Closing chapters/revitalizing chapters

[TKEmanKM]

Fraters,
I know we have gone though a great many trials with staff being moved around so much and going through CEO's like Voldemort cursed the Dark Arts position, but I come from a recently closed chapter, who had a high amount of debt, low numbers, and little hope. We had a few alumni fraters who were willing to help and even more older (60's and70's) alumni who wanted to see some sort of results before they would commit any resources to the fledgling chapter. Now I have been on the "regional" volunteer side so I know a bit about what goes on at the OGC and I respect them highly, and count many a staff member among my personal friends.

That being said working in greek life professionally now for a number of years, I have seen many other fraternities who send their professional personnel out for more than a week + where TKE tends to send people out for only a few hours.

Ideally the volunteer staff (GPA, PA) would be able to pick up the ball and run with it but I am wondering why we as a fraternity tend to spend time and money in places where it realistically isn't needed (large chapters, financially solvent chapters, chapters who need no assistance in recruiting, etc) and why we do not tend to assist the chapters that could use the most help by having a staff man there to ensure success. It was my experience that I could only help so many of my men in my professional capacity where a staff man who could keep them on the ball, make sure policies are followed, and generally assist chapters in making sure they survive and thrive instead of die and get closed.

I will mention that I was the professional university person who agreed with my home chapter's closing, only because it was the absolute last option we had, they had been given a number of chances and failed to capitalize on those chances given, however I do believe that if someone on the professional staff had been there for more than just a pep talk I think we could have done more.

Overall I see this as a failure on all sides more so the active chapter and alumni who could have stepped in and done more, but also on the part of the professionals because it seems as if we only care about big donors and large chapters.

Thoughts?