, or say things like, "we do this better at my old school,etc." Lead by example.

Also, I think the best place you can serve would be to be heavily involved in recruitment activities. This is such an important part of the strength and success of a chapter, focusing efforts here would probably help a lot.

Since they are fairly new on campus, it appears to me you have already found the problem. New chapters often have to find their own place and their own image on campus. Sometimes it can be a painful process. All the excitement of being a colonization has worn off and now the chapter is left to decide for themselves how they want to be viewed. Here is a wonderful example of what a member from an older established chapter can do to help. Talk to an advisor or council member that you trust and tell them your concerns. If they are on top of things, I'm sure these issues concern them as well. You should be proud to wear your letters.

Would there be anything wrong with you becoming an affiliate and helping the chapter at your new school grow? Maybe you can be of great help recruiting quality PNMs?

Instead of complaining about it, do something to help.

Exactly! If you are coming from a chapter that has been established for a while you can probably help these sisters in many things. However, you need to make sure you do not appear all high and mighty! Things are different at each chapter, and you need to respect that. Also please remember they are your sisters above all, and you share those common bonds even if the chapters may be different!

Have you affiliated with the chapter, as in signed something? The story I am about to tell is based off of what I know about Sigma Kappa's membership policies, which may or may not be similar to your org's policies.

My chapter actually had a transfer affiliate. She joined in Fall 2003 as a freshman at her first school. She visited us during her spring break (she lived in Maryland, so she was home) in Spring 2005 (she was a sophomore at the time). Fall 2005, she's a junior, her first semester at Maryland. She automatically is an early alumna (with the option of affiliating) because she transferred. So, she comes to the house for dinner, comes to a formal meeting, hangs out with a bunch of girls from my pledge class (a high school friend of hers is even a member), and things seem great, everyone is excited, blah blah blah. The chapter votes to accept her into the chapter, and she officially affiliates.

Maybe a month later, she dropped off the face of the Earth. We never saw her, not even for mandatory events. I still have no idea why, since she obviously liked us enough to want to affiliate when she didn't have to. Thing is, once a transfer affiliates, she can't go back to early alum. She either stays a full member through graduation to get alumna status, or she withdraws if she doesn't want to be a member of the chapter. This girl had to have a decent amount of money, because she paid dues and all of the fines for the rest of her undergraduate career to become an alumna.

So basically, if you haven't already affiliated, I'd think really hard about it. Do you have the energy and drive to help this chapter establish a positive image on campus leading by example? Would it be a chore to hang out with these girls and painful to attend mandatory events with them?

If you have already affiliated, I would look into your org's membership policies to find out if going early alum is an option for you. If you can't go early alum, weigh pros of what it means to be a member of this organization nationally and all the potential you have as an alum, with the cons of cost, not being able to relate to sisters in this chapter, the work it will take to help the chapter grow stronger, etc.

If you choose to affiliate/stay affiliated, lead by example. A new chapter that is weak in recruitment would love to have someone step up to the plate (not necessarily in VP Recruitment, since it may be too late for you to hold that position) to take an active role. Talk with the chapter's advisors. Talk with consultants if you have any visiting you. Offer to plan and lead some pre-recruitment workshops. As far as the sisterhood aspect, you'll really have to reach out to these sisters. If they sense a superiority complex, they'll alienate you. Don't be ashamed to wear your letters. In fact, you may be helping the chapter's reputation by representing them well.