[33girl]

One pledge class CAN turn a chapter around. My big big's class did it, when they came in there were only 13 sisters and by the time they left we were at total, 50. And there were only 9 of them - just think what you can do with 42 of you!

Stereotypes - If there are people who buy into the "large" stereotype, and cut the house because of it, screw them. They're immature and shallow and probably not people you would want as sisters anyway.

GPA - GPA is always going to be harder when you're smaller, just due to law of averages. To get the sisters more motivated, start giving little rewards for different things related to scholarship each week - like who didn't miss any classes, who got an A on a test, who has the highest GPA in their major etc. Just little stuff like notepads and pencils. That might work better than having mandatory study hours. Everyone has their own ways/times of
studying and 7-9 every Tuesday might not be conducive to some people's way of doing things. However, if you are required to have the mandatory hours, go to the QUIET ROOM in the campus library - not the sorority house. If it's always full, go to the public library in town if it's nearby. And have people sign in when they enter. The key is to have it be about studying & not socializing, and in an appropriate atmosphere. The way my sorority house was set up, I wouldn't have wanted to go to study hours there either - they would have been a waste of time. We didn't have proper lighting or enough space to fit us all in there.

Sisters behaving badly - have someone close to them mention to them that a lot of sisters are concerned about their behavior. If they don't respond, bring them up in front of standards. However, before you do that, look at the stage they are at in their lives first. If everyone you are talking about is a senior, and the sorority is now composed primarily of freshmen and sophomores, it is going to cause a LOT of bad blood. Not to mention it might severely upset your younger alums who are most likely good friends with these girls. If it's something you can put up with for 5 months, it might be best to hold your tongue. Maybe now you see these girls as being drunken pains, but you have known them for 5 months, and they have been members in the sorority for 3-4 years. Look at what they did those years too, not just their actions since you have known them. Plus it would look really bad to the rest of the campus - "did you hear about XYZ? They kicked all the seniors out." It wouldn't have been there for you to join if they hadn't held it together. I am not saying give girls carte blanche because they are seniors, but I had to see one of my good friends get raked over the coals because her values didn't jibe with those of the newer sisters...no one was right or wrong, and someone who would bleed for her sorority was prosecuted needlessly.

Don't wait till next fall to get more girls in the chapter!! Open bid, open bid, open bid. There are a LOT of wonderful women out there who would be great additions to any chapter, but they don't want to put up with formal rush. This includes your "non-greek" friends, there are a lot of people out there who say they are anti-greek when really they are just anti-formal rush. Try having informal open rush parties once or twice a month. It's early enough in the semester to have a pledge class. Plus, if your school and nationals allows it, you can give a woman a bid in March or April and then she can begin pledging in the fall.