Before You Found a New Sorority

[DGTerp06]

Originally Posted by OTW

Ummm...campuses won't want to expand if current houses haven't been at total for a while or if some houses are struggling for membership.

How's about you let the campus officials determine whether or not the Greek community is in need, mmmkay?

That's not entirely true. George Washington University (DC) brought on a new national organization when all it's chapters were not at total and some were hurting for members. What statistics have found is that bringing on a new organization after some time actually does encourage a new percentage of women (or men) to come out to experience what Greek life has to offer. Sometimes chapters can create stereotypes that can become so deep, they can scare people off. Bringing on a new chapter has encouraged those who were, at one point, not interested in Greek life.

It may not be a great way to approach Greek life, but that's what happened at GW and it seems like it benefitted most of the NPC chapters on their campus. I did see statistics from this exact situation and study when my own campus was considering bringing another chapter on (we did not); I was pretty stunned by the results.

This is not to say the same thing would work at every campus, but expansion is usually looked at as a way of benefitting the entire Greek community or council, not just a way for a new organization to start it's newest chapter.

[RhoGamma09]

I am on a campus that has experienced some expansion recently, and it is NOT easy. I know everyone has said this, but let me just throw one more on there and hopefully we can get through to some of the people who might not be grasping that fact.

Yes, it sounds really romantic to start a new NPC chapter and the expansion team might even try to lure you in with that, but seriously, if you dont have the right national support and the right drive, and you seriously have no idea how a chapter operates because you've never been in one (which would make sense if youre trying to start a chapter)...it is not going to be fun.

If you want to start a chapter, then YOU and your other founding friends are the sole people that are doing everything. And no one ends up doing it perfect, no matter how much research or help, there are always big mistakes made.

If you really want to start something from the ground up, you have to be prepared to be confused, frustrated, lost, overwhelmed, and also, be prepared for everyone else on campus thinking your org is a total wreck and none of you know what youre doing (because you dont). You have be strong enough to handle that, look past it, and stay dedicated. Yes, it will be satisfying in the end and you'll be proud and you will look back on it fondly and I am sure you'll have fun, but it is not about "Ohhh! Look, I am a founding lady and I have letters now and secrets and I'm the president!"

Women who found chapters are brave, brave individuals....whether they realize what they are getting themselves into or not. The ones who make it through and are active, they are better people than I am. I have a lot of respect for the women on my campus that made their chapter into what it is now. Everyone else though, you gotta be real careful about what you get yourself into.