Why So Many Greek Letter Orgs?

[PhiMu_Gator]

I'm just wondering why people feel the need to create SOOO many of their own frats/sorors. It seems like there are tons and I almost feel like the whole point of having a Greek letter org is to have something that is expanded and national and creates a cohesive efforts and connection among its members. There are just so many out there that really serve very similar purposes. I understand that the organizations available might not be exactly what you want, but part of the reason you join is to add something you want to it and to improve it so that it's YOUR org and something you contributed a lot to. Reading all of these threads I see that there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of Greek letter orgs and it seems slightly redundant at this point to continue to create them when we're not strengthening the ones that are already existing. They have hundreds of years of tradition, but still every pledge class or new addition of members can add something special and important. So, I'm asking for input from those who have started their own orgs or those who might understand the plethora of Greek letter orgs and those who might have similar questions!

Thanks =)

[nate2512]

Originally Posted by PhiMu_Gator

I'm just wondering why people feel the need to create SOOO many of their own frats/sorors. It seems like there are tons and I almost feel like the whole point of having a Greek letter org is to have something that is expanded and national and creates a cohesive efforts and connection among its members. There are just so many out there that really serve very similar purposes. I understand that the organizations available might not be exactly what you want, but part of the reason you join is to add something you want to it and to improve it so that it's YOUR org and something you contributed a lot to. Reading all of these threads I see that there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of Greek letter orgs and it seems slightly redundant at this point to continue to create them when we're not strengthening the ones that are already existing. They have hundreds of years of tradition, but still every pledge class or new addition of members can add something special and important. So, I'm asking for input from those who have started their own orgs or those who might understand the plethora of Greek letter orgs and those who might have similar questions!

Thanks =)

Well some of them create locals with the hope to be absorbed by a National.

Some create locals to defy traditional Greeks on their campus.

And some just can't hack it as a Greek so they just create their own.

[KSUViolet06]

What? I'm confused. There are 26 NPC member organizations. Are those the ones that you feel there are too many of? All of them have hundreds of chapters at various schools, so they're hardly new.

As a member of one of them, I'd hope that you are familiar with them (and don't think they're new):

http://npcwomen.org/about/member-organizations.aspx

*About local sororities and other newer sororities: Yes, there are unfortunately situations where people "just want to start something" and decide to start a sorority. But the majority of newer sororities are founded because a group of girls on campus didn't find their niche in any sorority already present on campus.

[FSUZeta]

i'm not sure that i fully understand the question, but i will take a stabbed at it.

i think that most greek organizations were begun by a group of friends who wanted a way to make the friendship lasting and make it something more than just a friendship.there were other circumstances that called those founders to begin a new group, depending on the group. i think that is why new greek organizations are still being started today.

they obviously fulfill a need, or the group would die out. for instance, as ksuviolet said, there are 26 npc sororities. if someone decided that there were too many npc sororities and some had to be eliminated, which groups would be the ones to go?

every year during npc recruitment, many pnms go bidless-on a large campus enough usually to start several new chapters. if we were to limit the number of npc sororities, more women would be going bidless.

i think there is room for all of us.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

i'm not sure that i fully understand the question, but i will take a stabbed at it.

i think that most greek organizations were begun by a group of friends who wanted a way to make the friendship lasting and make it something more than just a friendship.there were other circumstances that called those founders to begin a new group, depending on the group. i think that is why new greek organizations are still being started today.

they obviously fulfill a need, or the group would die out. for instance, as ksuviolet said, there are 26 npc sororities. if someone decided that there were too many npc sororities and some had to be eliminated, which groups would be the ones to go?

every year during npc recruitment, many pnms go bidless-on a large campus enough usually to start several new chapters. if we were to limit the number of npc sororities, more women would be going bidless.

i think there is room for all of us.

I completely agree...and I don't think that this is a new trend. If you look on ebay, there are numerous badges for sale from old defunct local and national organizations. You just don't know about these groups because they aren't the 26 NPC groups that you hear about.

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by PhiMu_Gator

I'm just wondering why people feel the need to create SOOO many of their own frats/sorors. It seems like there are tons and I almost feel like the whole point of having a Greek letter org is to have something that is expanded and national and creates a cohesive efforts and connection among its members. There are just so many out there that really serve very similar purposes. I understand that the organizations available might not be exactly what you want, but part of the reason you join is to add something you want to it and to improve it so that it's YOUR org and something you contributed a lot to. Reading all of these threads I see that there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of Greek letter orgs and it seems slightly redundant at this point to continue to create them when we're not strengthening the ones that are already existing. They have hundreds of years of tradition, but still every pledge class or new addition of members can add something special and important. So, I'm asking for input from those who have started their own orgs or those who might understand the plethora of Greek letter orgs and those who might have similar questions!

Thanks =)

I totally agree with this. While I can understand the enthusiasm in wanting to create a new org, people often focus on what they think an org can do for them as opposed to what they can bring to the org. If more people thought in terms of what they could offer an already established org and in making that org stronger and better because of their membership, there wouldn't be a need for so many orgs with similar ideals and philanthropies. While having choices is great, having so many orgs causes some newer orgs to have to struggle to increase membership and establish new chapters. It also takes away from the prestige of Greek Life and GLO's. And I'm not talking about those GLO's with a long standing history but more the fly by night ones you hear about in popular threads that read something like "Starting a New Org..." How about starting a new chapter of an org and make it your own, focussing on what you can bring to the org.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by PhiMu_Gator

I understand that the organizations available might not be exactly what you want, but part of the reason you join is to add something you want to it and to improve it so that it's YOUR org and something you contributed a lot to.

I see your point (and rhoyaltempest's), but just because that's part of the reason you joined doesn't mean everybody joins looking for that.

Your question -- "why so many Greek letter orgs" -- doesn't have one answer. Some people start new orgs because they don't see what they are looking for in the existing ones. Some because they want to be part of something new. Maybe even some because no one else wants them. There are a whole variety of reasons and combination of reasons.

And AOII Angel is right -- it's always been this way. You might as well ask, just to use an example, why did three friends start the Philomathean Society at Wesleyan College when there was already an Adelphian Society? Why did anybody in Farmville, VA, think that Zeta Tau Alpha and Alpha Sigma Alpha were needed when they already had Kappa Delta and Sigma Sigma Sigma? Why did Miami of Ohio need Beta Theta Pi when it already had "eastern" fraternities, or Sigma Chi or Phi Delta Theta when it had Beta?

Ever since the founding of Kappa Alpha Society in 1825, students have formed new GLOs. Some have survived, some haven't, and some have merged with other groups. But I'd bet that when most of them were founded, their founders saw a niche or a need that they didn't think was being filled and they went for it.

Maybe it is a simple answer after all.

[CrackerBarrel]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Why did Miami of Ohio need Beta Theta Pi when it already had "eastern" fraternities, or Sigma Chi or Phi Delta Theta when it had Beta?

I think Sigma Chi is a fairly poor example. It wasn't started because there wasn't anything else there they wanted to join, it was started because the founders felt that they couldn't with good conscience remain associated with DKE.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by CrackerBarrel

I think Sigma Chi is a fairly poor example. It wasn't started because there wasn't anything else there they wanted to join, it was started because the founders felt that they couldn't with good conscience remain associated with DKE.

With all due respect, this reason seems to support MysticCat's point. The Founders "started" Sigma Chi Fraternity because as far as they were concerned, a certain niche or need was not being met at Miami.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by TSteven

With all due respect, this reason seems to support MysticCat's point. The Founders "started" Sigma Chi Fraternity because as far as they were concerned, a certain niche or need was not being met at Miami.

Exactly. Though perhaps I could have been a little more precise and asked why start Sigma Chi when DKE (rather than just Beta) was already on campus.

[Tom Earp]

Today, there are many reasons that locals are started even back in the olden days.

It mostly was the same thing, they didn't feel right for the individuals so they looked to something else.

Today there are Asian, Latino, and Multi-Cultured being started becauswe they want to fit in with as was well said, niche.

That always made me think that the existing GLOs did not do enough to bring them in or maybe they felt left out?

[CrackerBarrel]

Originally Posted by TSteven

With all due respect, this reason seems to support MysticCat's point. The Founders "started" Sigma Chi Fraternity because as far as they were concerned, a certain niche or need was not being met at Miami.

The niche was being met. The founders were originally initiated DKEs (except for one). Then they decided that they couldn't condone the way DKE was acting anymore, so they went out on their own.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by CrackerBarrel

The niche was being met. The founders were originally initiated DKEs (except for one). Then they decided that they couldn't condone the way DKE was acting anymore, so they went out on their own.

Excellent point!

DKE one of the Union Triad to this day are not very active in expansion.

Originally Posted by MysticCat

But I'd bet that when most of them were founded, their founders saw a niche or a need that they didn't think was being filled and they went for it.

Maybe it is a simple answer after all.

Source

From 1900-1905, however, enrollment at Syracuse doubled. This is what led Dr. Coddington to discuss the need for more organizations with Marguerite Shepard, class of 1905.

Another article from the Alpha Gam Quarterly speaks further of our Syracuse Triad and "Dr. Coddy":

It is not known how much, if any, of her experience in Alpha Phi Helen Dodge drew upon when she founded Gamma Phi Beta. Or how much or how little Professor Coddy carried from Alpha Phi to Alpha Gamma Delta. Or what portion of Professor Coddy's and Chancellor Haven's experience in Phi Nu Theta might have been incorporated into all three women's groups. The monogram pins are practically indistinguishable until you get your nose in her bosom. We can see that. They are all the superimposed Greek letters, which, by the way, distinguishes most fraternities founded in the East from those founded in the West or South, which generally have emblem badges. But just to be sure, next time you see a Gamma Phi Beta or an Alpha Phi, give a wink. We may all be sisters under the badge.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by CrackerBarrel

The niche was being met. The founders were originally initiated DKEs (except for one). Then they decided that they couldn't condone the way DKE was acting anymore, so they went out on their own.

I'd say that the niche or need of an organization that behaved in a way they believed they could condone and be part of was not being met -- otherwise they'd have stayed loyal Dekes.

But you say tomato, I say tomahto -- either perhaps misses the main point I was trying to make. That main point was this: Even 170 years ago, any time a new fraternity or sorority started on a campus that already had an existing one, the same question that PhiMu_Gator posed could be asked -- why start a new organization instead of just joining (or being part of) what's already there?

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

DKE one of the Union Triad to this day are not very active in expansion.

DKE is not part of the Union Triad; it was founded at Yale. The Union Triad is Kappa Alpha Society, Sigma Phi and Delta Phi.