Kind of depressed

[ASUADPi]

I just finished reading a rush thread for two girls who went through rush at the University of Arizona and it made me quite sad.
One of the girls mentioned (through code) that the 'banana' house was small, only about 30 girls and one girl had to talk to 5 rushee's at once. This house happens to be ADPi.

I say I'm sad cause I was initiated at the University of Arizona. Over the years the chapter size has decreased and decreased. This does truly sadden me cause I fear eventually the chapter will close down.

I wish there was something I could have done to help them with rush.

Thanks for listening (reading).

Brianna

I'm not an ADPi, but I just wanted you to know I sympathize.

When I was initiated into my collegiate chapter, we had about 40 members (pretty average on campus). We regularly had NM classes of 8-12 girls (mine was 9). This year, my chapter only had 16 girls, and took a class of I think 4.

Try to remember that these things go in cycles. One of the chapters on my campus had a major shakedown and went from about 50 members to a handful in one semester. They rebuilt and are back in their game, it sounds like. I am sure that the same thing will happen with my chapter, and with yours.

Is there any way you can go back to campus to help with rush? Perhaps give them some sort of incentive program? I'm just talking here and trying to figure things out too, but just know, I feel ya!

[ASUADPi]

Ginger,
Thank you for the support. Unfortunately Rush has already ended. The girl used color code names for the house she visited and once she recieved her bid she put down what each color represented, so this was how I found out how tiny the chapter is.

I wish there was something I could have done to help with Rush. I even wish there was something I could do now to help them out, but being in Phoenix (they are in Tucson) poses a tiny problem.

I just feel such a tie to them cause they are my chapter of initiation and even when I transferred I never affiliated.

Again, thanks for the support

Brianna

[HBADPi]

Brianna-

I completely understand your worries because when I joined Eta Beta in the fall of 2000 they had just graduated a large senior class and were down to 20 or so girls (quota is 65). Everyone was worried that we'd lose our charter if we didnt have a good spring rush. We ended up taking 10 girls that spring, and up until my senior year 2 years later we were steady at 40 or so girls but we were still the smallest chapter of all the sororities on campus (and hte only ones not to hit quota).

With the help of our district recruitment advisor, TCCs and awesome recruitment officers we're the biggest we have been and last spring we were up to almost 60 I believe.

So all that being said I know how you feel. Nationals should be keeping tabs on the chapters with low numbers and we were always lucky enough to be able to request a TCC during recruitment week in Jan so that we had that extra outside help. I really think the TCCs were a great help so maybe you should check and see if the girls are getting help from nationals.

Its always hard to be the smallest but this isnt the end. I'm sure theres still hope!

[adpiucf]

Brianna,

As an IO, I want you to know that we understand the situation of and are monitoring our smaller chapters. I encourage you to get involved! No matter where you live, your chapter and other chapters benefit from alumnae support!

You can encourage your area alumnae associaiton to support your chapter with long-distance support. This could include a pen pal program, space in your quarterly newsletter for chapter updates, a Yahoo! groups email distribution list for updates, providing a meal during spirit week (pre-recruitment), co-sponsoring a fundraiser for RMH where all monies are donated to the ADPi Foundation and evenly distributed to both your local RMH's, etc. Chapters can also use the support of advisers, even advisers who do not live nearby. Phone calls, emails, conference calls and District Leadership Conference are ways to communicate with your advisees. I encourage you to contact the area province director, or our District Team Director (Linda Allen) with your concerns and recommendations for support. We are overjoyed when our alumnae recognize the need for collegiate support, and also when our collegians reach out to support our alumnae.

Good luck and please PM me, as I would love to help you!

[nauadpi]

I wanted to let you know that they had visitors to help out with their recruitment right after us...A TCC and other drove from us down to help them...I know also that our chapter is in a lot of the same situation as UofA...It really will just take time for the chapter to build back up...but on a positive note, atleast lots of women are going through recruitment there...I know up here we are having a hard time getting anyone even interested in greek life...So that is a positive note...

[honeychile]

When I pledged ADPi, it was the second largest on campus, and I was part of the biggest pledge class. It was heaven!

The very next year, we pledged a woman who so divided the chapter (before depledging) that we had over 40 women either deactivate or take alumnae status. It was horrible, but we held on. By the time I left, we were about 4th largest again.

The chapter has since recolonized, and in the last two years, doubled in size not once but twice!

Why am I telling you this? Because it happens. It always hurts to see your chapter struggling - but the strongest chapter is only as good as their last rush. When I was active, we were completely horrible at COB. Now, they are probably the best at COB on campus!

Are you in touch with anyone still on campus? If so, this would be a good time to renew the friendships. Their esteem is probably on the low side right now, and our job as alumnae is to build up their spirits! Adpiucf has some wonderful ideas, so I won't bother to repeat them.

(((((((((((((((((Brianna)))))))))))))))))))

[WLFEO]

I find it better not to read those recruitment threads when they involve schools with an ADPi chapter, just because we see everything through the "azure blue glasses" of sisterhood. Outsiders opinions can be valuable and interesting but keep in mind they are outsiders. I have found a lot of misinformation on the recruitment threads about ADPi chapters. One story I read this year said the chapter was the smallest on their campus. I happen to know that this is not true at all.

Anyway, I agree with adpiucf- there are tons of ways to help even if you're far away. You could put together a little package of spirit gifts & mail them to the chapter. Or get a bunch of your ADPi alumnae friends together to sponsor a fundraiser for the chapter. Or join your local alumnae association (if you haven't already) and encourage them to help also.

I feel a little uncomfortable discussing this situation in this venue and really feel it would be more appropriate on Pride Online, but I did want to give you a couple of ideas also.

Also remember that every sorority has chapters that are big and chapters that are small.

I don't know if any of this helps, but I hope you do find ways to motivate your chapter.

[ASUADPi]

Thank you guys so much for the support. You are all starting to make me feel better.
adpiucf, thank you for the wonderful ideas. I think I will mention my concerns to some other alumna this weekend when I see them at Gamma Rho's rush. I'm also going to take your advice and contact Susan Sellers (province director) and Linda Allen and express my concerns and offer my services to help out.
Again, thank you guys so much I really appreciate it.

Brianna

[adpiucf]

Susan is wonderful and according to their spring Master Chapter Profile, they do need a social adviser.

Other ideas:
arrange a field trip for area alum to have an "ADPi Weekend" at U of A with the members of Delta Gamma chapter. You can hold a special sisterhood BBQ. Or maybe Arizona ADPi State Day where you have an ADPi reunion at U of A for all alphas, deltas and alumnae there. You can have special TME workshops and have idea sharing booths to benefit both collegians and alum, a 5k Fun Run for all of Greek Park to benefit RMH and more!

There's so much you can do, even if you don't live around the corner from a collegiate chapter. And for those collegiate chapters without a local alumnae association, there is a lot you can do to mutually support a distant association. Believe you me, a chapter is 10x stronger with good alumnae support!

Violets to you all!

[Allie]

I just want to give you all some inspiration. My sorority Is Sigma Alpha, we are a professional organization for women with an interest in agriculture and natural resources. We are also at a very large university, with a decent size greek system.

When I joined in Spring of 2002, there were 5 girls in my pledge class, and the pledge class before that only three. After graduation we were left with 20ish actives. Well last fall we decided we didn't want to see the chapter fold, and we put tons of effort into rush, and our reward, a pledge class of 16, 14 activated and spring gave us 6 more girls. We are still a little worried beacue about 15 girls graduate this year, so we are still working hard. But it has paid off for us before and we hope it continues too.

[ASUADPi]

adpiucf, thank you for the wonderful ideas. I didn't know the chapter was in need of a social advisor, but would someone be able to even hold that position and not be in the same city as the chapter? I mean being in phoenix I'm still close enough to drive down to Tucson if need be. I'm totally going to pose thoughs wonderful ideas to the alumna president. Again, thank you.
Brianna

[adpiucf]

Absolutely! Someone willing to assist is better than someone who isn't.

Also, and this has been my message to all the PNM's-- if you don't try, you will always wonder "what if."

I admire your determination. Thank you for your loyalty to Alpha Delta Pi!

I PM'd you an update!

[ASUADPi]

I just wanted to thank everyone who pm'd me. I appreciate your support. Kind of down now though. Just found out that the chapter has 25 actives, matched 11 new Alphas (go them) but quota was 60.
I'm gonna talk to some sisters tomorrow. I'm helping with Gamma Rho's rush and some of the sisters who should be there tomorrow are alumna's of Delta Gamma (two of them in fact initiated me, go figure). I'm just gonna mention that we should figure out ways to help them out. Maybe gather up some alumna's or collegians and go help them with COR (if we can, I'm not quite sure).
Brianna

[ADPi-Jen]

I understand where you are coming from!!! I was initated with 6 others in the Fall of 2000. I am the only one that has since graduated (I was already upperclass standing in school) and there is only ONE other member of my Alpha class still active. We have struggled with a divided chapter and cliques. Our numbers have been low and at a school where the sorority houses are very big and beautiful, not having a house for ADPi is truly detrimental to recruitment. I know that a house is for 4 years and a sisterhood is a lifetime, its just difficult to convince someone else of that, when they see the other houses.

Anyway, the chapter is growing and they are working on retention and doing well with recruitment.

I just wanted to add my .02 and tell you that I sympathize and encourage you to get involved in ANY way you can. I live far from collegians as well, and I know its very hard. Alumnae communication and support was low while I was a delta, so ANY positive communication was always appreciated.

Thanks to others who have posted ideas for communication and participation with collegians. I will try to put some ideas in motion for myself.

Violets to you all.