[adpiucf]

Grand Council and the IO Team will never just "close" a chapter. All of our chapters have international resources, trainings and help available to them. For whatever the reason- a track record of inefficient leadership, inability to keep up with the other chapters on campus in terms of numbers and total, a major and unforgivable standards issue (thankfully none of our recent closings are due to hazing or hurting one another!), etc.-- the decision to close is made by several teams and only after the chapter has been given ample opportunity to work toward and attain specific goals set by the IO Team.

A lot of people gripe about totals and quota-- but if a campus total set and the majority of the chapters meet that number -- then the problem lies within the chapter that can't make that number. A sorority is an organization, yes, but it is a non-profit organization-- a business. If we don't make total at our chapter, we can't pay the bills for our chapter-- that trickles "up" as well as down. And sadly, we may want to be smaller, but if your members pay the highest dues and have the least to show for it in activities and honors... what are you paying for other than a street address on Greek Park? Is it worth it to the current collegians?

The system DOES work--- but where there are chapters constantly having to recruit, where members must double up on offices and hold multiple terms, when your chapter house sleeps more members than the number on your attendance roster-- and the IO teams have made every effort in onsite and offsite report, goal setting and ultimatums-- it isn't fair to the existing collegians to live the day-to-day reality of failure. These women are in college to get an education and to enjoy being college students. Where the Alpha Delta Pi chapter has failed, the chapter closing can allow these members to regain a sense of themselves-- they will always be ADPi's and the alumnae of these chapters have no reason to feel shame or loss. Our closed chapter at SMU has brought us some of greatest current sorority leaders-- including our current Grand President!

A chapter that closes isn't instantly able to reopen. In many cases, the sorority must go back into the expansion queue and wait for the university to advertise its interest in expansion. And then we must present our expansion recommendations at that university all over again, even if we once had a chapter there. In rare cases, like with Delta Gamma chapter, we have already been guaranteed a return.

Sisters, a closing is a very serious and emotional event. But remember-- we are more than a string of chapters-- we are a 150+ year old tradition-- with sisters all over the globe. Take pride in the strength of our numbers.