Scary Quota Numbers

[gee_ess]

The Old Sigma Nu house on Arkansas Ave is University owned right now. I am pretty sure AOPi rented it during their construction. PKA is next door and in the process of fundraising to renovate. All of the fraternities have rebuilt, renovated, etc (maybe one or two excluded) or are in the process. Almost all have partnered with the UA for financing which means UA now has control of their building, land, etc.

The sororities on campus have not, at this point, done any serious remodel or reconstruction to accommodate their large numbers. However, there are already plans in progress for some houses.

The KKGs meet in an auditorium of the business building for chapter. Dining room seating is limited to those girls who live in the house except for special events and those are accomplished by setting up tables in the living room, den, etc.

Cost of sorority housing at UA is actually pretty comparable to dorm costs (only speaking for KKG here). But, the majority of sorority women do not live in the house because only about 80- 90 girls live in each house and 300 is average chapter size.

I think Arkansas Greek life does a great job of working with their groups and everyone recognizes the struggles that are associated with managing groups this size. Every single group on campus has large numbers - even the house that struggles to make quota, relatively speaking - so this is a problem up and down the street.

I did not know the Chancellor had to ask Greek life to open for expansion...why would GL not do this? Seems like a nobrainer but then again...sometimes the ways of Parice escape me.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

As for Arkansas and Stadium Drive - I believe Theta was located there when they were on campus and this was perceived as a negative for their chapter. When AOII colonized, Stadium Drive was not considered to be a viable alternative. I wonder if 2 groups came on so that 2 sororities could be located there, if that would help things. You know - not being the only sorority on fraternity row.

Theta was at the corner of Maple and Stadium (i.e., on Sorority Row), although I think that Stadium changes its name when you cross Maple!

Maybe the sororities will have to add 3rd and/or 4th floors to expand, lol.

[wavycutchip]

Originally Posted by carnation

Theta was at the corner of Maple and Stadium (i.e., on Sorority Row), although I think that Stadium changes its name when you cross Maple!

Maybe the sororities will have to add 3rd and/or 4th floors to expand, lol.

I think you may mean that Theta was at the corner of Maple and Garland, which is now the Ag law programs or was torn down and is now the Health Center. Stadium dead ends at Maple (Stadium parking on West side, Administrative buildings on East side, and Poultry Science Building on the North Side).

http://campusmaps.uark.edu/

[TriDeltaSallie]

Interesting thread.

I wonder how many women at Arkansas don't go through recruitment because the pledge classes are so large. A large pledge class and a large group like that holds zero appeal to me. My entire graduating class in high school was only 150 people!

It's really too bad they can't bring on three or four groups all at once to eliminate the stigma of being the "new" group. As someone else said, there are probably plenty of women who would enjoy the sorority experience, but don't necessarily want to be in one with all of the extra southern expectations attached.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by wavycutchip

I think you may mean that Theta was at the corner of Maple and Garland, which is now the Ag law programs or was torn down and is now the Health Center. Stadium dead ends at Maple (Stadium parking on West side, Administrative buildings on East side, and Poultry Science Building on the North Side).

http://campusmaps.uark.edu/

Yes! Thank you! I just knew that street name changes when you cross the street!

Looks like it was where it says "Law Programs Center", right there in front of Holcomb and Futrall.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by TriDeltaSallie

Interesting thread.

I wonder how many women at Arkansas don't go through recruitment because the pledge classes are so large. A large pledge class and a large group like that holds zero appeal to me. My entire graduating class in high school was only 150 people!

It's really too bad they can't bring on three or four groups all at once to eliminate the stigma of being the "new" group. As someone else said, there are probably plenty of women who would enjoy the sorority experience, but don't necessarily want to be in one with all of the extra southern expectations attached.

I think it's kind of what people say about having large amounts of dogs or cats - once you get to a certain point one more doesn't matter. Even if the pledge class numbers dropped to 50 tomorrow, the chapters would still be over 200 and would stay that way. I'm sure that there are people in ALL the SEC schools who don't want that kind of Greek experience. Arkansas is not a unique snowflake.

If you don't want a "southern" sorority experience, you probably aren't going to rush at Arkansas. You can only go on the "it's a sorority, but not like the others" train for so long, unless you have women coming to the school with plans of pledging that group. Some of the historically Jewish sororities have chapters like this, but as for the other 24 NPC groups, it really isn't feasible.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by gee_ess

The Old Sigma Nu house on Arkansas Ave is University owned right now. I am pretty sure AOPi rented it during their construction.

Cost of sorority housing at UA is actually pretty comparable to dorm costs (only speaking for KKG here). But, the majority of sorority women do not live in the house because only about 80- 90 girls live in each house and 300 is average chapter size.

Yes, AOII did use the old Sigma Nu house. We were supposed to occupy the old athlete's dorm on Stadium but a last minute inspection uncovered black mold and the old Sigma Nu house was a last minute switcharoo. (And OMFG was it disgusting. I did not know roaches could be that big.) Randy Alexander in Housing did a superb job working wih us to do an overhaul in a 2 week time frame. They added 2 new community bathrooms with showers, and AOII added new flooring in the common areas as well as new paint, furnishings, landscaping, window treatments, etc. It was pretty darn cute when all was said and done, but it is not appropriate for long-term use as a sorority house. If the building could be levelled the location would be good for a new group.

The new AOII house is expensive - but it is right in line with the new dorms on campus. We had a lot of issues with women living off campus for financial reasons, so we weren't just competing with dorm costs, but with costs of untraditional college housing.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by gee_ess

I did not know the Chancellor had to ask Greek life to open for expansion...why would GL not do this? Seems like a nobrainer but then again...sometimes the ways of Parice escape me.

It's my understanding that the CPH there is not a highly effective one.

[gee_ess]

Very true, Titchou.

Also, when I was in school (early 80's), Theta was on StadiumDrive next door to AKL(?). It was not on a corner,that I remember.

[carnation]

Wow! You mean down there by Pomfret? Maybe in the old Sig Ep house?

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Barbie's_Rush

Agreed. Having the largest pledge class or having the largest chapter does not equate to being one of the top chapters at competitive schools I'm familiar with

I agree about pledge class size especially with quota additions, but surely the top chapters take quota right and hold on to most of their members over the years?

I don't think that biggest equals best necessarily anywhere, but my limited experience was that well-regarded chapters typically pledged quota and retained their members a little better over the year compared to less well regarded chapters.

[AnchorAlum]

Arkansas should get with it and really reach out to some of the original NPC groups who have left for various reasons over the years.
That's far too few houses for far too many women who wish to participate, and having over 100 pledges is not conducive to member retention. By the time you learn their names it's time for Rush 2012.

Sooner or later women will not bother, or they'll go to school somewhere else.

JMHO

[AUAZD2001]

I was wondering in this situation if Panhellenic would hold 2 formal recruitments. Maybe the first at the begining of fall semester and the second just afer mid-terms, or at the begining of spring semseter. Set a limit for the numer of PNMs for the first recruitment at 600. First-come, first-serve basis. If a PNM misses the first recruitment she must wait for the second. It would keep the NM classes smaller and give the NMs a chance to bond with each other and the chapter. And any women who miss the first recruitment would have an opportunity to explore other campus activities they might not have otherwise been involved in.

[DubaiSis]

That's an interesting idea, except that I could see many chapters saying thanks but no thanks to a second round of recruitment. It could also really help some PNMs and really hurt others (reputation, grades, activities would all come into play).

[momof4girls]

Originally Posted by gee_ess

Arkansas has created a monster, and not just for Greek Life. Housing at the university is at a premium and the rumor is that next year they will not be able to guarantee housing for anyone other than freshmen.

This is true. The University is expecting their largest freshmen class in history. My daughters friend, who just completed her freshmen year, received a letter from the university in the spring stating they would be unable to accommodate her housing request for the fall. At the time she didn't know if she was even going to be able to house in the house. Fortunally she did receive space in the house for the fall.