Expansion Threads

shadokat · #1 03-30-2004, 11:33 PM

I know many of us have been following all of the expansion threads on GC lately, and we all enjoy hearing that our sorority is up for a slot on a new campus. But I feel the need to ask for some discretion.

NPC expansion at campuses is a big deal, whether it's at a large school, such as FSU, or a smaller one like FIT. And we all know, we can never be sure of who is reading the threads or what impressions we are giving when we offer our opinions. When we offer up thoughts such as "XYZ sorority doesn't have the alumnae support for that area" or "ABC sorority doesn't have the cash to buy the big house there", it's almost like prejudicing the process. The process is done so that the campus panhellenic or a local sorority involved can see presentations from the sororities THEY invite and make their opinions based on those presentations.

If your school is planning to expand, I think it's appropriate, once all of the sororities are notified and the process is over, to post something regarding it here. But before that, we should try to use discretion.

Flame away if you feel so moved, but I feel this is a topic that hopefully will incite some intelligent discussion.

mullet81 · #2 03-30-2004, 11:39 PM

I personally try to always use discretion here on GC. I go to one of the largest greek schools in the nation in a state where many national headquarters are located - so i completely agree with you that discretion is key. However I think people should be able to discuss if a group is coming to campus, what is going on with the process, etc... i do think people should stick to the facts of groups and not opinions...

bruinaphi · #3 03-30-2004, 11:50 PM

I agree with shadokat's post. Expansion is a very sensitive issue. People may believe they are posting facts when the information they are providing is incorrect. Each NPC group has volunteers or staff who work long and hard on extension presentations. The facts relevant to each school are provided to that school's panhellenic. It's totally unfair for people to post inaccurate information on GC as though it is fact when members of the college extension committee may read it and be swayed by it rather than the information that comes directly from the source.

Furthermore, the problem with stating facts is that you may be posting facts that are confidential. For example, people have posted the groups chosen to present at both Clemson and FSU on Greekchat prior to the Greek Advisors contacting many of those groups. It's kind of like publishing bid lists online before bids are distributed. Newsflash: it's not cool.

Stating that a campus is open or that a group has been selected (after they've been notified) or that certain groups are presenting (after the groups have been notified) is one thing but anything else goes way beyond what is necessary or appropriate.

WCUgirl · #4 03-31-2004, 12:02 AM

I agree that it probably should be kept on the dl until it's "official" that ABC or XYZ has formally been offered (and accepted!) a spot to colonize on the campus. While it's fun to see the process happen in real life, it's hard to refrain from posting something that could possibly be damaging. I'm sure most GCers aren't posting with the intention of saying anything damaging...when in reality they may do so without realizing.

I for one enjoy the expansion threads and have tried not to say anything damaging or misrepresent any group in any way...if I have done so I apologize! But still, I think that shadokat is 100% correct and very wise for bringing up this point.

Glitter650 · #5 03-31-2004, 12:08 AM

I agree... many of us here may be privy to info before it actually gets to the people who REALLY need to know... such as the FSU and Clemson threads... and that is DEFINITELY not cool... also stating things that are opinion are definitely NOT cool... We should be using the same amount of discression in expansion threads as we warn PNMs to use in their rush threads... the Panhellenic at these schools has CHOSEN to invite these groups.. so they see something in them even some of us don't think it would be a good fit.

greeklawgirl · #6 03-31-2004, 12:21 AM

I agree with everything that's been stated above. This is a topic that I feel very strongly about.

It is the college's extension committee that decides who will be the best fit for the campus. It is not anyone else's place to be "handcapping" a sorority's chances of success. A third party cannot know exactly how many sorority alumnae are in the area. Nor can a third party know how many and what kind of resources the sorority is willing to devote to the colony. Unless you're IN the sorority in question, there is no way to know that for sure. Spreading inaccurate information could ruin a sorority's chances of extension, and I know no one wants to do that.

Please exercise the discretion and good sense that GCers are famous for.

aopirose · #7 03-31-2004, 01:33 AM

I am sorry that I tipped the beans about Clemson. I got excited and I didn’t realize that higher ups might not have known.

Now, the FSU process has been different from the beginning. While other schools are very secretive, their extension has been very public by their choice. The information about who was selected was already on the Panhellenic site Wednesday morning. That was the day after they voted. By the time the school paper published the Thursday article, everyone should have been notified. (Shame on the Panhellenic and the GA if they hadn’t.) The selection was already out there and just repeated here. I didn’t and don’t see anything wrong with that since it came from two FSU sources, the Panhellenic minutes and the paper. We can agree to disagree on that point.

As for the speculations about resources et al, I agree that that can do more harm then good. Only the people in THAT organization know what they can or cannot do. If they didn’t think that they could handle the school, they wouldn’t have sent in a proposal.

AOIIalum · #8 03-31-2004, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by aopirose
As for the speculations about resources et al, I agree that that can do more harm then good. Only the people in THAT organization know what they can or cannot do. If they didn’t think that they could handle the school, they wouldn’t have sent in a proposal.

Very well said, my sister!

It has truly amazed me how people who aren't members of any of the currently invited or presenting sororities have posted why ABC or XYZ aren't going to do well. Opinions are one thing and are valid. If you are not a member of ABC or XYZ, OR are not versed in ABC's or XYZ's internal extension policies or resources, please don't speculate. It's not fair to you, to the sorority in question, or the campus who extended the invitation.

These groups just would not have been invited if the campus wasn't interested in them in the first place. They also wouldn't have bothered even sending in a proposal if they didn't want to install a new chapter there.

pirepresent · #9 03-31-2004, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AOIIalum
Very well said, my sister!

It has truly amazed me how people who aren't members of any of the currently invited or presenting sororities have posted why ABC or XYZ aren't going to do well. Opinions are one thing and are valid. If you are not a member of ABC or XYZ, OR are not versed in ABC's or XYZ's internal extension policies or resources, please don't speculate. It's not fair to you, to the sorority in question, or the campus who extended the invitation.

These groups just would not have been invited if the campus wasn't interested in them in the first place. They also wouldn't have bothered even sending in a proposal if they didn't want to install a new chapter there.

Beautiful post, and perfectly said!!

insolita · #10 03-31-2004, 10:32 AM

You know, it never even occurred to me that this could be a problem.

Thanks for the heads up. I didn't post in either of those threads, but I'll keep it in mind for the future, just in case.

astroAPhi · #11 03-31-2004, 10:48 AM

Personally, I think it's a pretty sad reflection on us that things aren't kept civil.

I posted about Florida Tech's expansion because this is EXTREMELY exciting for our campus. We have said for years that we needed a third sorority so that we could have a true Panhellenic community. It's not easy when it's only two sororities. The guys like to pit us against each other whenever possible. Numbers were low when the new local came on, and it turned out that 3 choices were exactly what we needed. Alpha Phi and Gamma Phi Beta hit total for the first time in forever. I think that once the local sorority here gets more organized and has a national backing, they will do well.

I was extremely upset to see that negative comments had been posted about Phi Sigma Sigma in that thread. I personally think that either sorority will do quite well here.

Personally, I wish someone would delete the thread now, because it upsets me that people can't keep things civil.

33girl · #12 03-31-2004, 11:41 AM

Not really much I can add, except the immortal words of Felix Unger: "You know what happens when you assume? You make an ASS out of U and ME."

p.s. pirepresent, please clean your pm box.

pirepresent · #13 03-31-2004, 11:52 AM

It's clean!!

sugar and spice · #14 03-31-2004, 04:50 PM

I agree that people should exercise caution but I also don't think that it ultimately causes that much of a problem -- as long as people CAN keep things civil. And perhaps not even then.

In the end it will probably be the presentations that make the biggest effect. Remember the NCSU thread? Almost everybody was like "Oh, KD would be great there, Tri Delta would be great there. Pi Phi would be decent but they have no alum support" and THEN somebody coming into the thread and bringing up a recent Pi Phi hazing incident at a nearby school. And yet who got the extension bid? Pi Phi, because they put together a strong presentation and made a great impression.

I have enough faith in my Panhel sisters across the country that they can take what's said here with a grain of salt.

adpiucf · #15 03-31-2004, 05:01 PM

Greek Chat is an idea-sharing forum, and that idea sharing is the spirit in which we post threads on expansion, recruitment, chapter activities, etc.

I'm sure if the moderators are notified of a post that is inappropriate, they will delete it.

If there are threads you don't think should be on GC, my advice is don't post on them and PM the person who initiated it, requesting that they remove it.

I think we want to keep everyone happy here, and no one would intentionally want to post something that offends anyone.