"Greek Club" for transfer students

[TSteven]

After reading another thread regarding transfer students and Greek life, I was wondering if anybody recalls of a group/club that allowed Greeks to be members *only* if their GLO was not represented on the campus. I heard about this back in the early 1980s from a friend of a friend and I do not think it still exists.

Basically, what I recall is that there was a group called the Greek Club or Panhellenic Club - something like that - that was at a large mid-western or eastern university. (Indiana, Ohio State or Michigan maybe?) The school was the state flagship school and often students would transfer in from other schools in state or the area.

In any case, the group was made up primarily of sorority women, and some fraternity men, who had transfer into the school and their sorority or fraternity did not have a chapter on campus.

They had official school recognition as a club with officers, dues, functions etc. but they were not considered a Greek social organization. I'm fairly sure they did not have ritual or anything similar to that. Nor was it represented on any of the school's Greek councils. However, they were usually included in most Greek activities such as Greek Week and mixers. Basically it was a way for Greeks not affiliated with any chapter on campus to continue the social aspect of Greek life.

One of the interesting parts is that to be a member, you had to have a letter from your previous campus' chapter saying you were a member in good standing etc. And I believe members had to have and keep a certain GPA.

For what it is worth, it's an interesting concept and I'll see if I can find any additional information about it.

In the meantime, does this ring a bell with anyone? Again, it may have been as far back as the 1960s or 1970s. I heard about it in the early 1980s and even at that time, it was discussed in past tense. Like it didn't exist anymore.

[TSteven]

Originally posted by BetaRose
xlurker described a group like that at the University of Louisville in this thread

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Being originally from Kentucky, that may be why I heard of it.

[carnation]

Now that's a good idea!

[exlurker]

I double-checked, and yes, those groups were in the 1950 yearbook of the U. of Louisville. The writeup on the Wandering Greeks (men's) organization says it was established there in 1945.

Nothing more to add.

[aephi alum]

That's a very interesting idea. It's an especially good idea for women from NPC sororities, since once you've been initiated into one NPC sorority you can never join another. Then Greek Week comes along and you can't participate, all the sororities are having formals and you don't have one to go to unless someone invites you to theirs, etc...

The group could also serve as a resource for PNMs. They would truly be unbiased. For example, the women could offer to be rho chis during formal rush (GeekyPenguin, didn't you look into this at one point?).

[TSteven]

I wonder if there were similar organizations to the ones at UofL on other campuses.

What I recall - and granted, the conversation was over twenty years ago and I may be confused with some of the particulars - was that the "club" being discussed was at a flagship or land-grant state institution. I believe UofL was a metropolitan school - i.e. owned by the city - and not a state school at the time.

The other thing I recall was that this "club" was coed and I believe not part of any of the Greek councils. (Perhaps they had a seat on the councils, but no voting rights.)

[TSteven]

Google references to "Stray Greeks". (Wondering Greeks brings up only references to Greece.)

Florida Southern College
Panhellenic Council
Bylaws

ARTICLE VII. AFFILIATES

2. STRAY GREEK: A Greek letter woman belonging to a National Panhellenic fraternity, which has no chapter on this campus. Stray Greeks may be granted social privileges only and may not participate in other fraternity activities, including Recruitment.

Alpha Tau Omega Chapter at Southern California

Although the chapter received its charter on April 30, 1951, the story of its founding began several years earlier. In the spring of 1947 a young man by the name of Marv Lester enrolled at the University of Southern California. He was a transfer from the University of Oregon, where he had joined the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Since there was no ATO chapter at USC, he joined the Stray Greeks, an organization for students who had belonged to fraternities at other schools but which had no chapter on the USC campus.

Other references to "Stray Greek" organizations. Dates are not necessarily any time line, but dates associated with file folders of documents.

University of Arizona
University of North Carolina (1950-67)
University of Northern Colorado (1949-58)

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by TSteven
I wonder if there were similar organizations to the ones at UofL on other campuses.

Probably so. I think groups such as this used to be fairly common at large schools with significant transfer populations.

[NebraskaDelt]

With all of the work they did establishing that organization they could have worked and tried getting a colony established of their own fraternity or sorority. Probably would have been more rewarding.

Originally posted by NebraskaDelt
With all of the work they did establishing that organization they could have worked and tried getting a colony established of their own fraternity or sorority. Probably would have been more rewarding.

You're kidding me, right?

It took almost 60 years for my AGD Alumnae Club to establish the collegiate chapter at UH-M. Convincing IHQ and campus to let us in was similar to pulling teeth!

I can't speak for fraternities, but NPC Extension is no walk in the park. Colonization doesn't take place just because a few members on a campus are "lost".

It just doesn't work that way, sorry.

[NebraskaDelt]

Originally posted by OohTeenyWahine
You're kidding me, right?

It took almost 60 years for my AGD Alumnae Club to establish the collegiate chapter at UH-M. Convincing IHQ and campus to let us in was similar to pulling teeth!

I can't speak for fraternities, but NPC Extension is no walk in the park. Colonization doesn't take place just because a few members on a campus are "lost".

It just doesn't work that way, sorry.

If you don't know how fraternities work, then maybe you shouldn't comment on it. If there is an interest group at a school (or even a local for that matter) they could petition a national fraternity to get recognized as a colony and work to attain chapter status. I'm not sure how your sorority does things, but I have also seen this done with sororities on several campuses.

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

she's right.

Besides, that's not the point. If there are 2 Phi Mus, 3 AGDs, an ASA and an Alpha Phi on a campus -- wandering, if you will -- is their only recourse trying to establish chapters of Phi Mu, AGD, ASA, and APhi?

ALSO consider transfers, by definition, have at least some of their education completed. Chartering a chapter can take YEARS. What, do they just kind of push it off the ground, then abandon it when they graduate a year later?

[NebraskaDelt]

Originally posted by HotDamnImAPhiMu
she's right.

Besides, that's not the point. If there are 2 Phi Mus, 3 AGDs, an ASA and an Alpha Phi on a campus -- wandering, if you will -- is their only recourse trying to establish chapters of Phi Mu, AGD, ASA, and APhi?

ALSO consider transfers, by definition, have at least some of their education completed. Chartering a chapter can take YEARS. What, do they just kind of push it off the ground, then abandon it when they graduate a year later?

I never said that establishing a chapter is their only recourse, I simply said with all the work they did establishing an organization with officers, constitution, dues, etc, they COULD HAVE worked to start a chapter.

BTW, many colonies are started with Seniors helping to start them. They come back when chartered to get initiated. Transfer students could become the alumni base in the area and work as advisors after they graduate.

Also, could you give me some national organizations where it takes YEARS to charter? I believe the average is about 3 semesters. And most orgs have a rule that if not chartered within 2 years they are done.

Originally posted by NebraskaDelt
If you don't know how fraternities work, then maybe you shouldn't comment on it.

Uh, read my comment again...can't find where I spoke about fraternities.

It's basically a bad idea for any NPC, for the reasons Jacquelyn mentioned.

[Little E]

I think these groups are a great option. Not everyone wants to give up their last years in college to try and colonize their organization. Look at the extreme, what if there was an AST that transfered to Ole Miss...hahaha that would just not happen. (meaning AST doesn't have the local alumnae or the southern reputation needed to survive there) I think it is a great way for these people to connect, even though they are not an active member of their org.