[PhoenixAzul]

I have a point of contention with the "not having to follow the rules" thing. We DEFINITELY have to follow the rules, as close if not closer than a national organization. While most of our chapters are 80+ years old, if we step out of line...we're done. We have no national office to go to, no financial help to dip into, (in most cases) no high powered alumni to go to for help. We have to monitor and govern our chapters very very closely or we're simply done because the school holds our chapters in the palm of their hand. They've closed several chapters over the years (Some have returned, others havent, some have faded in and out). So we have a lot more rules about the rules than most people do. Our finances are extremely important. While the cost is very reasonable, we still have to pay and do fundraisers. But I think that the strength of local chapters is evidenced by the fact that almost all of the original founding groups of Otterbein are STILL on the campus, STILL taking members, and STILL having a proud tradition.