[KSUViolet06]

Originally posted by ihearttrisigma
I am wondering how National HQ goes about choosing where to re-colonize and expand. Eventhough I came from a new chapter (thus expansion) its still an interesting process to talk about. There are so many things that go into making the decision it would be fascinating to be a part of the whole process at HQ.

Jocelyn, you always seem to have the scoop! How did you hear about us considering Old Miss? From what I've read on GC about Ole Miss it sounds like an amazing place! I do not know much about the schools you listed but they sound like prime candidates for Sigma. Does anyone know if HQ has a goal for expansion/recolonization of say 3 a year? I know we have standards and will not just be anywhere (which I admire) but there must be some sort of development plan for growth.

I personally would love to see us out west more. California, Nebraska, Arizona etc. I think we are very strong where we are, and it is time to sigmafy the west!

As for recolonizations...can I say everywhere we've been?!
No but seriously, I think maybe more of the recent chapters that have gone dormant, not that I don't want older ones back..but perhaps the recent ones have a better chance of getting back up and running since their presence hasn't been forgotten. OH, but I would love to see the chapter in Germany back! I think that rocked!

Oh, Jocelyn, when you say UGA is a SEC school..what does that mean? (BTW, I think that would be a great school to be at as well)Also, how did you go about selecting the schools you did? I mean I think I heart Sigma but I definately pale in comparison to you You know so much...no wonder you said someone in your chapter told you something like you were "the future of sigma".

Wow, lot's of questions:

*Expansions comes about in a few ways. A school can send a bulletin to NPC letting them know they are open to expand and interested sororities can have their extension coordinators fly out and present to the local Panhellenic council at the school who will vote on which chapter to bring on campus. Or a local sorority or interest group of women (with most sororities it's 25-30 to be considered) can contact a sorority and ask about becoming a colony. The extension coordinator will come out to the campus and see if the conditions are right to expand there. If so, the group becomes a colony and if they do well, eventually a chapter.

*Re-colonizations usually work similarly. If a campus is open to expand, they can choose to invite a group previously on campus. Also locals looking to affiliate with a national might choose to contact a group previously on campus because they know that way there are alumnae of that chapter who might be around to help out if they become a colony.

*Basically expansion opportunities come from campuses open to expand, locals, and interest groups. HQ looks at alot of factors in deciding whether or not to expand somewhere (campus population, environment, are there other chapters and alumnae chapters close by, etc).


I heard about the possibility of us coming to LSU through an article here on GC from the LSU paper. We were seriously considering it, but we realized that colonizing there takes a LOT of money. We NEEDED A HOUSE and I believe we looked at the old Delta Chi fraternity house, but in the end we decided that it would NOT compete with the other sororities in the cutthroat system. It needed SEVERAL renovations before it could begin to compete.

It didn't make sense to spend millions of dollars trying to get ONE colony off the ground that might not survive one year. LSU is STEEPED in Southern tradition and we don't have the alumnae base in that area to support a colony of that size. So it made more sense to focus our energies on colonies in places we knew we had the resources to thrive.

*SEC schools are schools in the Southeastern Athletic Conference. Examples: LSU, Clemson, UGA, UF, Ole Miss. Google "SEC conference" and you'll get their website. Click on member institutions and ther's info on all the schools in that conference. They're all BIG, COMPETITIVE, Greek Schools.

*Why I chose the schools I did? Some of them are just dreams, but some I honestly think could happen.

And you're probably just as super as I am