[TigerPiPhi]

If you are talking about when Gamma Phi colonized at USC, that was the same year DZ colonized at Clemson (2004), so I'm assuming some of the same reasons apply. I can't remember which chapter(s) Pi Phi was colonizing at that time -- I'd have to look it up -- but there were other commitments at that time, I guess. I know a lot of our national/chapter structure, programming, and marketing was changing at that time, too, so I suspect a lot of Nationals' money, time, and efforts were going into organizing that as well. I think many of those changes were positive and make us a more efficient and attractive organization today.

Also I really don't know much about the specifics of USC's Panhellenic, as I did not go there and never inquired about it. All I know is that Theta colonized and then closed a chapter at USC in the 1990s (one of my high school classmates was a founder actually), but I don't know if that played in role in them being cautious about how ready the school was to expand. Maybe they felt Panhellenic there did not do enough to support or promote their existing chapters to ensure a healthy Greek system overall. (???)
I went to Clemson and have spoken to our National NPC delegate about them before, so I'm a little more informed about them.

I'm sure they had to factor in housing costs (building a house), commitment of area alums to AAC and House Corps, opportunities for expansion at other schools, etc., among many other things that I have no idea about in their decision. Expansion is expensive, and you want that investment to pay off. I have no idea how all that played out for USC at that time, so all of this is just speculation.