How to make our local sorority legitimate?

[dp1228]

Kevin - thanks for the response but in my post i said we DONT want to affiliate with a national. We are looking to stay local.

What I want to know is how we can make our local sorority more legitimate. Is there any other kind of umbrella organization we can join that are similar to the NPC or NPHC. There are people in the Greek community that are calling us a fake sorority and I'm looking for ways for us to say "look we belong to this group we are legitimate." I hope that makes mroe sense!

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by dp1228

Kevin - thanks for the response but in my post i said we DONT want to affiliate with a national. We are looking to stay local.

What I want to know is how we can make our local sorority more legitimate. Is there any other kind of umbrella organization we can join that are similar to the NPC or NPHC. There are people in the Greek community that are calling us a fake sorority and I'm looking for ways for us to say "look we belong to this group we are legitimate." I hope that makes mroe sense!

I believe he was referring to affiliation with the local council, not a national NPC organization.

ETA: There is no central office to make your sorority "legitimate." Joining a national umbrella organization is not going to have an effect on your being able to affiliate on the local level (unless that umbrella org is recognized on your campus). Your sorority could join NMGC (for example) on the national level, but if there is no NMGC on your campus, you'll be in the same boat.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

ETA: There is no central office to make your sorority "legitimate." Joining a national umbrella organization is not going to have an effect on your being able to affiliate on the local level (unless that umbrella org is recognized on your campus). Your sorority could join NMGC (for example) on the national level, but if there is no NMGC on your campus, you'll be in the same boat.

Likewise, incorporation (which shouldn't be that expensive, btw) does not make you "legitimate." It makes you a corporation.

My guess is that nothing can make you "legitimate" except acting "legitimate."

Meanwhile, wasn't there someone here recently working on forming a national council of locals?

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Likewise, incorporation (which shouldn't be that expensive, btw) does not make you "legitimate." It makes you a corporation.

My guess is that nothing can make you "legitimate" except acting "legitimate."

Meanwhile, wasn't there someone here recently working on forming a national council of locals?

Not sure if I missed something, but did someone bring up incorporation? Or was that just in addition to my comment?

And yes, there was someone here trying to create that council. Still not sure how it'd work, but I suppose there's no harm in trying.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Not sure if I missed something, but did someone bring up incorporation? Or was that just in addition to my comment?

It was deep in the OP's post:

Originally Posted by dp1228

We were thinking about becoming Incorporated but its so expensive and we need our dues to fund us throughout the year. Is there maybe any other umbrella organization that we can join?

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

It was deep in the OP's post:

Gotcha. There was no way in hell I was reading her whole post lol

Thanks.

[dp1228]

MysticCat - According to the President of our sorority the cost was too high. But I am doing research on that as well and like you said it looks as though it might not as expensive as we first thought.

And yeah you're right we have been acting legitimate and thats why we havent lost too manynumbers in recruitment. Its just discouraging when people say to potential members that we arent "legitimate" because we have no national ties. For us its a pro but for some its a con.

[dp1228]

Knight_ shadow - you made a really good point about being in a same boat if the umbrella organization isnt on campus. That does make sense loll. I was just rambling on about options available to us. Thanks!

[kddani]

Becoming incorporated in this day and age does nothing to make your organization legitimate, except by showing that you had some cash to pay to an attorney to form a corporation or spent some time doing it on your own *which I do not recommend*.
(Note, there are historical reasons some GLO's proudly say that they are incorporated, but becoming incorporated in 2009 is not much of an accomplishment).

Not that there aren't advantages of being a corporation, but they're not going to help you feel legitimate.

[dp1228]

kddani - yeah it was just something we were thinking about. it was suggested to us by our advisor and were looking into it. I just wanted some feedback on what people thought about the issue i presented. But thanks!

[dp1228]

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who gave me feedback it really did encourage me. I am going to tell my girls and PNM's what you guys told me. We are legitimate if we continue to act legitimate. Although there are people who will continue to say things to try and slow us down, we are a strong group of women and I know my sorority is going to continue to thrive!

[RhoGamma09]

In some respects, to potentials that dont know you might think that your org isnt legit because its not a "panhel" org, but in other respects, there are potentials that have no clue what "panhel" even means, so youre fine. I dont think it really matters. You will always kind of battle that issue, but in the end, I dont think it will hurt you much.

As to forming a national council of locals....that doesnt make sense but that wasnt in the original question....so I am moving on....

I agree with whoever said "just act legitimate". I mean, youre a local, you dont have a national, but it doesnt mean youre not operating as a sisterhood! Present yourself professionally, be organized, show pride in your org and I feel like you'll be just as legit as the other organizations on your campus. (I would suggest that you probably already ARE legit, but maybe your group doesnt feel legit because of the lack of national thing? So just have confidence!)

[dp1228]

RhoGamma09 - Thanks I really appreciate the encouragement!

[als463]

Originally Posted by dp1228

Kevin - thanks for the response but in my post i said we DONT want to affiliate with a national. We are looking to stay local.

What I want to know is how we can make our local sorority more legitimate. Is there any other kind of umbrella organization we can join that are similar to the NPC or NPHC. There are people in the Greek community that are calling us a fake sorority and I'm looking for ways for us to say "look we belong to this group we are legitimate." I hope that makes mroe sense!

I guess I'm confused as to why anyone would want to "stay" local when they have the opportunity to go national. Are there other national sororities on your campus? If so, why didn't you go through rush and join one of those? My school used to have locals, but the thought of joining a local never crossed my mind. If you have the opportunity to have a national base with many chapters and alumnae, why not go the NPC/NPHC route?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by als463

I guess I'm confused as to why anyone would want to "stay" local when they have the opportunity to go national.

Some people like the independence of locals -- no national office or governing stucture telling you how to do things.