[AOIIalum]

My heart aches for these young women. I hope that they are allowed some kind of closure, because from the article it sounded like it was over, no final gathering, no nothing. Here's hoping those who feel a deep bond with ZTA may be allowed to pursue ZTA membership at a later time, and those who still wish GLO membership at Kansas are given that opportunity in the near future. I also hate that they weren't given any longer, but perhaps it's being realistic (although it's just gotta hurt!)

If you've got to have a house at Kansas to be competitive, and there weren't plans to house them any time soon, maybe it was for the best. We'll never know, and that's how it should be, but it really is unfair to everyone involved if a colony isn't viable to let it keep struggling (yes, to me a colony of 85 with 16 new members sure wouldn't be struggling, but I've never been at Kansas so I don't know!) I've seen what can happen when a colony is installed but was uncompetitive at the time (whether numbers and/or housing.) Was housing really their problem with retention, or was it something else? Again, we'll never know and we shouldn't, but it's something to think about when we are supporting our own sorority's colonization efforts.

In general, what do you think is best for our (all sororities "all") continued growth and success when colonizing? Do we want our sororities to install a chapter filled with outstanding women who are true XYZs (insert your letters here!) regardless of numbers? Or, do you think it's more important to install to campus average/total? Which is really more important to you as a member? Do we want to see our sorority to spend the money on housing (expense involve to successfully expand at LSU or IU, for example)? To build a competitive new structure at some schools I'm sure we're talking $1 Million Plus, folks. What about all the existing, smaller, established but still unhoused chapters? What message does it send to them? I'm guessing that we'll see more big expansions across the board in the next few years, and fewer of the others (smaller installation numbers, unhoused on housed campuses.) What can we learn from this sad story, to prevent it from happening to all colonies of all NPC groups in the future?

Christin

(Edited to answer Jill's ?? -- since all colony members are technically "pledges" they will be released, including the new members picked up on bid day. All are free to persue membership in another sorority if they wish, since no one was ever initiated.)