Alpha Chi Omega Will Close at U of Arizona in May

exlurker · #1 02-18-2009, 04:23 PM

http://media.wildcat.arizona.edu/med...-3635616.shtml

Edited to add URL for Alpha Chi Omega HQ site's announcement:
http://www.alphachiomega.org/whats_n...12219200912472

Excerpts from article on campus paper's site:

. . . The national council of Alpha Chi Omega announced the elimination of the Beta Lambda charter at the University of Arizona, as stated by their press release Tuesday evening.

Members of the Alpha Chi Omega national grand council were flown in to report the news to Alpha Chi's 67 members, on Monday evening.

"Over the past couple of days, the national council of Alpha Chi Omega voted to close the Beta Lambda chapter of the University of Arizona," said Associate Executive Director Beth Conder. "The chapter was notified last night about the decision, we answered any questions they might have and walked them through the past few years and why that decision was made."

Ever since Alpha Chi Omega was re-organized in 1999, the UA sorority hit several obstacles in regards to the member quota of their chapter, Conder said.

. . . The Beta Lambda chapter has had no issues involved with risk management since its 1999 re-organization. It was more about the chapter's struggle to reach annual quota, Conder said.

She said the chapter had continuously struggled to be competitive with other chapters at the UA.

The news came as a surprise to all of Alpha Chi's members, including the former and current president of the Beta Lambda chapter.

"We never saw it coming," said Rachel Levine, a communications senior and Alpha Chi Omega member.

"We just finished off spring recruitment," Levine said. "I just feel that it is unfair to all of our new members in addition to our young active members."

. . . Marsha Brady, national president of Alpha Chi Omega, said although the announcement has been officially recognized, the chapter would continue to participate as an active house in the Greek community until May. . . .

#2 02-18-2009, 04:36 PM

That's too bad.

fantASTic · #3 02-18-2009, 04:55 PM

Very sad.

Does anyone know what the average chapter size is?

#4 02-18-2009, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fantASTic

Very sad.

Does anyone know what the average chapter size is?

According to irishpipes' thread, total was 130 last fall.

fantASTic · #5 02-18-2009, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTW

According to irishpipes' thread, total was 130 last fall.

Thank you.

It's always very sad when a chapter closes.

Kansas City · #6 02-18-2009, 05:06 PM

The closing seems like it is happening rather rapidly. I feel sorry for all current members of the chapter but feel particularly bad for the new memebers picked up during informal recruitment. This would just $uck to get invited to join an organization you felt connected with only to learn that it is shutting down operations in a few months.

MysticCat · #7 02-18-2009, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exlurker

She said the chapter had continuously struggled to be competitive with other chapters at the UA.

The news came as a surprise to all of Alpha Chi's members, including the former and current president of the Beta Lambda chapter.

"We never saw it coming," said Rachel Levine, a communications senior and Alpha Chi Omega member.

I asking this out of a sincere desire to know, not to be critical.

How common is it that an action like this would be taken when the chapter "never saw it coming"? (That is, assuming they really didn't, and had no explicit reason to, see it coming.) I get it that the chapter was struggling, and I assume that someone was working with the chapter to help it out. But I think I'd be a bit peeved if the decision was made to close the chapter (1) without any explicit notice to the chapter that this might be an option, and (2) without an opportunity for the chapter to speak in its defense.

Again, I'm really not trying to be critical. I'm just curious is this procedure the norm? (Or am I missing something?)

phisiglindsey · #8 02-18-2009, 05:42 PM

Did these sisters know that if they didn't get enough new members their chapter would close? Seems like some shocking news. If I thought my chapter was in danger of closing, I'd be working really hard to get the numbers up.

AZ-AlphaXi · #9 02-18-2009, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fantASTic

Very sad.

Does anyone know what the average chapter size is?

Here's the link to the UofArizona web site listing grades and membership numbers since 2006. Most NPC chapters were over total (130) after fall recruitment.

https://orgsync.com/:fsp/grades

Smile_Awhile · #10 02-18-2009, 06:16 PM

How sad.

If any of my sisters at U of Arizona read this, I am so sorry. I can't imagine the heartache you're feeling right now.

SWTXBelle · #11 02-18-2009, 06:36 PM

While the members undoubtly knew that their chapter was struggling, they may not have known how dire the situation was. HQ probably wanted to give them every chance to succeed - I am sure they were 100% committed to turning things around, but sometimes you simply can't overcome low numbers.

I am so saddened by the loss of any chapter. My heart just breaks for the members - I hope they will find love and support as they become alumnae, and that Alpha Chi Omega is someday able to return.

CougarGrad · #12 02-18-2009, 06:36 PM

Oh no... and 62 actives last spring. That's still more than ceiling at my alma mater. I know every school's different, but it's still a shame.

Smile_Awhile · #13 02-18-2009, 06:39 PM

That's three under total at my current school- it's so interesting how things vary school to school.

Blue Skies · #14 02-18-2009, 09:59 PM

I'm so sorry.

Hugs to all of the sisters of Beta Lambda.

ASUADPi · #15 02-19-2009, 11:03 PM

I feel bad for AXO, but I remember them struggling (along with ADPi at the time) when I was down there in spring 98.

The same thing happened to the ADPi chapter down there, they had just finished, what the girls thought was a successful spring recruitment, and were told the chapter would be closing. Now this is completely from the mouths of sisters I know who were down there at the time, because I wasn't, heck I had already graduated from ASU when the chapter closed.

Maybe AXO will get to do the same thing as ADPi and take some time away from campus, rent out their house, and come back in 4-5 years. I really hope so.

I could have sworn that total was higher than 130, only because we initiated like between 150-160 girls in the fall. I thought I heard that they were raising total to like 175. Can anyone confirm?