Need help organizing my sorority

[GammaDelt]

delete

[33girl]

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

My sorority, Gamma Delta Pi, is a local, underground sorority.

http://theithacan.org/am/publish/new...f_campus.shtml

If there's an article in the campus paper, you're not "underground." You are simply not recognized by the college.

[OPhiAGinger]

GammaDelta,

According to the article in the school paper, your sorority used to have housing on campus. What are the school guidelines that led to GDP moving off campus in 1992? Did they have anything to do with drinking? The school paper makes a major point out of the fact that GDP allows alcohol at their functions, which makes me think that the fraternities that are still on campus don't.

I don't want to over simplify, but if the dry GLOs get campus recognition and campus housing (and presumably are thriving) maybe you should rethink your alcohol policy. Would you sisterhood be the same if you took alcohol out of the equation?

[KSUViolet06]

*I'm sure it's probably easier said than done, but it would probably be a good idea to move towards going "dry." If students associate you with partying and drinking, they probably aren't going to want to join that badly. Reason: They can do that with their friends without paying dues! They don't need GDP to drink.

*Get your meetings organized I suggest having your secretary or president type up an agenda for every meeting that outlines what will be discussed. Anyone who wants to speak NEEDS to be on this agenda. There sohuld also BE NO SIDE CONVERSATIONS. No one should be speaking unless they're on the agenda or they have a question and have been addressed by proper procedure. Stick to the agenda and use parliamentary procedure to keep things on track. We used this in my sorority and meetings were rarely ever longer than an hour.

[GammaDelt]

we could go dry and try to get ourselves school sponsoring like the other school sponsored "Greek life" but those frats aren't real Greek life. They're more like clubs - there's a one week pledge period and no ritual or anything, plus they're all co-ed. there are no parties, and all events are school regulated things like donuts and pizza - they aren't real greek life.

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

they aren't real greek life.

Define "real" Greek Life...?

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

we could go dry and try to get ourselves school sponsoring like the other school sponsored "Greek life" but those frats aren't real Greek life. They're more like clubs - there's a one week pledge period and no ritual or anything, plus they're all co-ed. there are no parties, and all events are school regulated things like donuts and pizza - they aren't real greek life.

So you're saying (and you know for a fact), that the groups on your campus have no ritual and only have meetings once a week, and don't have any other events? That's pretty hard to believe.

[AlwaysSAI]

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

we could go dry and try to get ourselves school sponsoring like the other school sponsored "Greek life" but those frats aren't real Greek life. They're more like clubs - there's a one week pledge period and no ritual or anything, plus they're all co-ed. there are no parties, and all events are school regulated things like donuts and pizza - they aren't real greek life.

As a memeber of one of those "clubs" you're speaking of--let me give you a little info.

-Sigma Alpha Iota is a single sexed women organization. We were granted exemption to Title IX when our membership criteria was broadened to one music class. We pay dues, had to pay an initiation & pledging fee. Oh, and our nationals is hosting something like 20 leadership conferences this summer for sisters around the country (one of which I am attending!)
-We have a pledging ceremony and a six week pledge (MiT) process. At the end of that process there's this little ceremony called INITIATION where the MiTs learn the secret meanings of all of our symbols, the secret meaning behind the greek letters SAI, and many other things which I do not speak of in public out of respect for my ritual.
-We have more than 100 years of history and some 210 active chapters.

And, you also speak of Mu Phi Epsilon and Phi Mu Alpha. We also have those chapters on my campus. They also have a pledging and initiation ritual along with a 6-10 week pledge process.

On many campuses we are not recognized by the social greek system because of our focus on music but that does not take away from our rich histories, rituals, and all the work the members do to keep our chapters running. And, my chapter is currently in search of someone to fill two vacancies we've had recently on our advisory committee.

How about you go do some more research, k.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

My sorority, Gamma Delta Pi, is a local, unrecognized sorority. All greek life was shut down in the 80s because two pledges died. We have a constitution and a pledge handbook, but other than that we're pretty unorganized. Meetings are a free for all, and nobody ever wants to stick to the traditions laid out in the constitution and pledgebook. We need a lot of help. Our numbers are dwindling, (we're down to 12) so we need better ideas for rush next year, all the seniors are leaving, so we're losing our house (they live in an apartment).
Any ideas on a) how to run meetings in a more organized way,
b) how to draw new members in without a house
c) how to have rush without a house
d) how to rewrite a constitution
Please help!

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

real greek life as in not being a club. not having administration monitoring all your activities with a critical eye. being allowed to socialize with alcohol. being student led and student run with no adviser.

How's that workin' for ya?

Here you are pleading for help and advice... advice... adv-ISER! *gasp* What do you know? Maybe they exist in every SUCCESSFUL greek sorority for a reason!

[OPhiAGinger]

Sorry. We aren't trying to gang up on you, but it's clear that there is a definite need for change in your group if you want to survive. I know you've been going it alone for more than 15 years, but almost every sorority across the country (social and multicultural and service and religious and what-not) are most successful when they align with the campus and work within the guidelines of the administration.

This does not mean you can't enjoy a beer or glass of wine or even that nasty trash can punch that was popular when I was an undergrad. It just means that you don't do that as part of a sorority event... at least, if that's what the campus rules dictate.

[GammaDelt]

Look, I'm not trying to offend anyone.
Gamma Delta Pi has existed for over 30 years, and it just the past 2 that we've been struggling with organization, not the past 15 since we've been unaffiliated with the school. I'm not saying anyone's Greek experience is any more real than anyone else's. All I'm trying to say is that the type of Greek life my school affiliates itself with is not the same experience the sisters of GDPi want. We just want to remain the same, without affiliating ourselves with the school. I'm just looking for advice on how to draw new sisters in without having a house, and how to best uphold our traditions.

[KSUViolet06]

It is going to be very difficult for you to uphold your traditions and draw in new members. Girls who join sororities at your school are all looking for a certain experience. If what you're offering is drastically different from that, girls are going to be hesitant to join.

You have to alter your experience a little. Am I saying GIVE UP everything you guys do? Not at all. But you need to be offering a comparable experience. At your school, that may mean no drinking at official sorority events and letting the school monitor your events. To put it bluntly, if you want your sorority to thrive, you may have to make those changes.

[GammaDelt]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

It is going to be very difficult for you to uphold your traditions and draw in new members. Girls who join sororities at your school are all looking for a certain experience. If what you're offering is drastically different from that, girls are going to be hesitant to join.

You have to alter your experience a little. Am I saying GIVE UP everything you guys do? Not at all. But you need to be offering a comparable experience. At your school, that may mean no drinking at official sorority events and letting the school monitor your events. To put it bluntly, if you want your sorority to thrive, you may have to make those changes.

I guess I'm just confused as to what they are looking for, then. The only people who pledge the other school sponsored frats are music majors - they're music fraternities.

I go to a school where everyone is pretty big on partying on the weekend, but at the same time, it's a very liberal campus so most students are interested in bettering humanity. so it just is strange that there is so little interest in GDPi, when we share the same values as the students on campus.

[nittanyalum]

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[GammaDelt]

First of all, I am not being defensive. I, personally, agree with most of the things every one here has posted. I personally feel going dry would be a great idea; however, I am speaking on behalf of my sorority, and not myself, and I"m reflecting their voice. So, please, do not personally attack me. I take all posts to heart, and seriously contemplate them - please do not think I am disregarding anyone's statement.

Second, I feel this thread has strayed from the orginial purpose: how to help maintain my sorority and better organize it.

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

My sorority, Gamma Delta Pi, is a local, unrecognized sorority. All greek life was shut down in the 80s because two pledges died. We have a constitution and a pledge handbook, but other than that we're pretty unorganized. Meetings are a free for all, and nobody ever wants to stick to the traditions laid out in the constitution and pledgebook. We need a lot of help. Our numbers are dwindling, (we're down to 12) so we need better ideas for rush next year, all the seniors are leaving, so we're losing our house (they live in an apartment).
Any ideas on a) how to run meetings in a more organized way,
b) how to draw new members in without a house
c) how to have rush without a house
d) how to rewrite a constitution

Please help!

Now, can people please offer suggestions on those questions, and avoid telling me we need to consider going dry? Because I know we need to go dry. And please refrain from personally attacking me because I mean to offend no one.