[Firehouse]

I hold a more optimistic view, one molded by experience. My national fraternity in particular is focused on rush, and has the largest average chapter size among all the NIC fraternities. I'm sure we do have chapters that have become inactive due to low numbers. In almost every case, my gues is that they've done that to themselves,a nd have ignored all offers of help. Men will not join fraternities that offer no reason to join. Men join fraternities composed of men that rushees want to be around and have for friends.
You mentioned U-Mass. I am not familiar with the particulars of that campus. Is it a far left wing anti-Greek campus? Is it a commuter campus (that can be very difficult)? Are there restrictive rules and regulations? I think we used to have a chapter there, and now do not.
On every large campus, there should be enough good, traditional Fraternity-men types who would welcome the opportunity to band together with others like them to achieve great and impressive things. Is there no fraternity like that at U-Mass? is there no one fraternity that pledges lots of men, dominates sports, has the big name leaders on campus? If not, then there is an opportunity left unfulfiled.
I am an advocate of letting the market set the limit. If no good fraternity can survive at U-Mass - that is, if the fraternity literally does everything right from a recruiting & marketing standpoint -then the problem lies with the school. That may be the case. I have seen a rare school or two where the atmosphere is poisoned, and hatred of traditional students is obvious.
It's not true that numbers are dropping all over. My fraternity has had increases, and the campus in the city where I live (Florida State) has expereinced an increase in overall fraternity numbers.
It is a cycle. In the 1950s and 1960s, the numbers were huge. Then, around 1967-68, the first tremors began and the numbers began dropping dramatically around 1970, bottoming out around 1973. The 1970s were not good. In the 1980s, Greeks rebouded very strongly. But then, for some reason, the 1990s saw a backslide and a lot of chapters going under. Today, we seem to be seeing healthy growth again. I think sometimes fraternities hurt themselves by denying who we are. We should not behave in an "elitist" manner, but we are elite organizations, and we must realize that that is why men want to join good fraternities. They want to be part of something that calls to the better angels of their natures, that presses them to be more accomplished men.
Madmax, I ahve seen your posts here before, and you seem to be a thoughful ans sincere individual. Tell me about your situation as far as your chapter. When good men like yourself are given the know-how, almost anything can be accomplished.