Colonization at the University of Alabama?!?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Maybe I am just an idealistic Yankee, but I disagree. Why does this theoretical new chapter at Bama have to strive to be Old Row/First Circle/whatever? There are chapters all over the country where they aren't considered the prettiest/blondest/richest/WASPiest chapter. As long as a chapter is financially stable, and the members are happy there, why, if a chapter is not "top tier" is it a failure?

There have to be out-of-staters at Bama that would like to be Greek, but don't get the chance because all of the chapters essentially have their new members picked out before recruitment begins based on recs from their Mama's friends. One of the reasons for (re)colonization is because there is a niche in your Greek community missing. Who cares if you have all 26 NPCs on campus if they are all looking for the same thing? If the new chapter isn't going to fill a new niche, Bama should just raise total if they feel that enough women aren't getting placed in "desirable chapters".

There's already a chapter there that is well under total. If your scenario was workable, women would be joining it in droves.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by 33girl

There's already a chapter there that is well under total. If your scenario was workable, women would be joining it in droves.

Which is why Bama opted to raise total.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Which is why Bama opted to raise total.

What?

I meant that if this pool of out-of-staters you speak of wanted to be Greek that badly and didn't care about any of the Old Row type stuff, they would just join this NPC chapter that is well under total and be done with it.

Sorry if that wasn't clear, I tried responding like 4 times.

[twhrider13]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

not meaning to rain on cluey's evil triad parade, but wouldn't it be an advantage(even if slight) for a group colonizing to have a successful chapter at another college in the state? alpha xi delta, delta gamma and sigma kappa have chapters that are doing well at auburn.

I'm guessing probably not Alpha Xi, simply because there are only two other chapters in the state, the one here at Jax State, and the one at Auburn, or Sigma Kappa, since their only chapter in the state is at Auburn. Delta Gamma might do fairly well, though. They have chapters at Auburn, Spring Hill, Montevallo, and UAB. I would imagine for a colonization at Alabama, you'd need all the help you could get.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by twhrider13

I'm guessing probably not Alpha Xi, simply because there are only two other chapters in the state, the one here at Jax State, and the one at Auburn, or Sigma Kappa, since their only chapter in the state is at Auburn. Delta Gamma might do fairly well, though. They have chapters at Auburn, Spring Hill, Montevallo, and UAB. I would imagine for a colonization at Alabama, you'd need all the help you could get.

There might be some out of state schools that are closer to Tuscaloosa than some instate schools. The same would apply to alumnae support.

[sueali]

Originally Posted by twhrider13

I'm guessing probably not Alpha Xi, simply because there are only two other chapters in the state, the one here at Jax State, and the one at Auburn, or Sigma Kappa, since their only chapter in the state is at Auburn. Delta Gamma might do fairly well, though. They have chapters at Auburn, Spring Hill, Montevallo, and UAB. I would imagine for a colonization at Alabama, you'd need all the help you could get.

I am not completely up on my Alabama geography, but how close is Bama to surrounding schools in other states. I know that our Nationals doesn't just consider alumnae support from within the state, but neighboring areas as well.

[twhrider13]

Originally Posted by TSteven

There might be some out of state schools that are closer to Tuscaloosa than some instate schools. The same would apply to alumnae support.

Yeah, I didn't even think to search for chapters in Mississippi. Tuscaloosa's not that far from the state line, duh.

[LXA SE285]

I'm guessing probably not Alpha Xi, simply because there are only two other chapters in the state, the one here at Jax State, and the one at Auburn, or Sigma Kappa, since their only chapter in the state is at Auburn. Delta Gamma might do fairly well, though. They have chapters at Auburn, Spring Hill, Montevallo, and UAB.

Plus, DG hasn't recolonized at Bama before, whereas Alpha Xi and SK each recolonized and then closed again. (Not that they'd be wrong to try again ... but it's Bama.)

[twhrider13]

Originally Posted by LXA SE285

Plus, DG hasn't recolonized at Bama before, whereas Alpha Xi and SK each recolonized and then closed again. (Not that they'd be wrong to try again ... but it's Bama.)

Yep, that, too.

[trojangal]

A friend of mine was in the last pledge class of Alpha Xi Delta that Bama had, and it broke her heart when they shut down. She said she would love to see it come back again, if it's ever possible. As far as support, there are alum in Birmingham as well as a chapter at UAB that could help. Would any groups that are wanting to colonize/recolonize be required to do Recruitment during Fall, or could they do it afterwards, once the groups were decided?

[TSteven]

For what it is worth, here are the distances (according to Yahoo Maps) from Tuscaloosa to the following towns in and adjacent to Alabama. I've included a few locations that have alumnae panhellenic groups as well.

Walker County, Alabama - 53.3
Birmingham, Alabama - 57.9
Starkville, Mississippi - 82.2
Montgomery, Alabama - 105.6
Etowah County, Alabama - 118.7
Huntsville, Alabama - 156.6
Auburn, Alabama - 160.2
Oxford, Mississippi - 177.5
Hattiesburg, Mississippi - 183.6
Jackson, Mississippi - 185.3
Atlanta, Georgia - 202.7
Memphis, Georgia - 232.2
Nashville, Tennessee - 249
Murfreesboro, Tennessee - 250.3
Pike County, Mississippi - 250.7
Athens, Georgia - 275.7

[Bamamom13]

Just for the record, if you look at the NM lists on Bama's Panhel Website you will see that there are many, many out of state girls in all of the chapters. Bama is really recruiting out of state students and so the pledge classes are a real mix of in and out of state students.

[FSUZeta]

the ideal scenario would be for the colonizing chapter to participate in formal recruitment by holding an informational session led by national officers telling the pnms that they will be colonizing after formal recruitment. they would share a little of their history, their philanthrophic efforts and explain how they will go about the colonization.

panhellenic would then let the pnms know that they can participate in recruitment thru prefs. and if they would rather see what the colonizing sorority had to offer, they could either drop out or not sign their bid card.
panhellenic would place a moratorium on cob activities for a couple of weeks while the colonization happens, but then any group that was not at total or did not pledge quota could cob.

[shadden]

I didn't realize that SK had been at Alabama twice until I saw it in this thread. One of national reps who worked with the last colonization blamed the "machine" for the problems with start up. Since Gamma Phi Beta managed to survive, I guess it has alot to do with the way the chapter is started.

[bamagirl09]

Just as a point of information, 48% of the women that registered for recruitment this fall were out of state students. So it is no longer about being all in-state.