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Dear Eric,
Just wanted to let you know--
I go to a small school, about 4,000, where the greek community is thriving. We have 9 fraternities and 5 sororities, where many of the members hold leadership positions on campus. We go to an extemely conservative school where we are not allowed to have houses.
I can see how at community colleges a greek community would not exist for very long, but at my four year university we have had greeks since the late 1800's and Sigma Nu's Kappa Chapter (1881) still exists there today.
My comments to your remarks:
1. Have no houses
I recall reading something on GreekChat about your one of your chapters at UGA. They bought a house and no longer existed only s few years later! A house is will not necessarily help you to thrive on campus or have a successful brotherhood as your organization so poignantly proved.
2. Do little for the community
Just some of the fundraisers that greeks at North Georgia hold yearly:
**Camp Kudzu in Cleveland, Georgia that provides a week of fun-filled games and crafts for children who must constantly watch thier diabetes.
**Rock-a-Thon to raise money for philanthropies.
**Atlanta Area School for the Deaf-sold Christmas cards drawn by the students with all proceedings going directly to the school.
**Volunteer our time at the school carnivals.
**Holds a Hike for Hearing to raise money for the speech and hearing impaired.
**Run Dahlonega - raises money for the Rainbow House, a home for abused children.
**Shakedown - raises money for the Rainbow House.
******AND THAT'S EXAMPLES from only THREE of the FOURTEEN greek organizations on campus.******
3. Have little to offer their members
As a school where leadership is part of its core values, all of our greek organizations stress the important of leadership. We all are strongly urged to take leadership positions on campus, as well as attend leadership workshops held by our own organizations.
But, I digress...
**My $0.02 -- Successful chapters have little to do with houses and "eliteness". They take strong almuni guidance and support, a unyielding committment and bond between their members, as well as a National Office (or in your case International) who takes their time and carefully plans and supports chapters they begin.
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