New to the site - looking to start a local and need help!

xxstardust · #1 10-08-2009, 07:01 PM

It's so nice to know you guys are reading and interested in what we're trying to do

So our presentation date is set! We are presenting 10/26 at 10am ... ahhh I'm nervous! But not really ... I know that we are so well researched, and in the two weeks we have left will become so well rehearsed, that we are truly giving it our very best shot with everything we have.

Today was interesting in a lot of ways. For one, I had a long conversation with one of my anthropology professors today about what we're doing, trying to gauge the faculty response. His comment was typical of what we've heard from several faculty members and administrators - he's a little skeptical of Greek life in general, and has some reservations about having it at my school, but he also said that since we're obviously well researched and are also obviously good representatives for the positives Greek life can bring, he's willing to be open minded and hear and see what we're about and what we think Greek life can do to enhance our school. He's also very much in support of giving us a probationary period so we can prove ourselves to be above the stereotypes - which is really the best thing that can happen from all this. If they're just willing to give us a chance to prove the stereotypes and misconceptions wrong, I know we can show them that Greek life can really be a success.

Talking with my professor was also really helpful in terms of really getting a better handle on what the concerns of the faculty might be, and just talking out my viewpoints with someone really helped to strength them in my own mind. I think I did a decent job at least making him start to think about it and open his mind a little bit

Also today - I went to a grad school reception (I'm planning to stay at my school a 5th year in an MAT program) and met a very nice girl from a school not too far from us .... and she happens to be the PR chair of her university's Panhellenic Council! She was so sweet and seemed SO excited to hear that we're trying to bring Greek life to her school! I mentioned to her the Meet the Greeks program we're having and how we can't have NPC groups come for their specific groups but we can have Greek women come and speak about being Greek in general and about the benefits. I used the Rho Chi analogy and she told me she's a Rho Chi at her school, and would talk to the Panhellenic president about having the Rho Chis come to our Meet the Greeks! Which would be SO AWESOME! I'll double check with the NPC extension chair to make sure that's okay, but from our previous exchange I think it should be okay to do that.

Finally, I finished our powerpoint presentation. If anyone wants to give it a look-over and tell me what you think, I'd really appreciate it!

Sunflowers · #2 10-19-2009, 01:47 PM

I know your big presentation is coming up, so well wishes are coming from my direction! Good luck, and I hope everything goes well for you guys!

xxstardust · #3 10-21-2009, 10:40 AM

Awh, thank you so much Sunflowers! I really appreciate it .... our presentation is in less then a week and I'm starting to get some SERIOUS butterflies in my stomach!
I know I shouldn't be nervous. We've worked very hard to be as prepared as possible, and I KNOW we know everything in our presentation backwards and forwards. The Deans are very open-minded and really do have the students' interests at heart ... so why won't my heart stop pounding about a mile a minute every time I think about our presentation!

We brought research binders to each of the Deans this Monday, so that they have a week prior to the presentation to go through the info we've accumulated, familiarize themselves with some of the terminology and basics of GLOs, and come up with questions and concerns in advance. I think they were SHOCKED (and hopefully impressed) by how much research we've done. They knew they were getting some background info, but I think they were expected a manila folder's worth or so. We have 1 1/2 inch binders literally full to the brim with information and research, academic journals and studies, and an interested students list 26(!!!) pages long.

I'm so proud of all the work we've done so far, and I can only hope and pray that the Deans see that, see the dedication and desire of the students here, and that we don't stall out now.

Also, today Sarah and myself, along with our staff advisor, are going to meet with a woman who works with the NPC who lives just a town or two over, and who works in the same town as my university! The NPC Extension chair passed her name on to me and said she'd be an excellent resource, and she said she'd be happy to meet with us and help us navigate this journey and help in any way she can. Which is really exciting! We've done a lot of research, but she obviously has years of experience and knowledge with all the rules and procedures, and can help us make sure that we don't mess anything up when (I refuse to jinx things by saying if ..) we get approved.

Thank you for keeping us and our project in your thoughts, guys. I really, really appreciate it- it means so much to know that I have the support of other Greeks out there. It might sound silly and sappy but it's still nice to know.

I'll update you guys after our meeting today!

ComradesTrue · #4 10-21-2009, 01:05 PM

^^^ Wow. Sounds like you have worked very hard. Very impressive.

Best of luck to you. I will be interested to learn how things turn out.

xxstardust · #5 10-23-2009, 10:50 PM

Hey girls/guys - just an update really, REALLY quick to know that in terms of Greek life efforts all is wonderful right now, presentation is in just 3 days, Monday at 10am! However my personal life, in terms of my on campus living situation is a train wreck right now so I may be gone for a few days ... I'll be let you know ASAP how the presentation goes/how the meeting with the NPC rep went!!

xxstardust · #6 10-25-2009, 11:16 AM

Hi everyone! Things in my personal life have started to hit a lull, thankfully, so I have time to catch up here

Our meeting on Wednesday was really, really great. We were expecting maybe a half hour meeting ... we were there for over two hours discussing everything under the sun. Benefits and negatives about Greek life and how best to describe them to the administration, issues about liability insurance, how many groups we should have (she thinks that having just one sorority colonize at first would be a bad idea, because A)we're a small school and if we had a couple smaller groups we'd be more analogous to the rest of the campus groups and b)they'd get so well established that they'd eat another group alive when they eventually tried to colonize as the Greek system grew .. she thinks two or even three at first would be much better, but anyway I digress!), how we could work on constitutions, etc. She was really supportive of how much we've tried to stress involvement and co-operation with both other Greek orgs (as we're looking for NPHC/NIC groups as well) and with non-Greek orgs, which I'm glad for - I know that will be a major draw for our administration.

She told us that, having lived in our town for so many years, she knows a LOT of people at my university .... including people on the board of trustees! Which could really be a huge help to us, if she could say a choice word or two in the right ear (and she said she'd be in touch with people about this!). She also said she would be very happy to come to our Meet the Greeks fair and that having Rho Chis come would be perfectly okay too. Yay! Everything seems to be falling into place well right now

She said she was impressed with all the work we had done and how passionate we were about this. She said something to the effect of "Women with this kind of drive are the essential sorority women and I know you can demonstrate that at your presentation." EEEP!

Sarah and I took that as SUCH an amazing compliment, and it really bolstered our confidence.

Tomorrow is our presentation and I am utterly terrified. Not terrified-terrified, though - just a swirl of anxious excitement and nervousness. I know we will do well. We know what we're talking about and it's obvious when we speak that we love and truly believe in what we're talking about. It's just very, very nerve-wracking to know that no matter how well we do tomorrow, we can be told no and that's it, I've lost my chance to be Greek. Well, that's NOT it - I know the three of us are as obstinate as horses and if we're told know we're going to want to know why so we can find out how to fix it and present again, lol! Like Sarah said the other day ... if I have to fight for this until 5 minutes before I walk onstage to get my diploma, so be it!

The presentation is 10am-11:30am tomorrow morning. Being the typical mom types Sarah and I are, we know that refreshments are important that early in the morning, lol!

So Sarah's coming to pick me up at 8:45 so we can go get a Box of Joe from Dunkin' Donuts. I have an assortment of teas in my own room I'm bringing (our advisor told us one of the Deans is a tea drinker and we want to be prepared!), and Sarah's mom is the absolute best and is getting us bagels (Sarah's family gets bagels every Sunday morning for breakfast, it's tradition, and her mom offered to get extra for us, which is soooo sweet of her). We all know information goes over a little bit easier when you've got a hot cup of coffee and something to nosh on.

I'll try and get on as soon as I can afterward to let you guys know how it went .. please keep us in your thoughts!