Alpha Xi Delta chapters are required to be meet quota and be at total - hence the push for COB at you chapter RocketAXiD. That doesn't mean that Fraternity HQ will step in and close your chapter if you are a couple shy, but they want you to get there.
From working at a national level, I can tell you a couple of things numbers are handy indicators of:
Is the group always 2 or 3 below? If so are they actually doing COB/COR or do they just not bother because it's only 2 or 3. This make bring on a strong push by FHQ to get those few women. While you might not "need" them, there are some chapters that are just to lazy after recruitment to do it, or see it as a sign of weakness to "have" to COB.
Is the chapter starting to slip in recruitment? Do they usually make quota but all of a sudden they don't get any where near quota? Did they suddenly loose a lot of members, either through new members release or initiated member release? Any of these can signal internal chapter problems. If a lot of new members released, there's probably a good (or maybe it's really a bad) reason. Maybe the Membership VP fell down on the job and recruitment didn't come off.
Is the chapter on the slippery slope? This is the biggest one for all national groups - to catch little problems before they become big. One bad recruitment won't kill a chapter, but if it is a sign of other problems it can be a nose dive the group can't get out of.
I know with the chapters that we have had to closed for membership, most were not on campuses with small chapter total. One group I have worked with for the last 10 years or so has not and won't be closed unless the members of the chapter want it. Total is 45, the campus is commuter, and as FuzzieAlum said, most girls hold at least 2 offices. Because they have no chapter house and the girl are still having a good time, FHQ gives them help/suggestions and visits from our ELC as needed.
Chapters were total is much higher and we have substantial housing is a little different, but we are always going to give as much support as possible to the group to help them turn things around. No national group wants to loose/close a campus, it's usually a last resort.
I also fully agree with James and Rushqueen - I think that the Quality over Quantity refrain is overused.
I know that the original post is alittle off some of my topic, but it seems that this post has morphed into a little more. Sorry for the long post, but having worked with many chapter on a national level I had to thrown in my two-cents!
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