Then vs Now - Sorority Quota and Total

[DGTess]

Originally Posted by shadokat

At Bloomsburg in the early 90s, quota was around 8, and campus total was 48. Today, quota is still around 8 and total is mid 40s. It's sad to see other greek systems grow by leaps and bounds while they flounder in medocrity.

I have a problem with considering a small greek system (or group) to be mediocrity. I don't know the campus, of course, but I do know that my personality avoids groups of hundreds. For real, at one time my chapter was down to 12 or so. My pledge class was 9, but initiated 6. What it taught us was to play to each others' strengths, to learn what was vital and what was not, to let go of the not-vital, to budget tightly (housing was university-owned, so not the chapter's responsibility), and to partner with other organizations. It isn't typical sorority life; but it worked for us and our system, and was not in the least a mediocre experience.

[KSUViolet06]

Not saying that every Greek system is supposed to experience 50% growth like say, UCLA in this thread. Or have classes as big as Arkansas.

...But a Greek system should be growing from the 90s to now. Chapters and classes should not be the exact same size as they were almost 30 years ago. I think Bloomsburg has also lost chapters in that time. Not a sign of a healthy system.

[shadokat]

No sorority chapters have been lost EVER. Fraternities, yes, but always for risk management reasons. And new ones usually come in to take the spot.

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Not saying that every Greek system is supposed to experience 50% growth like say, UCLA in this thread. Or have classes as big as Arkansas.

...But a Greek system should be growing from the 90s to now. Chapters and classes should not be the exact same size as they were almost 30 years ago. I think Bloomsburg has also lost chapters in that time. Not a sign of a healthy system.

[shadokat]

There's a difference between a small greek system and a stagnant greek system. When greek systems across the country are adding or WERE adding new chapters ALL THE TIME, Bloomsburg couldn't add even 5 more members to their chapters. The system itself has been marred by a campus who doesn't know how to work with greeks, nor do they really even care to. The ORGANIZATIONS aren't mediocre - the STAFF that oversees it has been terrible. A new greek life person started a couple of weeks ago. It'll be interesting to see if it has any effect.

I'll use another example - Kutztown University. Their system was growing, while their campus population was shrinking. The students didn't want big chapters, so they set their total at 60. When they all hit 60, they added a new group. So while chapter size may remain the same, the system grows through expansion. Bloomsburg has NEITHER. It's mediocrity at its finest. If that's offensive to you, my apologies.

Originally Posted by DGTess

I have a problem with considering a small greek system (or group) to be mediocrity. I don't know the campus, of course, but I do know that my personality avoids groups of hundreds. For real, at one time my chapter was down to 12 or so. My pledge class was 9, but initiated 6. What it taught us was to play to each others' strengths, to learn what was vital and what was not, to let go of the not-vital, to budget tightly (housing was university-owned, so not the chapter's responsibility), and to partner with other organizations. It isn't typical sorority life; but it worked for us and our system, and was not in the least a mediocre experience.