Alright....I think I should jump in here too since I am also from this campus and know what is going on also.
In response to whether the small sorority enjoys being a smaller group, I have heard it in different ways. Many of them enjoy the small sisterhood that they have when many of them desprately want to expand. This has caused some major conflict internally and might also be a reason why their numbers continue to decrease.
As for expanding and/or decreasing house total, I am not forseeing that happening soon. Especially expansion. Last night, I spoke with our Assistant Director of Greek Life and specifically asked him about expansion since I had been Panhellenic President and on the Expansion Committee in 2002. He spoke of our newest Fraternity and also of a Latino Fraternity that has requested to come on campus but not specifically of PHC chapters. I did ask about them and he said that we are not looking at anyone right now but many chapters have expressed some sort of interest.
Since Spring 2002, our PR within Panhellenic has increased. We've had strong PR plans and increased our visibility to new and incoming students. We have had some strong leaders who have organized and worked to do this (but also those that have failed in those areas too...Shannan would know what I'm talking about....
). This has since continued to expand and as new people come in, different conferences are attended, and new ideas are established, more things are happening in order to improve our numbers.
I too want our campus to grow and would like to see another chapter come on campus and our smallest chapter become strong again, but until that happens, or godforbid this chapter closes, I'm not sure how long it will really take.
Just thought I should throw in my .02 especially since I just went Alum in December.