Locals absorbed/colonized by NPC Sororities

[ForeverRoses]

I'm sure the difference between a local that has been around only a couple years versus a local that has been around for 30+ years joining an NPC would be huge.

If I founded a local and it survived (and thrived) for many years and suddenly all the ritual and tradition was replaced by something else, I think that would be a hard pill to swallow.

Especially if the local and the NPCs core principles didn't match up.

[aephi alum]

I should add (in light of LucyKKG's post, where she mentioned that with her local "very few things had meaning") that the founders of Sigma Iota Phi did come up with things - letters (obviously), colors, a jewel, a symbol, and a badge and pledge ring - and did put some beautiful and well-thought-out meanings behind them. The meanings are all secret, and I consider my oath of secrecy still to be in force even though Sigma Iota Phi no longer exists. So it was a bit sad to put aside all those symbols when we became part of AEPhi, but we adopted AEPhi's no-less-beautiful symbols instead.

[LucyKKG]

Originally Posted by aephi alum

I should add (in light of LucyKKG's post, where she mentioned that with her local "very few things had meaning") that the founders of Sigma Iota Phi did come up with things - letters (obviously), colors, a jewel, a symbol, and a badge and pledge ring - and did put some beautiful and well-thought-out meanings behind them. The meanings are all secret, and I consider my oath of secrecy still to be in force even though Sigma Iota Phi no longer exists. So it was a bit sad to put aside all those symbols when we became part of AEPhi, but we adopted AEPhi's no-less-beautiful symbols instead.

Yup, totally the opposite of my experience. We picked letters and symbols because those were things we felt we had to have in order to be a legitimate sorority. What would we tell the rushees when they asked about our colors and mascot?? (Pink/green and clover, btw) I think it would be very meaningful to take time to choose values, symbols, and a motto that mean something to you. Ours were just perfunctory.

[PhoenixAzul]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

I'm sure the difference between a local that has been around only a couple years versus a local that has been around for 30+ years joining an NPC would be huge.

If I founded a local and it survived (and thrived) for many years and suddenly all the ritual and tradition was replaced by something else, I think that would be a hard pill to swallow.

Especially if the local and the NPCs core principles didn't match up.

That's how I feel. My sorority is over 80 years old now, one of the orgs on campus is having their 100th anniversary this year- that's an old local! And while I have tremendous respect and tremendous appreciation for the NPC orgs, I'd be devastated if Tau Delta became something else, or if our campus was told we must be NPC/NIC or not exist. As far as I'm aware, this has never been proposed, but the local loyalty is very deeply entrenched and seen as part of our campus culture and history.

[ForeverRoses]

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

That's how I feel. My sorority is over 80 years old now, one of the orgs on campus is having their 100th anniversary this year- that's an old local! And while I have tremendous respect and tremendous appreciation for the NPC orgs, I'd be devastated if Tau Delta became something else, or if our campus was told we must be NPC/NIC or not exist. As far as I'm aware, this has never been proposed, but the local loyalty is very deeply entrenched and seen as part of our campus culture and history.

I was actually thinking about Otterbein and Capital when I wrote this. I know that Capital is converting their locals into NPC and NIC groups- and I just wonder how well that will work. I have many great memories of hanging out with one of the local fraternities at Capital, and it was an Otterbein sorority member that I worked as a camp counselor with that helped me decide to re-rush.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

I'm sure the difference between a local that has been around only a couple years versus a local that has been around for 30+ years joining an NPC would be huge.

If I founded a local and it survived (and thrived) for many years and suddenly all the ritual and tradition was replaced by something else, I think that would be a hard pill to swallow.

Especially if the local and the NPCs core principles didn't match up.

And double especially if it wasn't your (your = the local sorority's) choice, but something that the school forced you to do.

Not to mention that you can go from having tons of alum support to none in 2.5 seconds, even if it wasn't your decision.

The closest I saw to this happening was the Delta Chi little sisters at my school becoming an NPC chapter. Keep in mind they were basically what kept the fraternity going and organized (good guys but sorta clueless) and they probably had their act together more than some of the NPC groups. They also didn't allow you to be in an NPC and be a little sis at the same time. When all LS groups were eradicated, they decided to stick together and all the sororities completely agreed with this - they were a cohesive unit. Long story short, many of their leaders dropped out during the colonization because they didn't agree with some of the things the NPC group was asking them to do to receive their charter. They were never truly strong, and I believe they reorganized a couple times before eventually closing.

I don't know if this was a bad meshing of local group and national group, or if the same story would have played out with any NPC.

[oldu]

Until fairly recently almost all chapters of fraternities & sororities came from local organizations -- some of considerable age. However, in almost every case it was the choice of the members, not an edict by the institution, which brought this about. The local members determined that there was much to gain from a national affiliation which was difficult to do as a local organization. In about every case I know, any alumnus of the local was eligible to join the national for a period of time (typically five years or less) and many did. Some at the time of installation and others each time the chapter held an initiation. My experience with my own national organization is that some of the original members of the local were a much harder sell for the very reasons several of you cited. Also, it has been difficult to break bad habits many locals had that were not tolerated by the national (and probably the main reason the institutions are turning an about-face and suddenly welcoming nationals). Ironically, back in the 1970s many institutions were urging chapters to leave the national organization!

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by oldu

Until fairly recently almost all chapters of fraternities & sororities came from local organizations -- some of considerable age. However, in almost every case it was the choice of the members, not an edict by the institution, which brought this about. The local members determined that there was much to gain from a national affiliation which was difficult to do as a local organization. In about every case I know, any alumnus of the local was eligible to join the national for a period of time (typically five years or less) and many did. Some at the time of installation and others each time the chapter held an initiation. My experience with my own national organization is that some of the original members of the local were a much harder sell for the very reasons several of you cited. Also, it has been difficult to break bad habits many locals had that were not tolerated by the national (and probably the main reason the institutions are turning an about-face and suddenly welcoming nationals). Ironically, back in the 1970s many institutions were urging chapters to leave the national organization!

This is very true. If you look through you history books, you may notice the trend. AOIIs chapters are overwhelmingly founded from local sororities in the early days. My own chapter started as Phi Lambda Tau before becoming the Lambda Tau chapter of AOII. I know the Pi Delta chapter at Maryland was Lambda Tau Sorority before joining AOII (I can remember it for obvious reasons...I always wonder why they didn't pick Lambda Tau for their chapter name. )

[LouisaMay]

Last fall, I worked with an Alpha Sigma Alpha colony that was absorbed from a local. They have since successfully been named a chapter. Part of the reason that I was invited to visit with the colony was to communicate with the alumnae of the local sorority. The sorority was about 10 years old. The atmosphere was positive, but the women were feeling some uncertainty about losing something that they had worked hard to establish and maintain. My fellow volunteer and I assured them that the local founders' are valued and celebrated for starting something wonderful, and we emphasized that many of the small traditions that have sentimental value could be incorporated into the ASA experience. We were clear that the rituals and official practices of the chapter had to be ASA through and through, but passing on a "local mascot" to a little sister, using local colors on a bid day t-shirt, or teaching new members about the original local were simple ways to keep their history alive.

We encouraged the women to also keep their connection alive by becoming Alumnae Initiates and supporting the new ASA chapter in tangible ways.

It was a very moving experience for me to talk with all the women involved.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by oldu

Also, it has been difficult to break bad habits many locals had that were not tolerated by the national (and probably the main reason the institutions are turning an about-face and suddenly welcoming nationals). Ironically, back in the 1970s many institutions were urging chapters to leave the national organization!

That was because of racial and religious clauses the national orgs had in place at the time. It had nothing to do with insurance or risk management, which is why many locals are now being forced to go national (even if they haven't ever shown evidence of being a RM risk).

The only thing these two concepts have in common is that in both cases the school is trying to cover their asses - first by saying "OMG racism bad" and then by saying "OMG alcoholz bad." Whether the people running the schools actually feel that way is debatable.