Quote:
Originally Posted by TigerPiPhi
Pi Phi is presenting at Clemson on Wednesday, November 12. Pi Phi did not present for recolonization in 2004 (even though we were invited) not only because we had our hands full colonizing other chapters but also because of concern about Clemson at that time. Delta Gamma had just closed in 2003. We had learned from Alpha Gams experience in the 1990s (who came on just as we were closing in 1994 or 1995) that coming on when someone is closing shop may not be the best thing to do. Alpha Gam ended up closing just 6 years later. Then DG 3 years after that. I remember many chapters having to COB all the time to stay afloat.
There was a big imbalance between big sororities and small sororities at that time, instead of everyone being around the same size and being healthy from an extension standpoint.
I'm glad to see that chapters are appearing to do better now on the Clemson campus. Seems like everyone is getting good numbers in recruitment.
I am hopeful for Pi Phi. After successful presentations at Mississippi State, NYU, and MIT recently, I hope another goes our way. Georgia Alpha is a great chapter nearby (one of the top Pi Phi chapters), and all the North Carolina chapters are strong. I went to NC State's installation in 2005, and they did a great job there.
There was never a SC Gamma that I recall. The only chapters in SC were at USC and Clemson, and that's according to the history book from the 2005 Convention in Tampa.
Sis was a SC Alpha from USC, btw.
And yes, the Clemson sororities have floors in the dorms. Pi Phi used to be 3rd floor of Barnett, between ADPi and Theta.
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Thanks for the details on all that. And welcome to GC!
The third SC chapter information is coming from
this post. Pi Phi didn't always use the state-by-state naming system. Early in our history, the sorority used a naming system similar to what most GLOs use: the Alpha chapter was at Monmouth, and so on. The system was a bit disorganized and I think there were alumnae clubs that were lettered chapters at that time as well. At some point fairly early on we switched to the state-by-state system, and all the chapters that were still functioning got new names. I know for sure though, that the defunct chapters at the time of the name reorganization did NOT get new names. Thus there ARE some closed collegiate Pi Phi chapters that don't have state-by-state names. Some of them are at institutions that no longer function.
In this instance, according to irishpipes' thread, Pi Phi had a chapter at Baptist College, which is now Charleston Southern University.
You can look this up in the comprehensive history of Pi Phi that should be in every chapter's archives.
You can also see it on the Pi Phi website. I'm not giving anything away on this because when you set up an account you can see this list without having logged in... So when you set up an account and have to choose your chapter of initiation, the options on the drop-down menu include:
IA Clarinda
IC Psi
Phi of IC
Rho of IC
Zeta of IC
I'm assuming that the IA Clarinda is in Iowa. It's a state-by-state name, but a non-standard one. We used to have a ton of chapters in Iowa that no longer exist, you can see those on the drop-down list. Oddly, there are two groupings, one under "Iowa" and one under "IA."
Interesting stuff.