Local trying to go National

[GC@EC]

Dear Theta Kappa,

We are going through the same thing! Two nights ago our administration informed us that they were inviting NPC to join our Greek Community. As a result, Gamma Chi Sorority (because we are local) will no longer be a recognized organization on campus as of 2009.

Our only option is to become national by taking on another national sororitie's letters, or not be Greek at all.

Can we be an affiliate group of NPC? Do they have to strip us of our letters? What other options do we have?

Please help! I will let you know if I learn anything new! Thank you.

[MsDGP007]

Originally Posted by GC@EC

Dear Theta Kappa,

We are going through the same thing! Two nights ago our administration informed us that they were inviting NPC to join our Greek Community. As a result, Gamma Chi Sorority (because we are local) will no longer be a recognized organization on campus as of 2009.

Our only option is to become national by taking on another national sororitie's letters, or not be Greek at all.

Can we be an affiliate group of NPC? Do they have to strip us of our letters? What other options do we have?

Please help! I will let you know if I learn anything new! Thank you.

While I am not intimately familiar with the NPCs rules, I do know that no new organizations have joined since the 1950s (or maybe it's 1960s) and when you affiliate with one of their organizations, you take their letters. Under no circumstances could you keep your locals' letters.

[PenguinTrax]

Originally Posted by MsDGP007

While I am not intimately familiar with the NPCs rules, I do know that no new organizations have joined since the 1950s (or maybe it's 1960s) and when you affiliate with one of their organizations, you take their letters. Under no circumstances could you keep your locals' letters.

There are a couple of organizations that don't use alphabetic designation for their chapters and sometimes let the local that is affiliated keep their letters as they chapter designation (unless they are already in use, of course). So depending on what happened, they could become the Gamma Chi chapter of XYZ.

[GC2theEC]

So, basically for those of you having confusion here is what's going on with our organization:

We were originally a little sister group until 1989. They then decided that they didn't want little sister orgs on campus so we became a local sorority, Gamma Chi, that May. Basically they waited until a year before our 20 year anniversary, and told us that they will be bringing on a third NPC sorority to take our place and as of Spring 2009 we will not be a recognized sorority on campus. This was decided without as much as mentioning the idea to anyone in our chapter beforehand.

The reasoning for this decision is unclear and we continuously are getting different bs answers. They're also sending letters to other orgs on campus saying that it is to give us more opportunities to have a "more substantial greek experience." Meanwhile we are the exec boards in both Panhel and Greek Council, along with providing the most philanthropy events on campus. Seems substantial to me. Also, there have not been any incidents or accidents against Gamma Chi during my whole experience with the sorority.

Additionally, they want us to continue helping with the planning process of recruitment and even enlist rho gammas, despite the fact that we will NOT be allowed to participate in recruitment in the fall. So yeah, messed up.

[MaggieXi]

From the OP's post it seems like they are bringing on another National Sorority. Is the plan for Gamma Chi to be absorbed into the new sorority, or are the members allowed to affiliate individually after Gamma Chi is no longer recognized by the school?

Since it seems like the school is calling all the shots here, maybe you can try to come to a compromise. Once they receive any interest letters, ask if you can review those sororities and have a say in which GLOs get to come present. Try and find one that is similar to your ideals and principals.

[GC2theEC]

The plan as of right now is that Gamma Chi will be disbanded and then members of our organization will choose on an individual basis whether or not they will join the national. Here is the outline of the current expansion process: a statement will be sent out to the 24 NPCs not currently on campus, then anyone who is interested will return to us with information for our girls to review over the summer. We will then rank our top five which will be taken to an expansion committee, consisting of the two national orgs already on campus. Gamma Chi will have staff representatives and one girl from our organization to speak on our behalf; however, we will not have a vote.

The expansion committee will pick three out of our top five. Those three organizations will come to campus to interact with our chapter, our adiministration, and other people on campus. After meeting each organization personally, we will rank those three in order of our preference, and the list will be taken back to the expansion committee, who will make the final call as to who we get. Then starting Spring of '09 the NPC will send workers from the National office to come recruit and set up the new chapter. All current actives of Gamma Chi will become part of the new member class of the new organization.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by GC@EC

Dear Theta Kappa,

We are going through the same thing! Two nights ago our administration informed us that they were inviting NPC to join our Greek Community. As a result, Gamma Chi Sorority (because we are local) will no longer be a recognized organization on campus as of 2009.

Our only option is to become national by taking on another national sororitie's letters, or not be Greek at all.

Can we be an affiliate group of NPC? Do they have to strip us of our letters? What other options do we have?

Please help! I will let you know if I learn anything new! Thank you.

I don't get it...are you saying all the sororities are local and are now going to be NPC? If this is the case, everyone on campus is in the same boat.

[aopirose]

Unfortunately, Gamma Chi cannot join the National Panhellenic Conference in any capacity as a single chapter.

Is the university telling your chapter to affiliate with an NPC or are they inviting an NPC to campus regardless? If it is the former, find out how much “say” your chapter gets in “who” is picked.

Your only option at this point seems to be research the NPC groups not on your campus.
http://npcwomen.org/undergrads/membe...nizations.aspx Hopefully, you will be able to find a member organization that aligns closely with your sorority’s ideals. You also want to consult your chapter’s alumnae to let them know what is happening.

All of the NPC members have experience in absorbing local sororities so they understand what you are going through. AOII absorbed a Columbus State local sorority last fall and they will be installed as an AOII chapter this weekend. There is also a thread on this board regarding Alpha Chi Omega absorbing a local at Carnegie Mellon. It is a very interesting read.

Through the link that I posted, there is a tab called “Extension Information.” Click on that tab to find out more about the official process.

Best of luck!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I don't get it...are you saying all the sororities are local and are now going to be NPC?

Doesn't look like. Based on the campus website, there are currently 5 sororties -- 2 NPC orgs, one NPHC org, one NALFO org and GC@EC's local.

[ValpoKD]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Doesn't look like. Based on the campus website, there are currently 5 sororties -- 2 NPC orgs, one NPHC org, one NALFO org and GC@EC's local.

So funny! I thought Gamma Chi sounded familiar. I grew up three towns away from Elmhurst. My mom assisted withe the chartering of the Alpha Phi chapter, and I know two current members. I worked for a competing school as an admission counselor, and I know three current staff members at Elmhurst.

It is a small world some days!