Sorry to crash your group, But I read a sad article today in the Kentucky Kernal.
Alpha Xi Delta sorority closing in spring
By Andrew Martin
Staff Writer
Alpha Xi Delta, which just returned to campus two years ago, will be closing its doors for the third time.
On Oct. 14, members of the UK sorority announced they had voted to close their chapter on campus at the end of the spring 2004 semester.
Members said the main reasons for closing are declining membership and lack of money to allow for a full experience of the sorority. The chapter re-opened in 2001.
According to Office of Greek Affairs’ statistics, Alpha Xi Delta membership has had an overall decline from 70 in 1993 to 29 members in 2003. The sorority had 22 returning members and 7 new recruits this fall.
“I don’t even know that they could predict the decline,” said Pat Jennings, director of public relations for the Alpha Xi Delta national headquarters.
Susan West, director of Greek affairs, said having more members lessens the cost of being in a Greek organization because it provides more money for the local chapter.
“A lot of (fees and dues) depend on the size of the chapter,” West said.
Alpha Xi Delta closed in the spring of 1991, then reorganized and opened in the fall of 1991, West said. It closed again in the spring of 2001, then reopened in the fall of 2001.
Both closings were because the sorority couldn’t afford to pay for many activities, West said.
Alpha Xi Delta also has an on-campus sorority house, which the sorority leases from UK. After waiting an allotted amount of time, UK may lease it out again.
“Once the chapter is closed for 15 months it reverts back to UK,” West said.
Members in good academic standing will be granted alumnae status, but some can’t join another sorority according to Greek rules.
“First year students have yet to initiate, so they may join another sorority,” said Panhellenic President Vanessa Hahn. “Those who joined last year or before will not be able to join another sorority.”
Alpha Xi Delta has more than 130,000 initiated members and is represented on 112 college campuses nationwide, according to its national Web site at
www.alphaxidelta.org.
Members of UK’s Alpha Xi Delta declined to comment.
E-mail
amartin@kykernel.com
Nov 12, 2003
Threaded Mode