I'm an Alpha Xi Delta alumnae from the University of Florida! Indy200 has it right - Goooooooo Gators!!!!!
Quote:
Originally posted by shopgirl:
Hi localsororities...
Are you from U of F...Gainesville? If so, and if you don't mind my asking, how are the Sigma Kappas over there? We lost the other three chapters that we had in that state, so they are the last ones. I wonder what's going on over there??? Anyway, if you have any info, that would be great. It's not a big deal, just my curiousity.
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Unfortunately, Sigma Kappa has been struggling the past few years. They had problems similar to the ones my chapter faced. So far, they've held on, while my chapter is no longer on campus. UF's panhellenic system is very competitive, and the "best" houses are generally the ones that have been at UF for decades and have a lot of alumni support and money. And most chapters are huge - about 150+ sisters, quota is usually in the 60s. If a chapter falls behind even a little bit, fails to make quota, the stigma is very harsh. Doesn't matter how strong the sisterhood is, etc. - the sorority is viewed as a "bad" house and gets all the derogatory terms I know you've heard.
Sigma Kappa has been pretty lucky so far - their nationals has given lots of support and sisters/alumnae from other chapters come to help them all the time. We weren't so lucky - our Regional advisor (I won't name her because she's active in her local Panhellenic Alumnae Council, someone here might know her and the last thing I need is that woman after me) had it in for us because of an incident that happened 4 years before I pledged my freshman year. (talk about holding a petty grudge!)
Basically, our Nationals/Regionals didn't offer much help other than sending one little lonely advisor twice a year and telling us to "keep rushing!" That @#$%&*! regional advisor also wouldn't let us have money that alumnae groups raised for us, saying that it would be given to us when our house was stronger, and actually told alumnae NOT to give us money or come help.
Sigma Kappa luckily hasn't had problems like this but they're still struggling. Hopefully they can pull through. We didn't make it and a recolonization effort this past fall failed due to similar problems.
Honestly, localsororities is the wrong one to ask about the status of an NPC sorority at UF. I'm sure I'm going to catch heck for daring to criticize a local group, but she's remarked in several different posts here about my sorority and our Panhellenic Council. We were NOT some "house that basically sucked" that was given more chances than we deserved. When I rushed my freshman year we were within 5 of house total. We weren't trying to absorb her chapter to save ourselves either. I know because I was on the executive council as Panhellenic Delegate and my roommate was our Membership VP during this period. We did invite them to come by the house and meet us, but not a single one showed up. I've sensed some anger localsororities has towards my chapter and Panhellenic because we apparently prevented her chapter from affiliating with a national sorority. Well, hey, our chapter's closed now, and Sigma Kappa's having more trouble, so hey, have fun! As I hope you've discovered, there's a lot more to colonizing an NPC group than hoping that a house gets kicked off. No sorority can succeed at UF without a large chaper house. It takes SEVERAL hundred thousand dollars to build houses like the sororities all have at UF, and it takes HUNDREDS of interested prospective members - they don't take just everyone that shows up - to colonize an NPC group at UF. Good luck colonizing unless you can find the money and the women. No national group is going to do that for you.
The lesson here is that when all of you talk about houses on your campus that are having membership problems, just please remember that there are real people in those houses, people that view their sisterhood/brotherhood as very important, just as valuable as the "best house on campus." We are NOT a blight on your otherwise perfect little Greek system.
On a happy note (finally, right? I'm sure everyone thinks I'm a horrendous b*tch by now) - Indy2000 - your chapter has come so far in the past 5+ years! I'm so happy for you. I always liked the Phi Mu girls that were in my classes and were involved in Panhellenic with me.
G8RAlphaXi
[This message has been edited by G8Ralphaxi (edited February 05, 2001).]
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