colonization

[aephi alum]

It varies depending on the GLO.

My chapter originated as a local sorority. I was not a founder of the local, but I was a member of the only pledge class aside from the founders. When the local Panhel did finally give us permission to seek NPC affiliation, fortunately AEPhi was still interested in colonizing. At the time there were 10 active sisters of the local. We also extended a bid to one additional woman, who pledged in time to join our class. The 11 of us were initiated after the 8-week new member period, as the Alpha new member class.

At the time of our initiation, we had met all requirements for chartering except one: We were required to have 25 members. That fall, we extended bids to 11 new members, who became our Beta new member class. The decision was made to charter the chapter despite the fact that we had only 22 members, not 25, as we had just doubled our membership. All 22 are considered founders.

My initiation certificate reads "MIT Colony" instead of "Beta Epsilon" as the chapter designation. I was allowed to order a chapter guard for my badge only after our chartering.

A colony designates officers and operates much as a regular chapter does. Chapter business that might normally be closed to new members has to be disclosed to the new members within a colony simply because there are no initiates - everyone is a new member.

Tom, good luck with your pursuit of PKA.

[PKPILZ003]

It's truly different for every group. In Phi Kappa Psi, we start new Chapters in 1 of 2 ways - either an interest group comes to us (group of guys or local fraternity) or we go to the school, ask to come on campus and then our staff spends a quality amount of time recruiting the initial men of the Colony. After that, it's up to those men to meet the requirements that we have set for them and the 10 goals that they have to accomplish. They then turn in a petition to our Executive Council and must receive a unamious decision.

Theere is no set timetable on that - I've seen colonies get charters in as soon as 11 months to 2.5 years. While they are a colony, they are given a Chapter name with Colony behind it (Illinois Iota Colony, for example). They have their own ritual, their own grip, their own badge and their own pledge button. usually when it's time to charter the chapter, it's a big weekend, with parties, the initiation with the National Officers performing the ritual (one who initiated in 1947 and has been to every chartering since his own - Mr. Phi Psi) and a huge banquet. It's something to see.

As for badge order, since you do not recieve a standard badge until the chartering, your number starts from 1 and goes to the last Founding Father