How do you do it?!?

[pirepresent]

Hey everyone -- (i didnt know where to put this so i just stuck it in here)

Well this year Phi Sig started something new by putting collegians on national committees - and I was selected for the Expansion Committee! My main goal is to see Phi Sig expand to larger campuses, either by reactivating one of our old chapters or just starting a new one. But I dont know where to start, and I feel like it is so hard to not only find opportunities like that, but then to be selected, when we are so much smaller than many other NPC groups (and sadly, at many of these big schools with old, traditional greek systems that makes us less appealing )

To my knowledge, we have one colony this year, and I would really really like to be able to do something to change that and get one or maybe even two more.

So I guess my question is for anyone who knows ANYTHING about this -- how do you do it? any advice at all on expansion or on ways to make Phi Sig be more of a standout on the national level would be very much appreciated.

and PS - Congrats to all of the groups on here who DID win expansion bids this year (i've been looking through all the forums and there are so many!). I'm jealous!

[Kevin]

I'm not really sure what made Sigma Nu pick our campus. Maybe it was the fact that we're the quickest growing school in the state, the 3rd largest and only 5 fraternities at the time. There's still a lot of potential now and I hope we expand soon. It seems when we added another group that total numbers going through rush increased anyhow..

I do know what they did when they came here though. They had one of the expansion people actually live here 2 semesters. The first semester he recruited, he ran ads in the school newspaper, talked to unaffilliated leaders of the campus and found faculty to help sponsor us. We originally had 12 men -- he took them through our LEAD program, gave us some basics on expansion and he was out of there (came back to visit regularly)

3 years later we figured things out for ourselves, recruited enough men, sent in a petition and were granted our charter. I'm very critical of the way things were run and I realize it was in a transition period. I know that our IHQ now has several people that do recruitment/expansion, in 1999 we only had one. He was spread too thin and in my opinion did not prepare us very well. We had a couple of semesters of pure disaster during Rush, did better in open rush. It took us 2 years really to become competetive with other fraternities.

It was a good experience but after seeing the PKA colony come in here and charter in 2 or 3 semesters.. well hell.. they know what's going on when it comes to colonizing. If you do any research on how fraternities do it check out PKA, it might be helpful.

Since you're NPC I know it works differently. I wish you luck and congratulations on being named to a national committee. Very much an honor.

[PsychTau]

I've not been directly involved in expansion, but I think one thing you can bring to the expansion committee is your views as a collegian. If you were on a campus, what would you like to see in an expansion presentation? What would make you come to an open meeting? What works and what doesn't, so to speak. Even though I've been out of school a relatively short period of time (6 years, but for 3 of those I was back working on my masters), the culture on college campuses has changed, and sometimes what I think is a good idea really isn't. So give those expansion leaders some insight into what the current culture is. I'm sure you can also help in actual expansion presentations on other campuses.

By the way, congratulations on being selected!!

[Tom Earp]

Back in the 60's there was a big push between LXA and TKE to see who would get the most Chapters!

The Old line, Union and Miami triads, did not expand easily.

But in the times we are in know, it has become harder.

LXA and TKE are Both looking at Chapters that have been closed, and Schools that are receptive to Greek Orgs on Campus.

The only one that I have seen that is all locals whom the School want so to go to Nationals is Shorter College in Rome Ga.

All are very cautious at the moment!

I for one feel that if there is interest by a group, then the Nationals should start looking to expand!

We have many problems as Greeks because of bad and stupid things, we do a lot more that never gets recognized!

[aephi alum]

Congratulations on becoming part of your expansion committee. It's a great idea, bringing collegians into what would typically be positions filled by alums - it emphasizes the lifetime commitment.

I was a member of a local sorority whose founders initially intended to become a chapter of AEPhi - and we succeeded several years later. A suggestion: If you are contacted by a local sorority or interest group that is particularly interested in Phi Sig, keep in touch with them - the local Panhel may say no to expansion now, but may give the green light a year or two from now, and you want to be sure that they (especially newer members) know who you are at that time.

[pirepresent]

first off, thanks for the support everyone!

second of all, i have definetly been looking EVERYWHERE for any locals that are interested in potentially going national, because i personally think that is might be more effective than starting from scratch.

but again, if anyone knows of any opportunities for colonization that maybe haven't gone through NPC yet, or any women who might be interested in starting something up, or have any general advice on expansion, i would be extremely interested in hearing the perspective of other organizations. our colonization program itself is VERY good, especially at smaller schools (because most of are chapters are at smaller campuses), and it gets better with every colony.

anyway, enough rambling - i appreciate the advice i've gottens o far, and if anyone has anything else, feel free to post it or PM me. thanks so very much!!!