Quote:
Originally Posted by GammaZeta
Dever, all your points are true. For #2 and #3, it is a little different from where we came from.
HQ is fine for most of the chapters, the larger one's, primarily in the south to mid-west. They have a general plan and resources that are fine for the majority of chapters. It's not an issue of them wanting to help, just sometimes they can't help.
Umass-Amherst was a little "unique". When our numbers were on the low end, we did ask HQ for help and they did respond positively. They sent out one of their best recruiters for 1 or 2 weeks, can't remember. The recruiter did EVERYTHING in their book, cold called people, spent days just randomly going up to guys and started talking, make little cards, and on and on. He did a great job trying to recruit. However, we didn't get a single guy from his 2 weeks trying to recruit.
He was a great guy, but the way he was trained and his tactics given to him by HQ simply did not work at our campus. If he was in Iowa, I'd say yeah, they probably would work great. But having a mixture of prissy Long Island guys, stoned out hippie men, Massholes, and kids from Southie Boston, all of whom never had any intention on joining a frat in the first place, is not the group you randomly go up to on their way to class and turn on the southern charm.
About 90% of the people I witnessed him go up to thought he were hitting on them (Umass has a big gay population). Actually, his first week there was "Coming Out Week" and they had "Queerfest".
It's not HQ's fault. They are in charge of 200 Zeta's. We never expected them to have an individualized game plan for us.
It's almost impossible to apply a generalized theory primarily aimed at campuses of 50-75% greek from the South or Mid-West and apply it to a 2% greek university in the Northeast.
When I was active, we really never got any "leadership" from HQ. We got orders, rules, books, notices, phone calls, evaluations, and on and on. But we never got LEADERSHIP.
We never had anyone outside of our chapter to inspire us. We never had a reason to care who was on the GHZ, or the executive board. It never mattered to us, just tell us where to send the checks and when our next ELC visit is.
We never had anyone from HQ inspire us to reach beyond our own chapter and become a part of the national LXA.
Honestly, I don't know what, if anything, could have been done to change that. I'm just telling you how we feel. Getting the C and C every few months, or a new Paed just isn't inspirational.
The reality is that some chapters, like ours, just will never fit the national mold or image. That is why I will always be a big supporter of regional offices, and dismante HQ to just a leadership board, and give the power to the area offices.
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I generally refrain from quoting entire long posts, but this one deserves it. It seemed to read well at first, then I mowed the lawn and realized someone could copy and paste it into the history books as to why Gamma Zeta failed.
"Umass-Amherst was a little 'unique'."
Every school is unique.
"The recruiter did EVERYTHING in their book (what did you do?), cold called people (did you?), spent days just randomly going up to guys and started talking (did the chapter?), make little cards (did you?), and on and on." On and on what? Nowhere do you say what you or the chapter did. "He did a great job trying to recruit. However, we didn't get a single guy from his 2 weeks trying to recruit."
He did a great job and you didn't get a single guy. What did you do? Just sit there watching him?
"But having a mixture of prissy Long Island guys, stoned out hippie men, Massholes, and kids from Southie Boston, all of whom never had any intention on joining a frat in the first place, is not the group you randomly go up to on their way to class and turn on the southern charm."
At my school in Florida 90% were from the north, 75% were from the northeast, 25% were from Long Island, and our High Alpha was from Southie Boston.This arguement is not the least bit valid.
"About 90% of the people I witnessed him go up to thought he were hitting on them (Umass has a big gay population)."
Oh, so you did just sit there watching him for two weeks.
"It's not HQ's fault."
You got that right. Never on these boards have I seen you take responsibility for your chapter's demise. You're very good on blaming it on everyone else and everything else, however. Blaming a failed recruitment on "Coming out Week" is nothing short of laughable.
"It's almost impossible to apply a generalized theory primarily aimed at campuses of 50-75% greek from the South or Mid-West and apply it to a 2% greek university in the Northeast."
This is a curious statement in view of the fact that LCA (and other GLOs) are doing well at:
Boston
Connecticut
Cornell
Maine
MIT
New Hampshire
Polytechnic
Rensselaer
Worcester
"When I was active, we really never got any "leadership" from HQ. We got orders, rules, books, notices, phone calls, evaluations, and on and on. But we never got LEADERSHIP."
Well, boo-hoo. Leadership comes from WITHIN. Within the chapter, and within you. You can get up and do something, or you can sit on your butts and whine that no one's giving you leadership. It's a bunch of bs.
"We never had anyone outside of our chapter to inspire us."
Double boo-hoo. You poor children. Do you think that other chapters get monthly visits from the entire Grand High Zeta, the executive vp, and the entire staff, who give us all hugs and warm fuzzies? Get real. This is just more nonsensical whining. Inspire your own self.
"Honestly, I don't know what, if anything, could have been done to change that."
I do! Should I spell it out? You could have gotten off your asses and kept your chapter going instead of blaming everyone and everything - except yourselves.
"I'm just telling you how we feel."
Me too.
I suppose now you'll either lay into me for speaking my mind, or say you were just kidding. "Haha, did you think I was serious?" Yes, I think you were serious.
Have a nice weekend.