[FSUZeta]

As a former chapter advisor, I promise your chapter advisor makes decisions based on your chapter's best interest and directives from your national office. He is not out to get you, but to guide you. You guys need to show your national headquarters that they made the right decision when they didn't close your chapter or boot you who remain.

No org wants to shut a chapter down- from a business standpoint, they lose money. But in that same vein, from a business standpoint a rogue chapter can cost millions of dollars in lawsuits.

Has anyone approached the chapter(s) spreading the rumors and had a civil conversation with the officers? Asked them to stop and enlisted their help?Could you speak to your campus Greek life advisor and ask that he/she put a stop to the rumor that y'all are breathing your last breath? Maybe he/she could host a meeting with all the Greek org officers that are in town. Prepare what you want to say to the GL advisor and meet in person. If you have definite proof of rumor mongering, bring it. Be civil, respectful, and professional.

Is your campus holding new student orientations during the summer? Could you get permission to put up an information table about your fraternity? Are all members pitching in to recruit new members? They should be, but it is up to you to get your guys organized and informed on what you need them to do. Delegate!

Do whatever you can to get those members who have distanced themselves back and interested in your brotherhood again. Maybe hold a cookout or some fun activity that concentrates just on them. Make sure it's an upbeat event- no griping about the injustice you all feel was inflicted on your chapter last year. It is important to not lose those members, so KROM (keep rushing our members).

Also take a deep breath. This is June and you are just 10 spots away from your goal? That's a glass half empty outlook. If you reverse that statement, you have X amount of new guys toward your membership goal and it's not even July yet! Remember there will be guys who would be great members that y'all will meet in the fall-under the radar guys that you and your brothers will meet in class. Guys your new members will room with or become friends with in the first few weeks of class. I think you will meet your goal. Good luck!