Colonization at the University of Alabama?!?

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by sangers

how big of a new member class do you think a colonizing sorority would have to take be to be competitive???

The number of new members would have little to do with whether or not the new chapter would be considered competitive.

[AnatraAmore]

So what I meant was not competitive, but more... stable? I know tradition and reputation have a lot to do with success at a school like that, but what I was asking is more "What would the ideal beginning be for an organization colonizing?"

[aopirose]

Originally Posted by sangers

So what I meant was not competitive, but more... stable? I know tradition and reputation have a lot to do with success at a school like that, but what I was asking is more "What would the ideal beginning be for an organization colonizing?"

Generally, you like to start a colony that is either at Chapter Total or the Average Chapter Size, whichever is the larger. Sometimes a group may opt to take less than that. It just depends.

[AlphaFrog]

I'm probably in the minority, but I think it would be nice to see a non-tradtional SEC sorority make it at Bama. Something for those women who aren't Southern Belles, groomed for rush since birth.

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I'm probably in the minority, but I think it would be nice to see a non-tradtional SEC sorority make it at Bama. Something for those women who aren't Southern Belles, groomed for rush since birth.

They're there, but they seem to have an awful lot of inside squabbles where several people quit. And at the most, they seem to have from 10 to 30 members, hardly enough to maintain a house or any other physical presence on campus. The non-Southern belles seem to go to non-Southern girls.
...As far as an ideal number of members to start with, you'd have to have at least average chapter size, simply to maintain that big house. And yes, you'd have to have a LOT of NMs to be competitive. And they'd better be mostly girls from Alabama. Chapters with a high percentage of out-of-state members struggle.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

They're there, but they seem to have an awful lot of inside squabbles where several people quit. And at the most, they seem to have from 10 to 30 members, hardly enough to maintain a house or any other physical presence on campus. The non-Southern belles seem to go to non-Southern girls.

What do you mean "they're there"? Are you talking about non-NPC groups? I though AlphaFrog meant that she would like to see an NPC at Bama that wasn't a typically strong southern group.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

What do you mean "they're there"? Are you talking about non-NPC groups? I though AlphaFrog meant that she would like to see an NPC at Bama that wasn't a typically strong southern group.

I believe she's saying that there are NPC sororities that aren't typical southern on the Bama/SEC campuses, but they're small and have a lot of internal struggles.

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

What do you mean "they're there"? Are you talking about non-NPC groups? I though AlphaFrog meant that she would like to see an NPC at Bama that wasn't a typically strong southern group.

Yeah, I meant non-NPC groups. Sorry 'bout that. I know the lady who was a graduate assistant who helped the Alpha Phi chapter get started at UA some 50 years ago. When the talk of adding chapters started, I e-mailed her that info. She said she'd love to see that chapter re-started, but there just aren't enough Alpha Phi alumnae in the Tuscaloosa area. AST actually has a chapter at the University of West Alabama (formerly Livingstone State College), but it seems to be rather small. That's all I know.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

They're there, but they seem to have an awful lot of inside squabbles where several people quit. And at the most, they seem to have from 10 to 30 members, hardly enough to maintain a house or any other physical presence on campus. The non-Southern belles seem to go to non-Southern girls.
...As far as an ideal number of members to start with, you'd have to have at least average chapter size, simply to maintain that big house. And yes, you'd have to have a LOT of NMs to be competitive. And they'd better be mostly girls from Alabama. Chapters with a high percentage of out-of-state members struggle.

I'm really not sure if I should be offended by this post but I WAS. Seeing how we are one of the non-Southern groups on that campus and definitely bigger than the numbers you list there and we don't have inside struggles.....

[AnchorAlumna]

Originally Posted by SmartBlondeGPhB

I'm really not sure if I should be offended by this post but I WAS. Seeing how we are one of the non-Southern groups on that campus and definitely bigger than the numbers you list there and we don't have inside struggles.....

I'm so sorry, SmartBlondeGPhB, I was NOT referring to Gamma Phi Beta, but to the two or three non-NPC groups that sprang up in 2001-02. Please see my reply above.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

They're there, but they seem to have an awful lot of inside squabbles where several people quit. And at the most, they seem to have from 10 to 30 members, hardly enough to maintain a house or any other physical presence on campus. The non-Southern belles seem to go to non-Southern girls.
...As far as an ideal number of members to start with, you'd have to have at least average chapter size, simply to maintain that big house. And yes, you'd have to have a LOT of NMs to be competitive. And they'd better be mostly girls from Alabama. Chapters with a high percentage of out-of-state members struggle.

Maybe I am just an idealistic Yankee, but I disagree. Why does this theoretical new chapter at Bama have to strive to be Old Row/First Circle/whatever? There are chapters all over the country where they aren't considered the prettiest/blondest/richest/WASPiest chapter. As long as a chapter is financially stable, and the members are happy there, why, if a chapter is not "top tier" is it a failure?

There have to be out-of-staters at Bama that would like to be Greek, but don't get the chance because all of the chapters essentially have their new members picked out before recruitment begins based on recs from their Mama's friends. One of the reasons for (re)colonization is because there is a niche in your Greek community missing. Who cares if you have all 26 NPCs on campus if they are all looking for the same thing? If the new chapter isn't going to fill a new niche, Bama should just raise total if they feel that enough women aren't getting placed in "desirable chapters".

[33girl]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Maybe I am just an idealistic Yankee, but I disagree. Why does this theoretical new chapter at Bama have to strive to be Old Row/First Circle/whatever? There are chapters all over the country where they aren't considered the prettiest/blondest/richest/WASPiest chapter. As long as a chapter is financially stable, and the members are happy there, why, if a chapter is not "top tier" is it a failure?

There have to be out-of-staters at Bama that would like to be Greek, but don't get the chance because all of the chapters essentially have their new members picked out before recruitment begins based on recs from their Mama's friends. One of the reasons for (re)colonization is because there is a niche in your Greek community missing. Who cares if you have all 26 NPCs on campus if they are all looking for the same thing? If the new chapter isn't going to fill a new niche, Bama should just raise total if they feel that enough women aren't getting placed in "desirable chapters".

There's already a chapter there that is well under total. If your scenario was workable, women would be joining it in droves.

[Buttonz]

Any idea how the SDT chapter is doing there? I know that we are the smallest group but I haven't heard anything lately.

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I'm probably in the minority, but I think it would be nice to see a non-tradtional SEC sorority make it at Bama. Something for those women who aren't Southern Belles, groomed for rush since birth.

What is a traditional Non SEC Sorority?

[33girl]

A sorority that isn't particularly strong in the Deep South or at the schools in the SEC.