Help! We are about to lose 73 years of History!!!

Tara Archer · #1 10-04-2001, 09:46 AM

Please Help! I am in a local sorority on a campus of National soroities. We have 73 years of history and we will lose that if we don't get our numbers up. We are down to 15 girls and many of them are graduating this year. We have done rush for many weeks now but nothing seems to be working. Any ideas you have would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

The1calledTKE · #2 10-04-2001, 10:50 AM

If your about to die, take anyone or go co-ed. Thank god my chapter never had to take anyone but I guess its needed for some people. National fraternties and sororities can't go co-ed but I assume possibly maybe a local one could.

Tara Archer · #3 10-04-2001, 12:30 PM

tverde: As far as I know there are no minimum numbers...however, next year we will be down to 4 members and we can not possibly afford to keep our house if that happens, our house is a huge part of our history. Also it will be hard for 4 members to take all the offices necessary to run an effective sorority. So numbers are a def necesity here. We are thinking of having parties at our house and inviting greeks. guess you and i were on the same wavelength with that one. Thanks.

TKE: We really don't want to resort to taking anyone. I strongly feel that once you lose your selectivity you lose everything. we realize its do or die so we have become less selective but we don't want to lose it completly. Going coed is not an option, we would lose all that we stand for and our board of directors would never stand for that. That is sort of what nationals have. Thanks for your ideas though.

Vixenradio · #4 10-04-2001, 02:46 PM

I am a sister of a local that has been around for 100 years, so I can understand the importance of wanting to keep your sorority going... especially since it is a local!!!

I guess I am confused as to why you have a quota for numbers if you are local???...

Anyway, I understand your fear of having only 15 girls and loosing a lot during graduation... At one time my sorority had 3 girls, two of which were abroad/off campus (it was before my time but I have heard the stories). Anyway, suddenly we started growing and now I believe there are 25 or so girls (I'm an alumni now, so I dont have the exatct number

) with 11 girls pledging this fall... You can't always understand why or how you can go from being so small and exploding to 20-30 girls or vice versa, it's just the way it works sometimes.

My advice to you: DO NOT JUST TAKE ANYONE!!!
If you do, you will not be upholding the standards and values your sorority has held for 73 years... Instead, have your current sisters talk with their friends classmates that you think would properly reperesent your sorority. Have these "potential ladies" come to an informal information meeting; no pressure, just a chance for girls to learn what the organization can offer them and what they could bring to your sorority. Also, don't just take freshman or sophmore pledges, look at juniors and even senoirs. Just because they are over half way through their college experience does not mean that they can't bring a lot of value to your group (I was a senior when I pledged... It was amazing!!)

Also, make a strong presence on campus! Host social events not just with fellow Greeks, but for the whole campus to attend. Or do something like a clothes drive or blood drive with your college. Or, do an event with another sorority or fraternity on campus, or just another group. Exposure it key!!!

I wish you TONS OF LUCK

and I hope I have been helpful... Let us know what happens!

With much Greek Love,
Meri

Tara Archer · #5 10-04-2001, 04:24 PM

We don't have a quota, we just will lose our house and won't be able to keep going with such a small number. We have tried asking friends, that how most of us that are in now, heard about it. So thanks for ideas - we have basically tried everything at this point and it is seeming pretty hopeless. Believe me I understand what you mean about not just taking anyone. I don't want to do that either. Just seems like we need to make some sacrifices if I don't want to lose everything we have worked so hard for.

Vixenradio · #6 10-04-2001, 05:16 PM

Tara-
I'm sorry I could not be of more help...

And I hope that you do not have to loose your house because I know that is sssooo important! None of the greek orgs. at my college (Emerson College in Boston, MA) have houses. Some sisters of a sorority or brothers of a frat will get a handful of people together and share an apartment and that is known as the "house" but not since the 60's or so have greeks had actual enitre houses.

Anyway, my point is that although you may not have a house, it doesn't mean that you have to dis-ban your sorority does it? Sure, I understand it would be really hard to not have a house, but having a sorority and not a house is better then not having either...maybe?

Maybe it is different for you where you go to school (where do you go to school anyway)... I suppose in the city it isnt as vital to have a house. I've seen Greeks at different schools with both options (house or no house) and I guess I feel as long as your actual sorority is strong that's what can keep you going.

Either way, good luck!!!

-Meri

aephi alum · #7 10-04-2001, 07:03 PM

You've gotten lots of great advice - I just wanted to wish you good luck

33girl · #8 10-04-2001, 07:04 PM

Tara,

Who owns your house? School, independent landlord or alums? If the alums own it, they could possibly rent it out for a year or so until the sorority gets back on its feet. If you have a wonderfully understanding landlord he/she might agree to the same thing, especially if you have been in the house for a long time and have been good tenants. At any rate don't give up 73 years worth of sisterhood just because of your housing situation. It would be terrible if you all disbanded and then had 20 girls come along next year who wanted to pledge!

You may have to take a "sabattical" from the regular ways of doing business but you do not have to close altogether. That is one of the good things about being local - you do not have to worry about getting numbers to suit nationals. I know if you have been in the same house a long time it has a lot of history, and leaving it would be sad, but in the oh so true words of Luther Vandross, a house is not a home. Home and sisterhood are in your hearts, not a physical structure.

D.0.7 · #9 10-04-2001, 07:49 PM

I really don't know what i would do in this situation because my faternity that we just started is a few months old, but i do know one thing u could do, is put on events or have a session where you talk about the subject of "why people don't want to be greek", or you invited students that u don't know to your house if you have one. One thing that the founding members and I did was sit with students that we don't know or if we see someone sitting by there selves in the lunch room we would sit with them and making them feel as important as the next group. Not only would u start to share a bond or find something in common, but u just might create a monster to become apart of your family. I hope that this helps u out any, like I said i'm new at the Frat thing but so far by using this method being new we have 20 guys that want to become apart of the Mu Omega Pi family, and prayer if you exercise that just pray. It works..

mmcat · #10 10-04-2001, 10:46 PM

be smart...
use every option.
public relations like crazy, posters, newspaper, word of mouth...
don't take the world, but be open to different ideas.
and remember you don't have to do anything quickly.
cheers
mmcat

Tara Archer · #11 10-05-2001, 12:31 AM

Losing our house doesnt mean losing everything. However, with only four girls next year, we cannot fill all the offices that are necessary with running a greek organization.

Tara Archer · #12 10-05-2001, 12:33 AM

33 girl we own the house, we burned the morgage years ago. We wont have the money for upkeep however,. and our board of directors will force us to sell. Plus I dont think that four girls can keep the sorority alive. Already the reason why we are not getting new members is because we are so small.

Tara Archer · #13 10-05-2001, 12:38 AM

thanks d07 , yes I will pray, I have been believe me, this is my home, my family and I don't want to lose it. My campus would not be the same without it. MMgirl, thanks for ur ideas and support. All of you have been amazing with your help....its nice to see greeks banding together like this. I go to SUNY COrtland in New York, I think someone asked me that earlier. Well I just back from a mixer so its off to bed for me...nightnight everyone

StrokerTKE · #14 10-05-2001, 12:38 PM

Have you thought about allowing alumni to become active again? Even if it's just for a year or 2, you will have enough actives to fill the officer positions.

33girl · #15 10-05-2001, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tara Archer
33 girl we own the house, we burned the morgage years ago. We wont have the money for upkeep however,. and our board of directors will force us to sell. Plus I dont think that four girls can keep the sorority alive. Already the reason why we are not getting new members is because we are so small.

Your board of directors is composed of alumnae, isn't it? Why would they force you to sell a house that means as much to them as it does to you? Like I said, if you own it you can rent it for a year or so until numbers go back up. This is done very frequently at some schools.

As for the offices - you are local. YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. If you choose to only have President and Treasurer, you can. 4 women in the sorority would be considered an "emergency" and supercedes any bylaws you might have. Plus remember, this is only fall! You have all of next semester to pledge women - and there are people who want to wait until they complete a semester to get involved in anything. Also there may be people transferring into the school. So who knows who will come along in the spring.

I know right now everything looks bleak, but please don't give up!!! Like Meri said, her group went from 3 to 20 - it CAN be done and without compromising your standards.

GOOD LUCK!!!