[aopirose]

I think that this is an excellent question for shadokat because this happened with her chapter. I am not saying that D Phi E is a small national but that they were smaller in chapter size then the other campus groups.

The Executive Boards of the two groups need to meet to discuss the pros and cons informally. The national’s headquarters and executive board would need to be notified. HQ would sent the proper procedures to its chapter. The very first question to be addressed is “What does each group hope to gain from the merger?”

These are in no particular order. Are there grade risks or risk management issues that need to be addressed? Do the members of the local meet the membership criteria for the national? If the national is an NPC, are the members of the local willing to give up some traditions that may be in conflict with NPC policies? For example at certain schools, it is not uncommon to have alcohol and men as part of the recruitment process like a keg party. If the local participates in such activities, are they willing to go dry and not have men there? Are there traditions of the local that could be kept some how? For example, a sorority handkerchief that each bride used for her wedding. I know one local that used part of their treasury to create a chapter scholarship in their local’s name. Alumnae still contribute to that fund and it has been about 13 years since the merger.

After all these issues and more are addressed, the local and the national would vote on the merger.