Frustrated with House Corp/Nationals...

[KDAngel]

My heart goes out to you and your chapter. I couldn't imagine watching that happen to my chapter.

My advice:

1) Call nationals (901/748-1897, 1-800/536-1897) and tell them your concerns. Maybe they can help come with a creative solution to the problem. I know you think they've turned their back on you, and maybe some of them have, but I bet if they knew the chapter really wanted to turn things around and felt like they were being ignored, they'd step in and help. I'd also tell them about your recruitment concerns as well.

I had issues with while a collegian and while I felt like one national officer was out to get me, I had overwhelming support from HQ when I went them and told them what was going on. From there, I stayed in very close contact with one of the officers who helped me out with a lot. I really felt like no one cared until I found her. So at least try...

2) Reach out to your CAB also.

3) If you can't make progress with the first two, email your alumnae and ask them to get involved. This also seems like a good year to really pull off and amazing Homecoming and ask for alumnae support. Maybe try and make a slide-show of your chapter through the years or something and remind all the alums just how much KD meant to them. It'll take some work to get it all together, but you can do something nice with powerpoint if nothing else. But with almost 95 years of alumnae, there's a lot out there to reach out to.

4) While a totally no frills recruitment doesn't sound fun, at least the rest of your campus is in the same boat. Stress the importance of really connecting with pnm's and making every conversation really count. Even if it's not a girl that you think would fit in with the chapter or a girl that you know has her heart set somewhere else -- practice having the very best conversations possible because it could be that girl that talks about your house to one of her friends and she could go KD because of it.

And while every sorority thinks they're the best, remember what makes Kappa Delta stand apart from the others and sell it.


And finally, do you know exactly how much every other sorority pays in rent a month? I know when nationals set up my chapter's house in 2003 they took that into consideration and made sure they picked a figure that both covered the rent, but stayed in the middle of the road, so that we were neither the most of least expensive. When you talk to them, perhaps tell them that while you used to be the largest, the increase in rent is just a factor that's breaking your chapter. Perhaps also see if you could do something that raise money for housing. Ask nationals for ideas. It would take a LOT of work to offset the difference between your house and other houses, but if they could maybe lower it a LITTLE and you all could think of something to make up the rest of the difference... you may also talk about cutting some of the other budgets for a while why you try to build your chapter back up. I don't know. I really do think nationals can offer you great insight here though. So talk to them and let us know what they say, because I'll have a much better idea of everything depending on how they react, because really they're your best solution right now.

[Leslie Anne]

Lots of good advice given!

I've served on House Corp so I've got some ideas swirling around in my head.

I was up until 6 am so I must get coffee first. Then I'll dig out my HC stuff and give you a PM. Not all is lost!

[Katmandu]

I believe I am an alum in your city, but don't want to out you if you are trying to maintain some anonymity. Please PM me if you wish. I can at least provide a sympathetic and listening ear if you want to vent. Maybe articulating your thoughts and feelings will help as you and your chapter sisters move forward and tackle what sounds like a difficult time.

I am a very old (dinosaur) alum of a chapter out of state, and a very new chapter advisor (as in one Advisory Board meeting under my belt) to one of the chapters within that short drive you speak of.

I haven't been involved in your chapter as an active alum, but will be keeping my ears open, at any rate, and keeping all of you in my prayers.

[Kaydee_cutie]

Thank you ladies so much for your replies!! However, we have tried to reach out to Nationals in the past and they haven't really helped much. I was on chapter council the first year we moved into the house. Our housing is a special case within Kappa Delta. Our house isn't owned by KD or the University, but a private company, and they are the ones that keep raising the rent, not us.

When we first started to have concerns Kim Flood Ryan came to talk to council and come up with solutions, but basically came up with that we had to listen to whatever our house corp said. I'm trying to get on our house corp so we can have the voice of a young alumnae, but they are somewhat hesitant to allow that.

Also, VP of membership, Betty Mulkey lives in the same city we are located and promised us that she would be at our recruitment last year, but didn't come because she had to attend homecoming for one of our nearby chapters. (that is doing VERY well)

ALSO, our house holds 32 girls, and that is exactly the number of girls in chapter right now. Total is 75 and when I was first in chapter we had over 95. It is impossible for many of our women to live in the house now, so we are obviously below capacity, and the company that owns our house says they will take the letters of the house if it falls any lower.

Its just heartbreaking to know that I really can't do anything to help my sisters out.

Thanks again for your ideas!!!

AOT,
Steph