High Percentage of Inactive chapters...

[naraht]

While there is quite a bit to be commented on in KAPital PHINUst 's post, I'd like to comment on the fact that we have a high number of inactive chapters.

While there are schools such as Lafayette College and University of Kansas where we have inactive chapters, and yet have active chapters at schools which are *very* similar culturally to them (Lehigh/Bucknell and Kansas State/U of Oklahoma, I don't think that schools such as Lafayette and UofK represent the primary area where we have large number of inactive chapters.

Areas that do represent much larger percentage of the inactive chapters include: (and yes, some of these overlap)

1) Two year schools. The Fraternity has at least 20 two year schools with charters, of those, only *one* is currently active as far as I can tell (Georgia Military College).

2) Geographical issues. For various reasons, certain areas of the country have higher and lower percentages of inactive chapters. If the entire country were like Western Pennsylvania we wouldn't be having this conversation. If the entire country were like New York City or the Intermontane West, we'd be talking about how to keep the fraternity from shutting down. There are four areas of the country that have a significantly high percentage of inactive chapters, though some are getting better. New York City (Section 97), Wisconsin (Section 27, though getting better), Louisiana/Mississippi (section 45 getting somewhat better) and the Intermontane West (Sections 7, 10 & 13). Some of these are due to lack of staff in the area, but for some (NYC), I'm not sure the answer is that clear)

3) Related to #1. APO has been willing to go to some campuses where the national social fraternity concept from which to some degree APO originally sprung is missing, has been killed or has been caged (requiring local GLOs and not allowing connection to national GLOs). While we have had some of those chapters thrive (see Mu Alpha @ Georgetown), regaining those chapters once they have gone inactive is more difficult. While I haven't worked out the numbers, I would believe that APO's inactive chapter percentage at schools with more than half a dozen National Social Fraternities is pretty small. (10-15%?)

4) HBCUs. I think the total number of active chapters at HBCUs is under 10 out of probably 40(?) or so with charters. I agree that an attempt to found "Circle K with a ritual" isn't going to work there. The culture at the HBCUs just isn't going to allow it. But the gender issue is even more significant. As best as I can tell, Alpha Phi Omega is the *only* GLO at an HBCU that would be likely to have a co-ed line. Even other nationally co-ed organizations such as Gamma Sigma Sigma, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma don't generally have co-ed chapters at HBCUs. I'm not counting true honoraries where GPA & classes taken equals automatic membership. Do I think that APO might be able to recharter more chapters if they allowed all-male recolonizing groups, maybe, but that changed almost 25 years ago.



BTW, personally, within 60 miles of my house (just north of Washington DC), I have four inactive chapters.
1) A four-year dormed school whose administration isn't interested in having APO expand there and which I don't know the language that the students communicate in. (Gallaudet University- Omega Omega)
2) A two year community college. (Northern Virginia Community College (Annandale-Phi Lambda)
3) A four-year dormed HBCU (Morgan State University -Mu Gamma)
4) A four-year dormed school with no social fraternities and sororities. (Mt. St. Mary's University - Alpha Alpha Upsilon)

Note, the situation for extension to new schools in my area isn't much better. The only Division I school in my area without a charter is the US Naval Academy and unless the NESA chapter decides to apply to become an APO chapter...