GreekChat.com Forums
Celebrating 25 Years of GreekChat!

Go Back   GreekChat.com Forums > Greek Life

Greek Life This forum is for various discussion topics regarding greek life. If you are posting a non-greek related message, please do so in one of the General Chat Topic forums.

» GC Stats
Members: 326,169
Threads: 115,602
Posts: 2,201,110
Welcome to our newest member, Arobaini-Nasita
» Online Users: 953
0 members and 953 guests
No Members online
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #46  
Old 05-30-2008, 09:48 AM
Silmanarmo Silmanarmo is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 58
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ilaria Ame View Post
yes. yes, it FREAKING is. it makes me want to curl into a ball and cry sometimes it's so stressful, and i'm not even the one in charge for real.
***Definatly got to agree on this one!
__________________
~*~ Delta Phi Nu ~*~
Loyalty, Knowledge, Perseverance
Reply With Quote
  #47  
Old 06-25-2008, 08:01 PM
smc112 smc112 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by preciousjeni View Post
Since we don't have a comprehensive thread about founding a new sorority and because founderitis isn't treated in hospitals today, how about we put together a How-To for folks. If you are thinking about starting a new sorority or if you are looking to nationalize your local, please stop here first.

Greeks, please only post about your own type of organization/council so that the recommendations will be as accurate as possible.

In fact, I will even work on compiling a list of groups/individuals who have come onto GC asking about founding a sorority.

EXPANSION...THE SAGA
Rush at UCSC

WHAT NOT TO DO
SKEPi

NON-NPC NATIONAL/REGIONAL SOCIAL SORORITIES (RECRUITMENT-BASED)
Running List

STARTING A NEW SORORITY/NEW CHAPTER OF AN ESTABLISHED SORORITY
Alpha Theta Nu
Rho Sigma Zeta
New Greek Girls
Alpha Grl
dixiegirl09
ehanline
New Christian Local
Rhode Island College
Genevieve
cep1017
NPC Interest
New NPC Sorority
Redraidergirl
Theta Xi Beta
jcolon
jayhawkgirl
ashb316
audrasue
MissJai
Swtmartini
MySTiK BaLL
dallasdoll
MissVirginia
MissVirginia
dreamsmanda
Cody46
Rechartering a sorority
Omega Phi Sigma
Culver8824
Silmanarmo

STARTING A NEW SORORITY ON A NON-GREEK CAMPUS
Alpha Mu Sigma
bianca131
Mimi6389
mckid

STARTING A SPECIAL INTEREST SORORITY
Non-Collegiate Sorority
Sorority for Grad Students
Academic Sorority
Technical College
Creating a Co-Ed Local
Christian Sorority
Plus size Sorority
Hospitality Sorority
Attracting Potential Co-founders - Christian
Dance Sorority

AFFILIATING WITH A NATIONAL SORORITY
Ramapo College Interest
That1LoudChick
MDJenny29
klplovely
Jfurr1126

ESTABLISHING/DEVELOPING A NEWLY FOUNDED SORORITY
LaDy B
Zeta Xi Delta
Pi Rho
Pledge Ideas
Delta Rho Delta
Inductions

LOCALS GOING NATIONAL
Zetagymnast
Sphinx101
MissyKramer
dhgirl
Omega Phi Delta
Alpha Sigma Delta
Theta Kappa

PARTIAL LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS

(More to come - feel free to send me links)

FOUNDERS OF SUCCESSFUL LOCALS AND NATIONAL EXTENSIONS/EXPANSIONS, PLEASE POST HERE!
Thanks for the information. You spent some time researching all this stuff. Anyway, the information is helpful because I might start my own sorority one day!
Reply With Quote
  #48  
Old 07-03-2008, 10:30 AM
H0NEY1987 H0NEY1987 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Philadelphia,PA
Posts: 46
Send a message via AIM to H0NEY1987
I havent posted in a few weeks... but i wanted to say that I hope this thread will help people understand the time and dedication it takes to commit to an new organization. Its tough competing with well known- longer existing groups, but it is very rewarding. Keep up the positive work.
__________________
www.omegaphidelta.webs.com
Reply With Quote
  #49  
Old 11-05-2008, 04:55 PM
KSUViolet06 KSUViolet06 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,137
This thread needs to be added to the list of expansion related threads:

OHNOITSJESS founding Alpha Omega Epsilon (engineering sorority) @ Texas Tech [after participating in NPC spring recruitment]
__________________
"Remember that apathy has no place in our Sorority." - Kelly Jo Karnes, Pi

Lakers Nation.
Reply With Quote
  #50  
Old 11-05-2008, 05:33 PM
preciousjeni preciousjeni is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NooYawk
Posts: 5,478
Send a message via AIM to preciousjeni
Quote:
Originally Posted by KSUViolet06 View Post
Added - Thanks!
__________________
ONE LOVE, For All My Life

Talented, tested, tenacious, and true...
A woman of diversity through and through.
Reply With Quote
  #51  
Old 11-05-2008, 06:38 PM
erica812 erica812 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,003
The story of founding my first BSP chapter

When I founded the Massachusetts Delta Pi chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, I wrote this thread:
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...light=erica812

It might be helpful for someone starting a non-collegiate sorority. I was a graduate student at the time, so it might be helpful for grad students who are interested in sororities as well.

Note: I've since graduated and moved away from my Massachusetts chapter, but I am still an active member in good standing!
__________________
Beta Sigma Phi
Online Kappa chapter
Laureate Degree
Order of the Rose recipient
Reply With Quote
  #52  
Old 11-05-2008, 07:41 PM
OHNOITSJESS OHNOITSJESS is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 531
Send a message via AIM to OHNOITSJESS
i'm also redraidergirl [long story ] but w.e
thanks for adding me to the list!
__________________
ΑΩΕ
The world will grow to count on me
WRECK 'EM TECH
Reply With Quote
  #53  
Old 11-06-2008, 10:12 AM
preciousjeni preciousjeni is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NooYawk
Posts: 5,478
Send a message via AIM to preciousjeni
Quote:
Originally Posted by erica812 View Post
When I founded the Massachusetts Delta Pi chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, I wrote this thread:
http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...light=erica812

It might be helpful for someone starting a non-collegiate sorority. I was a graduate student at the time, so it might be helpful for grad students who are interested in sororities as well.

Note: I've since graduated and moved away from my Massachusetts chapter, but I am still an active member in good standing!
Gotcha.
__________________
ONE LOVE, For All My Life

Talented, tested, tenacious, and true...
A woman of diversity through and through.
Reply With Quote
  #54  
Old 06-29-2009, 09:52 PM
hopeful:)
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
I think that expansion is awesome, if the Greek community is in need. Why wouldn't you want to expand. ? ?? ?? ?
Reply With Quote
  #55  
Old 06-29-2009, 10:01 PM
Psi U MC Vito Psi U MC Vito is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: nasty and inebriated
Posts: 5,772
Yeah but you have to make sure there is a real need for expansion, and that depends on alot of factors.
Reply With Quote
  #56  
Old 06-30-2009, 12:25 AM
KSUViolet06 KSUViolet06 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,137
Quote:
Originally Posted by hopeful:) View Post
I think that expansion is awesome, if the Greek community is in need. Why wouldn't you want to expand. ? ?? ?? ?
The SCHOOL has to see a need.

Typically, a school will consider it if ALL chapters are at or near total and recruitment participation numbers are steadily increasing.

This means more students are interested and there are sufficient numbers to SUPPORT a new chapter.

For the record, a school is typically NOT going to expand:

*Because hopeful is in LOVE with ZTA or Phi Mu and like, NEEDS them to be on campus.

*Because hopeful thinks the school needs a new sorority.

You can say EXPAND EXPAND EXPAND all you want, but one person can't encourage it. It has to be a school decision. So relax a little bit.
__________________
"Remember that apathy has no place in our Sorority." - Kelly Jo Karnes, Pi

Lakers Nation.
Reply With Quote
  #57  
Old 06-30-2009, 01:54 AM
33girl 33girl is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Hotel Oceanview
Posts: 34,502
Quote:
Originally Posted by hopeful:) View Post
I think that expansion is awesome, if the Greek community is in need. Why wouldn't you want to expand. ? ?? ?? ?
Why didn't your mom and dad get you that pony you "needed" when you were 9 years old? Because a pony requires a lot of time, effort, space to put it, and let's face it - the whole family has to be cool with the idea of a pony.

If you can't get a bid from the groups that are already there, a new group isn't going to help unless you can bamboozle the national officers into letting you in. And guess what, the last thing national officers are looking for when colonizing is someone who was cut by all the groups on campus. ETA: Or someone who has had 3 years to rush and didn't, and when she is getting around to it, doesn't want to join any of the groups on campus.
__________________
It is all 33girl's fault. ~DrPhil

Last edited by 33girl; 06-30-2009 at 01:59 AM. Reason: read poster's history
Reply With Quote
  #58  
Old 06-30-2009, 08:18 AM
Zillini Zillini is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Heart of Dixie
Posts: 1,008
Folks need to realize that the expansion process doesn't happen over night. As already said the numbers need to be there to support a new org. Nearly all Chapters need to be at or close to total. Often Total has been raised significantly and Quotas have been increasing. The growth has to be a proven trend, not a fluke. This means years of increasing numbers.

Once the University determines expansion is needed then a proposal is made to Panhellenic for approval. After that the actual expansion process begins. Panhellenic's typically first approach GLO's that have been chartered on campus previously but are no longer active. Not only is this courteous, but more importantly are the historical ties. Practically every GLO that ever closed a chapter would love the opportunity to return. If there aren't enough/any previously chartered groups or if they decline, then Panhellenic looks to other NPC orgs.

Those GLOs have to then agree to present, which basically means make a sales pitch to Panhellenic. I/nationally they have to analyze whether they can support this new chapter. If it's a campus that has sorority owned housing then they have to be in a financial position to build a new house. That's big bucks. They look at their area alumnae base to see if there are enough willing/able to volunteer. They also have to consider other expansion efforts going on at other campuses. I've heard of groups turning down an offer to present because they already had too much on their plate.

The selected groups make presentations to Panhellenic and the delegates vote on which group they feel would best fit into that campus. Finally the selected group comes on campus to (re)colonize.

As you can see this whole process can take years. And just because someone (hopefuls or alumnae) may want ABC or XYZ on campus, it doesn't mean it will happen.
Reply With Quote
  #59  
Old 07-06-2009, 04:41 PM
DartmouthPanhel DartmouthPanhel is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 81
I just put about 18 months of grueling effort into running extension for Dartmouth College (for NPC at least, it's called extension not expansion).

I would definitely echo what everyone has said about the time effort and stress involved with starting a new chapter. Also, as a founding sister, you may not actually get to see the fruits of your labors. In many NPC systems, it take a group a solid 3+ years to truly get settled into campus life. While your hard work will hopefully benefit the campus and generations of women to come, you may not see that all come to fruition during your collegiate tenure.

For NPC, you do not get to "pick" the new sorority for your campus if you go through general extension. I described it many times as a recruitment process--both parties have input. Your campus will need to invite all 26 groups, and then learn about them, invite them for formal presentations and then extend a single invitation (and hope the group accepts). Not all 26 will even send information, sometimes groups that send information will not accept an invitation to present. At any given time, most sororities have already committed to colonizations and they need to assess what they can realistically give (even giving formal presentations is a drain on resources as it generally requires high-ranking fraternity staff and a significant financial cost).

You SHOULD NOT go into extension looking/hoping/needing a specific group. If you are, ask yourself why? What do you really know about that group? Do you really want extension?

An alternative route for extension, that works well if there are questions in your panhellenic community about student interest in a new sorority, is to form an interest group first. The interest group can either help with the formal extension, or can function as a local sorority until it chooses to affiliate nationally. Again, even when an interest group looks to affiliate with a NPC group, the won't necessarily get to say "I only want group XYZ".

If your CPH (college panhellenic) voted down extension, there is probably a reason. Ask to meet with them (or with a specific extension committee if there is one) and figure out their concerns. Most often, a CPH will vote down extension because it feels that the panhellenic community would suffer. Often they think (based on extensive numerical data) that the new group would either fail to thrive, or would cause another group to suffer. It is their responsibility to protect the panhellenic community as a whole. Those reasons are hard to argue with, but you can ask the CPH if you have check in following the next recruitment to see if things are looking more hopeful. If the reasons are more vague, or don't have the numbers to support them, you might be able to make a case. Read up on NPC recruitment and extension, and prepare a strong case for why a new group is needed and will be successful. Ask if you can present at a CPH meeting and be prepared to answer questions. At the very least, know that you've laid the groundwork for future efforts.

My campus has been, according to our recruitment data, ready for extension for a while, but it was still a difficult process. It also required hours and hours put in by women who were already affiliated. I formed an extension committee whose members probably put in over 100+ hours, and it was for a group that they weren't going to be in. You can't found a sorority on your own, and you need to make sure you have the support behind you.

If you have any questions about formal NPC extension, I'm glad to answer!
Reply With Quote
  #60  
Old 07-06-2009, 05:01 PM
KSUViolet06 KSUViolet06 is offline
GreekChat Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,137
^^^ Excellent post, DartmouthPanhel!

I just wanted to add a little something on to that (as I'm sure you know):

Even if you were to form an interest group, that doesn't guarantee that the school will vote for extension.

I've heard of girls forming interest groups thinking it would encourage the school to vote for it, and they end up STILL voting against it.

__________________
"Remember that apathy has no place in our Sorority." - Kelly Jo Karnes, Pi

Lakers Nation.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Hazing Found at U. of Michigan: 3 Fraternities, One Sorority exlurker Risk Management - Hazing & etc. 31 02-24-2005 10:06 PM
I've found out that I've got cut Rollergirl2001 Greek Life 7 04-23-2004 11:17 AM
Look at what I found cashmoney Chit Chat 3 11-14-2003 03:00 AM
Oops! Found out Rho Chi's sorority! TinkerbellMTSU Recruitment 10 07-26-2001 12:33 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:14 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.