When Is It a Good Idea for Campus Panhel Expansion?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by dukedg

If a certain number of women do not get bids through recruitment, maybe they were not meant to be in sororities?

Originally Posted by dukedg

If a certain number of women do not get bids through recruitment, maybe they were not meant to be in sororities?

Originally Posted by dukedg

If a certain number of women do not get bids through recruitment, maybe they were not meant to be in sororities?

You win the Internet today.

[bejazd]

I don't know that you can discuss when it's time to expand without a discussion of the numbers, but the number of women who don't end up with a bid after bid matching may not be the most important number.

When my campus went through expansion, it was a good thing for all the groups on a number of levels. First, there had been steady interest in membership, and no one particular group was struggling. Our chapter had so many members that we couldn't have formal meetings in our house because it just was not big enough! Second, supporting the new chapter meant PH had to address some issues related to recruitment, which they did, and everybody benefitted. Third, the new chapter created some excitement on campus and gave a system that could have stagnated some energy. So it was all good!

[dukedg]

Thanks, 33girl, I thought someone might want to shoot me for saying that!

Originally Posted by violetpretty

I strongly disagree that every one of those women were not meant to be Greek (excluding GPA issues). Maybe they were not meant to be Greek in any of the existing chapters. If extension occurs and a new niche is filled, those women may become Greek and have a valuable and enjoyable Greek experience. Even if their chapter is perceived as a "weak" chapter. Believe it or not, plenty of women love their sisters and have enriching experiences in "weak" chapters.

I think there are a number of reasons other than GPA that women may not be a good fit in any sorority. Maybe there are ethical concerns with a woman (for example, she stole money from a job where she worked). Or maybe she has bad/undeveloped/immature social skills. If she is arrogant, condecending or mean to other women in the chapter, I wouldn't want her in my chapter.

I don't doubt that most women who stick it out in a "weak" chapter love their sisters, or why else would they stay? It just seems that they have to work so much harder at things like recruiting year round and then often have such low morale about their chapters. Furthermore, at many schools if you are way under total you probably have other worries, like financial concerns.

Originally Posted by bejazd

When my campus went through expansion, it was a good thing for all the groups on a number of levels. First, there had been steady interest in membership, and no one particular group was struggling. Our chapter had so many members that we couldn't have formal meetings in our house because it just was not big enough! Second, supporting the new chapter meant PH had to address some issues related to recruitment, which they did, and everybody benefitted. Third, the new chapter created some excitement on campus and gave a system that could have stagnated some energy. So it was all good!

I find this so interesting, because it sounds like from the outset a very similar situation to the Duke expansion. This is why I wonder what else is going on that made your expansion so successful and the Duke one not?

[skylark]

Originally Posted by dukedg

I think there are a number of reasons other than GPA that women may not be a good fit in any sorority. Maybe there are ethical concerns with a woman (for example, she stole money from a job where she worked). Or maybe she has bad/undeveloped/immature social skills. If she is arrogant, condecending or mean to other women in the chapter, I wouldn't want her in my chapter.

Wholeheartedly agree with this statement for non-competitive campuses (not the mega-southern schools that girls get cut from simply because there aren't enough spots... but then again maybe that's a sign to expand).

The only girls I saw ever go without any bids on my campus (which was a small campus with a less-competitive greek system) were girls that were downright rude to everyone.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by skylark

Wholeheartedly agree with this statement for non-competitive campuses (not the mega-southern schools that girls get cut from simply because there aren't enough spots... but then again maybe that's a sign to expand).

The only girls I saw ever go without any bids on my campus (which was a small campus with a less-competitive greek system) were girls that were downright rude to everyone.

If you look at the number of girls who get totally dropped or see it through to the end and don't match even at the mega-southern schools, it's a pretty small number in a lot of cases.

What's more likely to happen is they drop out because they don't like where they are invited back, which might change if another group is on campus. A new group won't have any reputation at all and might be more attractive than an established but not as well regarded group.

Some campuses like Ole Miss, though, are more problematic because tradition is such a huge part of the system. It's hard to break in new, even assuming you could start at relatively the same level.

Mississippi State isn't even as, dare I say, elitist as Ole Miss in terms of the Greek system, and two of the more recent groups failed. Alpha Gam went on in the late 80s, was able to build a house and hang on for 10+ years, but then folded for low numbers. Alpha Omicron Pi apparently had a colony that never even made it to chapter status if the news story I read was accurate. (ETA: apparently this group never even made it to colony status.) Both these examples are in spite of the fact that it's a campus where the remaining groups all come pretty close to hitting quota in pretty huge pledge classes. Sometimes it's just really hard to break in because PNMs have such a firmly establish sense of where they want to be before recruitment even starts.

It will be interesting to see what happens at Alabama. I have the perception that they are getting more out-of-state girls which may make it easier on the new groups because it will be a pool of PNMs with more open minds.

UGA, in my opinion, will be easier for a new group to colonize than at any other time in its history because so many suburban Atlanta kids are going there now who honestly don't have the background in Greek life to care that much about tradition. And because of release figures. Again, I'm just comparing UGA to itself in the past; it will still be insane compared to non-SEC schools.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

Alpha Omicron Pi apparently had a colony that never even made it to chapter status if the news story I read was accurate.

Actually, I think the colony never even made it to colony status - i.e. they had initial interviews and such but it never got off the ground as a unified group.

I'm only mentioning this because I remember a disagreement ensuing over what AOII's status on that campus was. Trying to head a repeat off at the pass.

And I agree w/ skylark - if you go without a bid from any group on a less competitive campus, more than likely there's something wrong with you, not the system.

[Ole Miss Phi Mu]

Personally I would love to see a new chapter at Ole Miss. But like everyone else has said, it would be extremely difficult for one to get going and not fail. When quota's at 80-90 it is hard to get to know everyone in your pledge class and it would be nice if there was another sorority to lighten the load. Of course, rumor is around campus, that there will be a new sorority by 2010. I don't know if it's true, but that's what everyone's been saying for the past few months.

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by dukedg

I think there are a number of reasons other than GPA that women may not be a good fit in any sorority. Maybe there are ethical concerns with a woman (for example, she stole money from a job where she worked). Or maybe she has bad/undeveloped/immature social skills. If she is arrogant, condecending or mean to other women in the chapter, I wouldn't want her in my chapter.

Sorry, I guess I didn't make it clear that I was referring to women who seem to have been cross-cut for no apparent reason.