Sigma Nu at UNLV?

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Talk to the national and see if they have plans. Most nationals are interested in expansion, sometimes restarting is easier than a brand new chapter. Especially if the college is located near a lot of jobs (which is true for Las Vegas). Lots of jobs means lots of alumni. And, it helps to know the history of the house. If they folded because of finances, or lack of recruiting it's okay. But, if there were problems (hazing, underage stuff, alcohol, etc.) the job will be tougher. Most of Sigma Nu's efforts are where there was once a chapter,


A new chapter is a four-way partnership involving national staff, alumni, the college's IFC and transfer students who are already Sigma Nu. If the college is closed to more houses, your odds are slim, since national can spend resources where fraternitiy expansion is welcome. National can't do more than about six colonies a year, and they'll spend their resources where they get the most bang for the buck.

Generally, colleges want only one or two colonies at a time, they'll wait until a colony becomes a full chapter before allowing another one. They want the colony to succeed, and, sometimes it takes a colony a couple of years to reach chapter.

When a college opens up to new houses, they often invite fraternities (nationals) to make proposals. The college (usually the IFC) will invite a half dozen to a dozen to make initial proposals, and, from them, select one or two houses. They may have an intermediate step, picking four, or so, and having each house make a second, more detailed, proposal. Often, the house or houses selected this time were on the "B-list" last year.

It usually takes an active alum, or active local alumni association to keep the interest alive, since the process can take four, or more, years. Las Vegas has plenty of retired people, so alums should be around. The Sigma Nu website has an e-mail for the Las Vegas alumni "club" (all Sigma Nu brothers living near Las Vegas), but no alumni "chapter" (alums of the old UNLV chapter). The alumni club should be your starting point.

If the groundwork is in place and the recolonization is already on a roll, you have a good chance. If not, you may not see a Sigma Nu colony until after you graduate.