Colonization at the University of Alabama?!?

[kk_bama]

Originally Posted by LegallyBrunette

Definitely interesting. There aren't any Theta Phi chapters in Alabama. Even if there were, though, I'd be curious about the financial feasability---it sounds like an absolutely enormous undertaking and our recent extensions have been to much smaller schools with less prohibitive entry costs.

It would be a big financial undertaking -- there is the possibility that SDT may rent out its house to a new colony, but a second colony would probably have to have a dorm suite (probably at Tutwiler across the street), much like at Auburn.

Or, both colonies could get dorm suites, which would make the finances less burdensome in the beginning. But I would suspect that having suites may hurt during Recruitment, as most of the PNMs would probably want to join a chapter with a house already standing.

[UGAalum94]

I apologized if this has been mentioned before, but to some degree it will be easier than it has been in the past, simply because there are release figures, quota additions, guaranteed placement at Bama, etc, now.

No doubt a colony or two is facing an uphill climb, but some of the factors make it easier on the less well established groups than it used to be.

I think Sigma Sigma Sigma has a chapter at Olgethorpe in Atlanta as well as at Armstrong State near Savannah, so while neither is extremely close to Tuscaloosa, there are chapters in neighboring states.

And, of course I don't know and I'm not downplaying the importance of tradition, but I think having more out of state girls as a percentage of total enrollment will help since they may not be so completely aware of what the traditions on campus are. They might be a little more open minded.

[fantASTic]

I'm surprised to hear that AST has the most chapters nearby to Bama, as we're not very strong in the South. I thought that Theta Phi Alpha would have a lot more chapters down there, as I've never heard of one in the Midwest.

Interesting.

[honeychile]

Putting aside the number of local chapters, do any of the five "new" GLOs have a goodly alumnae base? I would think that would be at least as important in a colonization - and I know it's something we check out first.

[sailboatgirl]

According to our national website, Sigma does not have an active alumnae chapter in Alabama...so I doubt that we have a good concentration of alumnae in the area. Also, as someone mentioned, with our upcoming colonization at Mizzou (a state where there are 6 alumnae chapters and 8 collegiate chapters), we will have our hands more than full. I personally wouldn't want to see us over-extend with too many large-school colonies...especially one that would be such a huge financial and volunteer undertaking.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Sigma Sigma Sigma is the only one of the 5 that I think could MAYBE do it, and they've got their hands full with Mizzou.

True. I don't see us pursuing Bama at this time when we have Mizzou to focus on. It's going to be a HUGE undertaking and we are fucusing alot of our membership development (expansion) team resources on getting ready for it (while also managing our 2 current colonies at Pratt (NY) & UW-Parkside).

[LegallyBrunette]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

I'm surprised to hear that AST has the most chapters nearby to Bama, as we're not very strong in the South. I thought that Theta Phi Alpha would have a lot more chapters down there, as I've never heard of one in the Midwest.

Interesting.

Actually, Theta Phi has something like 7 open chapters in Ohio--but I'm not sure if that's technically the midwest. Otherwise though, our greatest concentration of open chapters is in the Northeast.

Also, I just checked and there isn't an alum association in Alabama....so yeah, seems pretty unlikely. I'm interested to see how this develops.

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I think Sigma Sigma Sigma has a chapter at Olgethorpe in Atlanta as well as at Armstrong State near Savannah, so while neither is extremely close to Tuscaloosa, there are chapters in neighboring states.

Oglethorpe & Armstrong State are small potatoes compared to Univ. of Alabama. Neither would hold very much clout in Tuscaloosa.

[fantASTic]

Originally Posted by LegallyBrunette

Actually, Theta Phi has something like 7 open chapters in Ohio--but I'm not sure if that's technically the midwest. Otherwise though, our greatest concentration of open chapters is in the Northeast.

Also, I just checked and there isn't an alum association in Alabama.

Could be. Not being from Ohio, I'm not super-informed on their Greek life there

An interesting AST fact: Even though we were founded in Michigan, we have only 7 chapters there as opposed to 25 in Pennsylvania. Isn't that weird?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

An interesting AST fact: Even though we were founded in Michigan, we have only 7 chapters there as opposed to 25 in Pennsylvania. Isn't that weird?

14 former "teachers colleges" in PA and I think you guys are at 13 of them, so that helps a lot.

[33girl]

Ok I was confused - I thought that SK was new along with G Phi B in 1988. Did they close and recolonize immediately or had they been closed for a while?

[kk_bama]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Ok I was confused - I thought that SK was new along with G Phi B in 1988. Did they close and recolonize immediately or had they been closed for a while?

They first colonized in 1932 and closed in an unknown year....maybe a SK could answer this one for us. I'm guessing they had been closed for a while before recolonizing in 1988 and closing in 1995.

Once SK closed in 1995, GPhiB got their house, which had been previously built by AXiD. GPhiB had to move from their first house, the original DG house next to the stadium, for the stadium's expansion. They were there from 1988-1995.

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by kk_bama

They first colonized in 1932 and closed in an unknown year....maybe a SK could answer this one for us. I'm guessing they had been closed for a while before recolonizing in 1988 and closing in 1995.

Once SK closed in 1995, GPhiB got their house, which had been previously built by AXiD. GPhiB had to move from their first house, the original DG house next to the stadium, for the stadium's expansion. They were there from 1988-1995.

According to Irishpipes's recruitment thread, Sigma Kappa was at Alabama from 1932-1943 and 1988-1995.

[hmd1014]

Another vote for DG to recolonize and SSS to charter for the first time. If Tri-Sigma weren't invited or declined for whatever reason, I think Phi Sig might work if they didn't try to compete head-on with the traditional groups and marketed themselves the way SDT is doing now, i.e., as an NPC alternative for women who aren't all about living in an expensive house and having 250-odd sisters. (Phi Sig might also be a good fit if the one local group at Bama ever decided they wanted/needed to affiliate with a national.)

[ZTAngel]

Just a friendly reminder:

The University of Alabama is not open for expansion. Any talk that they will be soon is just gossip and speculation.

I'm getting uncomfortable with this thread in general. Everyone is talking about what sororities would be best to colonize there, the alumni support they have, when they could colonize, etc. Furthermore, all the talk that Alabama wants one new group and one old group to colonize is just hearsay but some people are taking it as the gospel word. I dunno...I just think it could be dangerous. It may ruin a group's chances at colonization before it even began if some higher-ups at Alabama saw the thread and thought to themselves, "Yeah, I agree that ABC wouldn't be a good sorority here because they don't have enough chapters in the state."

Expansion at any SEC school is exciting but speculating about any groups' chances before the school is even open for expansion (or heck, even after they're open) can really come back and bite the groups in the butt. It's happened before. GC is more widely read that you'd expect.

Can we stop the talk about what group would be best to colonize there? If and when it happens, it's ultimately up to Panhellenic at the University of Alabama to decide which group would have the best chance - not GreekChat.