When Is It a Good Idea for Campus Panhel Expansion?

[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.

[RushLeader08]

it is good when campus panhellenic votes for it.

[OleMissGlitter]

Originally Posted by 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.

Agreed with Ole Miss Phi Mu. As an advisor for AOII, I can tell you that one is needed. However, Panhellenic would have to be open for extension and do their process. Then the chapters would have to vote and of course follow the NPC Greenbook Process. After that is done, I think it would have to come down to a group that is strong in the South and they have to be willing to build a new house. I work on campus and I honestly don't think that the University is going to release the former ADPi house (now Honor's College) or the former ZTA house (now School of Applied Sciences' Lenior Hall) back to Panhellenic for a sorority to use. I know ADPi and ZTA houses were both renovated to have offices and to perform more like an academic building than a sorority house. There is a large parking lot next to Tri Delta and across from KKG that could hold a sorority house. However, parking is at a premium on campus so that might not come easily. There has been talk about once the old NPHC houses are gone perhaps of using that land to build one or two more sorority houses there (there were 3 NPHC houses that are vacant because of the new Residential Colleges going in near their location across from Northgate Apartments Student Housing). However, they are not finished removing all of the little white houses that housed faculty and 3 NPHC groups so who knows if that will happen.

I have personally seen where things are "changing" a bit for sororities at Ole Miss. When I went through recruitment in 1996, an out-of-state girl like me would never have received a bid to one of the "big houses" without being a huge legacy. That has changed. I know of many out-of-state PNMs who go through recruitment and are not legacies and they are getting their first choice. I think the demographics of PNMs have changed since more and more out-of-state students are coming here. I think something like 30% of students are from out-of-state. So, of course sororities have to look at the fabulous list of out-of-state students who enroll. I can remember when a friend of mine pledged Tri Delta, she was the only member from LA at the time. So things are changing.

I am not going to say that just any NPC group can come down here and start up a chapter. It has to be well-planned and their PR Blitz has to be amazing. I also think nearby chapters and alumnae have to be readily available to help out. I know AOIIs from Ole Miss helped with 3 different events when AOII was colonizing the University of Arkansas two years ago. Therefore, local support from collegians and alumnae would have to be assumed no matter what. And of course a pretty, Southern-style house most ensue not that long afterwards. I believe quota was 52 when I went through recruitment in 1996. This past year it was 84, so in 11 years you can see how much it has grown.

I am pretty sure that our current Panhellenic Advisor and Officers are working on the extension process from the University’s end. I know they put out booklets last year that had data in them about each sorority and numbers and GPA and things like that. I don’t ever recall seeing anything like that in the past, so they must be getting ready for something. I would think that they would have to have stats ready to give out one they vote to open up for extension.

[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.