Raising Total

[33girl]

Originally posted by PhoenixAzul
...recolonized? As in force the actives to go to Alum or turn in their pins and then start all over again? Would they have to wait till the current members graduated?

Actually, in cases like this the actives never are forced to turn in their pins/cease to be sisters/self-terminate - unless the reason the chapter is so small is because of hazing or other issues. If the only thing a chapter has done "wrong" is to be the smallest and they decide to recolonize, the sisters are made alumnae.

Of course there are times when that happens and the current sisters tell the national to take a flying leap and self-terminate of their own volition.

[twhrider13]

Just out of curiosity, carnation, the original part of this thread is pretty old--have any changes been made as far as the smaller group mentioned in your first post? Have they increased their chapter size? Has total actually been raised? Just wondering.

Edited because I can't spell total, apparently.

[carnation]

No changes that I know of. Total hasn't been raised and the 5th group is still struggling--with membership numbers well under the other groups' numbers. A lot of people are wondering how long this can drag on.

[aggieAXO]

Why keep chapters open that are struggling? I say give them a chance but if they haven't pulled it together within 2-3 years close that chapter-what is the point of struggling. I know AXO has a couple of chapters that are struggling and they have been for years-unfortunately on certain campuses this is not going to change. I would rather see those chapters closed in hopes of recolonizing in the future (but wait AT least 5-10 years). Why let it drag on and on and on and on....

[dgdramadawg]

I haven't read the whole thread, so sue me if I'm repeating sentiments.

I think that raising total would be Panhellenic's way of destroying this smaller chapter. From my experience at UGA, the size of a chapter in Georgia counts for a lot during rush... big sorority = big pledge class. If Panhellenic focused on a real "Go Greek" mentality and girls pledged that smaller chapter who might go to other chapters if total was higher, the smaller chapter would grow in size and eventually all 5 chapters would be doing just fine.

So, yes, I think raising total would be absolutely cruel to the smaller chapter on campus.

[33girl]

Originally posted by aggieAXO
Why keep chapters open that are struggling? I say give them a chance but if they haven't pulled it together within 2-3 years close that chapter-what is the point of struggling. I know AXO has a couple of chapters that are struggling and they have been for years-unfortunately on certain campuses this is not going to change. I would rather see those chapters closed in hopes of recolonizing in the future (but wait AT least 5-10 years). Why let it drag on and on and on and on....

Does AXO national have a problem with them being smaller?

Are they in debt or is their money situation fine?

Are the women enjoying their sorority experience?

If all those answers are positive, then why close them? Just because they look "struggling" to you from your frame of experience doesn't mean they necessarily are.

[axidgl]

Thank you for that, 33girl. You are absolutely correct, and I appreciate that you see it. Now if only otthers could see that quality is better than quantity.

[flirt5721]

Just because a chapter is small and struggling doesn't mean they have to be closed. My chapter is small and we were struggling up until this recruitment which we worked really hard to get new girls. Although, one of the stronger chapters from last year isn't doing as well as they have in the past. Working hard is a big key, however Panhellenic has also helped us. They want all the chapter to make it, they just don't concentrate on the biggest chapter. Raising total when one chapter is not at it is a bad idea.

[aggieAXO]

It also depends on the school you attend. I had a friend in a small chapter at my school. Her chapter had about 40 woman compared to most that had 140-160. It was a struggle just to stay open and no she wasn't enjoying alot of that experience neither were her sisters. They had a large house they could not fill so ended up having to rent out rooms to non-members. They had to have collegiate members from other chapters come help them for rush which actually worsened the situation. Then her senior year the chapter re-organized and she was not allowed to wear her letters around campus. The stigma was too bad and the re-organization did not work. Why keep struggling? If you want to join a smaller chapter-whatever works for you but I could see what my friend and her sisters had to deal with and it was not for me.

I would say at most large southern schools-once you start struggling it will likely be an ongoing battle to stay open.

ETA: those that responded in favor of keeping the chapter open-how big was your chapter? Did you have a huge house to keep up? Was your chapter over 100 members smaller than total? Yes, I agree quality over quantitiy but that does not pay the bills unfortunately. Also-as far as the "quality over quantitiy" theory-my friends sorority actually could not cut many if any girls during rush as they needed members and thus accepted pretty much anyone-they had to to keep the doors open.

[33girl]

Thanks for clarifying the situation.

In your friend's case, if they were having a bad time and were in debt (or constant danger of it) from the upkeep of the house, I would say then yes, it is probably best to fold the chapter for several years.

If you don't have a mansion of a house to fill and you have enough people to fill offices and have a good experience though, there's no point in closing just because you're not the top group on campus.

But I know there's been some people on here from larger schools that say "OMG how do you run a chapter with only 20 people??" Umm, quite easily, if that's the size that sororities are at your school.

[PhoenixAzul]

I don't know, I think I'd feel very betrayed by my organization if we were asked to disband and then have new girls take over what I was once part of. Perhaps the analogy of training your replacement in the workplace? That's why I would think that waiting until current members graduated would be better. Even if the girls went alumna...would they want to be involved in the organization?

[33girl]

Originally posted by PhoenixAzul
I don't know, I think I'd feel very betrayed by my organization if we were asked to disband and then have new girls take over what I was once part of. Perhaps the analogy of training your replacement in the workplace? That's why I would think that waiting until current members graduated would be better. Even if the girls went alumna...would they want to be involved in the organization?

It all depends on how it is handled...it can range from a positive experience to a total clusterf#%*.

The reason some groups don't want to wait until everyone has graduated and recolonize immediately (especially at big schools) is that they can lose their spot on Panhel. You have a year from the time you close the chapter to recolonize on your own. Any longer than that, and Panhel has to vote you back in.

[adpiucf]

Their nationals should sent a consultant out to assess the situation with the chapter, the CPC and their Greek Adviser. And then nationals should provide that chapter with whatever necessary programming and intervention is necessary over a determined period of time to help the chapter.

If they are struggling with finances, retention, policy violations (hazing, etc.), then the inter/national consultants can help them get back on track.

Next, the campus should be encouraged to rally around the smaller chapter and hold a series of PR events to support them, with the sororities and fraternities supporting a special COR effort for the smaller group, perhaps in the spring.

If the other chapters on campus aren't sympathetic or willing to help, they should be firmly reminded that they will not be allowed to expand their CPC or increase total until they give this chapter a fair chance to catch up.

If this doesn't help to significantly increase their numbers through this special COR/PR, and they are still significantly lower after the next formal recruitment, then I think it is (hypothetically fair) to consider Panhellenic expansion or raising total.

Not all chapters will be successful at all campuses, but so long as they are given adaquate time and assitance to get on track or to get back on track, then I think it is important for all chapters to work together for the greater good of Greek Life.

This has worked in other places... with varying results... maybe it can work here?