starting a sorority

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

You may want to try to emulate what National Organizations do and how they run their operations as far as community efforts and conducting yourselves as such. No hazing as that is a killer.

Just to clarify - that does NOT mean calling yourselves Chi Omega Epsilon Pi, and having your colors be cardinal and straw, your mascot be an owl, your philanthropy be Make-A-Wish, etc... (just as an example)

It means to find out how National GLOs do business, and model yourselves after that.

[Ch2tf]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Just to clarify - that does NOT mean calling yourselves Chi Omega Epsilon Pi, and having your colors be cardinal and straw, your mascot be an owl, your philanthropy be Make-A-Wish, etc... (just as an example)

It means to find out how National GLOs do business, and model yourselves after that.

sigh...If only someone else had followed this advice. *smh*

[LPIDelta]

Since its a state school, you might be able to make a case for freedom of association and find out why the school is not supportive. I mean, they cannot stop you from organizing--they can choose not to recognize you but that is not usually in anyone's best interest.

I would look to see if you state system has any rules re: this as well.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Just to clarify - that does NOT mean calling yourselves Chi Omega Epsilon Pi, and having your colors be cardinal and straw, your mascot be an owl, your philanthropy be Make-A-Wish, etc... (just as an example)

It means to find out how National GLOs do business, and model yourselves after that.

Hm, I think that is what I said.

Also a good point if it is a State supported school.

I think you can start a group with out any problem. But depending on the feelings of the school, that is what the question is. I know that for example Alfred of teh NY State school system booted all GLOs off of campus because of a death due to hazing at a local fraternity.

Also, I had never heard of any money from the college to groups even GLOs until I came on G C!

[LPIDelta]

Actually, only a few programs at Alfred are state supported--not the entire institution, so that is not a good example. That, of course, makes for some interest legal cases....

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by Heather17

Actually, only a few programs at Alfred are state supported--not the entire institution, so that is not a good example. That, of course, makes for some interest legal cases....

Heather that may be true for support with funds, but I have seen where even GLos get some financing and never understodd why even though We desearve it many times for what we do for the school and community!

I also never understood how Alfred could just shut down ALL GLOs either?

I know with LXA that if the school is anti, we will not try to expand there.

I am sure most of us feel the same way at a National level.

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Just to clarify - that does NOT mean calling yourselves Chi Omega Epsilon Pi, and having your colors be cardinal and straw, your mascot be an owl, your philanthropy be Make-A-Wish, etc... (just as an example)

And an EXCELLENT example it was!

[lemons232]

Thanks for the advice. The problem we're really running into is that the administration has said no to greek life. Their excuse is that people come to this school because we don't have a greek life.
So we're really just trying to find out if a public institution has the right to regulate what groups are on campus.
We're really just organizing everything right now but I'll let everyone know what happens!

[susan314]

Originally Posted by lemons232

Thanks for the advice. The problem we're really running into is that the administration has said no to greek life. Their excuse is that people come to this school because we don't have a greek life.

Do they really think that the majority of people picked your school is because of the absence of Greek life? I'd hope the administration thinks that the university has a little more to offer prospective students than "no Greeks."

(I'm sure some people might shy away from a campus that had a huge proportion of Greeks, but I don't think most people would care if there were miniscule Greek system on their campus. If the group small and not too dominant, they always have the option not to join and just stay away from Greek activities.)

[Xidelt]

Most good colleges attract students because they offer a wide variety of activities and organizations. When I applied to college, I was interested in the prospective universities that were well-rounded and the choices they had. I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to major in, let alone be involved in in my spare time! I'm sure the majority of students choose a college based on what they have, not what they lack.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by lemons232

Thanks for the advice. The problem we're really running into is that the administration has said no to greek life. Their excuse is that people come to this school because we don't have a greek life.
So we're really just trying to find out if a public institution has the right to regulate what groups are on campus.
We're really just organizing everything right now but I'll let everyone know what happens!

Sounds like your university's upper management from the President down is hating on greeks...

Something similar at one of schools I attended and I conveniently told a city councilman who was a member of a very large fraternity.

Somehow that magically changed, literally overnight. This city councilman's fraternity suddenly had a seat on the student government...

So, for your last shot, you need to bring some "big wigs" to convince changes...

Sometimes, it's not how much you know, but who you know...

[lemons232]

Okay, so apparently at my school a group of girls try every year to get a sorority going and they fail, even this year. This year should be different since we just got a new president but unfortunately the dean of students (who actually is really nice) vetos the idea before it even reaches the President.

I want to go for it and try to push this really far and we're trying to get the fraternity behind us too. It's just not looking good and it makes me angry that our school is the only one in the state that doesn't offer Greek Life (out of the public schools.) We keep getting the phrase "it's not our image." Apparently our image consists of an 85% retention rate and 60% of the campus going home on weekends...

[33girl]

Originally Posted by lemons232

We keep getting the phrase "it's not our image." Apparently our image consists of an 85% retention rate and 60% of the campus going home on weekends...

Some administrators don't care if the campus is dead on weekends, just so the students are paying.

[AlexMack]

Originally Posted by lemons232

Okay, so apparently at my school a group of girls try every year to get a sorority going and they fail, even this year. This year should be different since we just got a new president but unfortunately the dean of students (who actually is really nice) vetos the idea before it even reaches the President.

I want to go for it and try to push this really far and we're trying to get the fraternity behind us too. It's just not looking good and it makes me angry that our school is the only one in the state that doesn't offer Greek Life (out of the public schools.) We keep getting the phrase "it's not our image." Apparently our image consists of an 85% retention rate and 60% of the campus going home on weekends...

If it happens every year there is interest. I'd suggest getting as many interested students as possible and saying "we pay to come here and this is what we want as part of our undergraduate experience. If you can't provide it, prepare for an influx of transferring (or something less dramatic)."
What your university needs is a a revamp of its supposed image. Get the word out, use the school newspaper, provide contact information, detail what has happened in the past and explain what you're trying to do.

Originally Posted by susan314

Dare I even ask the background on that one?

(I visit here occasionally, but still infrequently enough that I miss a lot of information. )

One local copied Sigma Kappa exactly at one point. Then a member got really defensive because us real sigkaps got mad. That was pretty awesome. I mean, I know we're amazing but come on, originality!

[valmypal]

I second the newspaper idea! put it in the press that groups of students have been trying to do this for years and adminstration keeps denying them. Get interviewed about the reasons you want a sorority on campus and get the word out! stir it up and see how the administration likes looking bad for not supporting its students! I might even try to fuse this with the "big wig" idea and get it in your local towns newspaper too! Good Luck!