States that don't have chapters

[dnall]

I don't know how many "pacific" chapters you've visited of any fraternity, but they are just not the same. Greek life in a lot of places in those regions is not strong. Many of those chapters don't care much about the ritual. I would prefer not to expand strongly in those directions. Not when there is so much other fertile territory elsewhere. Especially in places we've had chapters before.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by dnall

I don't know how many "pacific" chapters you've visited of any fraternity, but they are just not the same. Greek life in a lot of places in those regions is not strong. Many of those chapters don't care much about the ritual. I would prefer not to expand strongly in those directions. Not when there is so much other fertile territory elsewhere. Especially in places we've had chapters before.

Please speak for your fraternity only.

[dnall]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Please speak for your fraternity only.

This is in the ATO section of the forum, so... what's the issue?

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by dnall

This is in the ATO section of the forum, so... what's the issue?

This is also a public forum, meaning all threads are visible to everyone.

Unless you are a member of other organizations and have experienced their rituals, you cannot say that "west coast chapters of any fraternity" don't take things seriously.

[dnall]

Greek life in the west sucks. It's a different thing completely. Unless you've spent some time around it in the south or on the east cost and to a lesser extent some places in the central US, you really don't understand what I'm saying.

In any case, this is an ATO asking about expansion in a geographic area where most locations are very weak. Nationals will try to keep things geographically balanced to some degree, but ultimately it's a business. You want big strong stable chapters with higher percentages of alumni that stay involved, preferably from schools where they have a better chance at doing well in life.

Why would I support going to a school with flat to declining recruiting numbers that support average chapters of 30 guys? Especially when I can go a dozen other places that will jump quickly to 70-90 guys and have strong regional alumni support.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by dnall

Greek life in the west sucks.

Not the case in my organization, so again, speak for your fraternity only.

[dnall]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Not the case in my organization, so again, speak for your fraternity only.

Again, if I'm speaking in the forum dedicated to my organization, then I am giving my experienced and knowledgeable opinion about and from the perspective of my organization. That should be the natural assumption based on WHERE this post is.

[dnall]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Not the case in my organization, so again, speak for your fraternity only.

Look. This particular section of the forum is about ATO ONLY. In posting in this location, by definition I'm talking about only my organization. Why are you commenting on things that don't involve your organization? I haven't strayed into your organization's area to comment on your internal factors.

I've been involved with fraternities all over the country for more than half as long as yours has existed. I didn't mention your org or say anything directly disrespectful about you or it. I think I'm entitled to my opinion and you're welcome to disagree with it.

If you'd care to continue that conversation, I'd prefer you do so by private message.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by dnall

I don't know how many "pacific" chapters you've visited of any fraternity, but they are just not the same.

Please explain how the bold pertains only to ATO.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Please explain how the bold pertains only to ATO.

jinx, buy me a coke.

[dnall]

I fully understand any new post from any sub-forum will show on the front page as a new post. I fully understand anyone can see or post in any thread. I know the posts here are not private. I also know they are in a sub-forum specifically about ATO. Anything I post here is by definition by and for ATO. There's nothing saying someone from another org should not post here, but if you read info here the natural assumption should be that it is NOT about your organization.

This thread is talking about why we (ATO) are apparently lacking in our expansion efforts on the west coast. I'm not attempting to be politically correct. I am honestly expressing feelings of a lot of people and leaders within ATO. If Kappa, DChi, ODPhi and whomever else have SEC quality chapters in California, then good for them. That's not my business or my problem. OUR assessment of the strength of Greek life and potential success of individual chapters within that region will dictate how hard we want to go at that region. We do try to maintain geographic balance, for our own reasons, but we won't do so at the cost of bad decisions.

I appreciate some of you with long experience on GC. I know I've only been here a short time. Still, I've been involved with fraternities all over the country for nearly 20 years. I have a great deal of experience in some specific areas and more general knowledge in others. I think I have quite a bit to contribute to serious discussion of legitimate issues. While I fully intend to be respectful in that discourse, I'm not a person to mince words and mislead people to massage personal feelings.

We've all been greek for at least a little while. We should all have a thick skin by now. If I unintentionally disrespect you or your organization directly, then by all means I would expect you to square me up by PM & I would apologize. But if we're going to hang on every little word trying to find fault and insult rather than become better informed, then that's a waste everyone's time.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by dnall

Anything I post here is by definition by and for ATO.

Not if you say "any fraternity" and talk about Greek life in general. I'm really not seeing why this seems to be such a hard concept for you to grasp.

If Kappa, DChi, ODPhi and whomever else have SEC quality chapters in California, then good for them.

So the SEC is the only gauge of quality? That's a rather impoverished view, it seems to me. But whatever you think works for you.

But if we're going to hang on every little word trying to find fault and insult rather than become better informed, then that's a waste everyone's time.

That's a two-way street you know. People are reading what you actually said and assuming you meant what you actually said.

[dnall]

Look... for anyone that clicked on a recent post and failed to see it was in a forum labeled ATO, then mistakenly made the assumption I was talking about them or their organization, I apologize. I meant no disrespect.

When posting in a forum labeled ATO, my natural assumption would be that's an area for conversations either between ATOs or about ATO as an organization. I can't imagine what would lead to any other conclusion. If I'm wrong about that, I'll go post a question about ATO in the TKE section and see if a Delta Chi can answer it for me.

There's nothing wrong with non-ATOs reading or posting in the ATO section. I'm always open to outside insight on our operations. I'm also curious at times, as I'm sure others are, what the trends, attitudes, and operations of other organizations look like. That doesn't mean I read their conversation as if it applies to me, nor that I interject at the slightest possibility anything they say may not paint my org as perfect. They are entitled to their opinion.

And just to clarify my opinion...

I'm an ATO alumnus. I have a certain amount of experience and reputation within my organization. But, I'm just stating my opinion.

This thread asks if ATO should expand aggressively on the west coast. I would personally say no.

I believe, most greek systems in the far west are weak. There's nothing wrong with the national organizations or people from those areas. Both thrive in other locations.

There are problems in any chapter/location/org. There are some problems we can deal with, some that are bad business, and some (based on our ritual an objectives) that are more problematic. Some of those key issues tend to occur at a higher rate in certain geographic areas. I can't tell you why. I don't know if it's cultural, support/policy trends by universities in those areas, or any number or combination of other factors. What matters is its a bad use of our resources to go into those areas when better alternatives are available.

I went to school in Texas. I used SEC as an example because its a stereotype. There are many other locations outside the south with superb greek systems that are also a good fit for us. Those are the model we want all our chapters reaching. We're going to go to places with the best potential, as we interpret it (which is probably different than others would). Right now, most of the west coast has a very low density of places that fit that model for us, in my opinion.

If you're insulted by that, I'm sorry. If you don't agree, tell me how you have valid opinion of where ATO should expand or why. If you want to have a discussion of the criteria on which I'm forming that opinion, I can do that with some limits. Other than that, I don't see what anyone's problem is.

It's insulting to all of us that I should have to be so politically correct that I cannot express a basis for my opinions without people taking it personally. We're adults here. Hopefully with some professionalism. We can endure criticism without being offended. You don't have to agree, but if you think I shouldn't be able to have the conversation then you're in the wrong country.

Sorry for the long response.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by dnall

Look... for anyone that clicked on a recent post and failed to see it was in a forum labeled ATO, then mistakenly made the assumption I was talking about them or their organization, I apologize. I meant no disrespect.

When posting in a forum labeled ATO, my natural assumption would be that's an area for conversations either between ATOs or about ATO as an organization. I can't imagine what would lead to any other conclusion. If I'm wrong about that, I'll go post a question about ATO in the TKE section and see if a Delta Chi can answer it for me.

There's nothing wrong with non-ATOs reading or posting in the ATO section. I'm always open to outside insight on our operations. I'm also curious at times, as I'm sure others are, what the trends, attitudes, and operations of other organizations look like. That doesn't mean I read their conversation as if it applies to me, nor that I interject at the slightest possibility anything they say may not paint my org as perfect. They are entitled to their opinion.

And just to clarify my opinion...

I'm an ATO alumnus. I have a certain amount of experience and reputation within my organization. But, I'm just stating my opinion.

This thread asks if ATO should expand aggressively on the west coast. I would personally say no.

I believe, most greek systems in the far west are weak. There's nothing wrong with the national organizations or people from those areas. Both thrive in other locations.

There are problems in any chapter/location/org. There are some problems we can deal with, some that are bad business, and some (based on our ritual an objectives) that are more problematic. Some of those key issues tend to occur at a higher rate in certain geographic areas. I can't tell you why. I don't know if it's cultural, support/policy trends by universities in those areas, or any number or combination of other factors. What matters is its a bad use of our resources to go into those areas when better alternatives are available.

I went to school in Texas. I used SEC as an example because its a stereotype. There are many other locations outside the south with superb greek systems that are also a good fit for us. Those are the model we want all our chapters reaching. We're going to go to places with the best potential, as we interpret it (which is probably different than others would). Right now, most of the west coast has a very low density of places that fit that model for us, in my opinion.

If you're insulted by that, I'm sorry. If you don't agree, tell me how you have valid opinion of where ATO should expand or why. If you want to have a discussion of the criteria on which I'm forming that opinion, I can do that with some limits. Other than that, I don't see what anyone's problem is.

It's insulting to all of us that I should have to be so politically correct that I cannot express a basis for my opinions without people taking it personally. We're adults here. Hopefully with some professionalism. We can endure criticism without being offended. You don't have to agree, but if you think I shouldn't be able to have the conversation then you're in the wrong country.

Sorry for the long response.

QFP

No one has said "don't post." Because all threads can be viewed by EVERYONE, though, it's not unreasonable for non-ATOs to request that information that is available on the site accurate.

If you want to say "All of the west coast chapters that I've worked with aren't as strong as their southern counterparts," so be it. If you want to say "The ATO chapters on the west coast aren't thriving like our northern chapters," fine. You cannot say "All fraternities suck and don't follow ritual by virtue of them existing on the west coast" and expect people to pass that off as opinion.

And speaking of being professional -- You've had four regular posters who understand the dynamics of this board tell you the same thing, yet you refuse to acknowledge that what we're saying has merit. Way to stay classy. Just remember -- you're not the only one who's an alum with Greek life experience.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by dnall

Look... for anyone that clicked on a recent post and failed to see it was in a forum labeled ATO, then mistakenly made the assumption I was talking about them or their organization, I apologize. I meant no disrespect.

Translated: For anyone who was stupid enough to think that when I said,

Originally Posted by dnall

I don't know how many "pacific" chapters you've visited of any fraternity, but they are just not the same. Greek life in a lot of places in those regions is not strong . . . .

Originally Posted by dnall

Greek life in the west sucks.

I was actually talking about Greek life in the west and any fraternities instead of ATO only, I'm sorry you failed to understand.

You're digging your hole deeper with your non-apology, and making a much bigger deal of what could have been handled with a simple "oops."

When posting in a forum labeled ATO, my natural assumption would be that's an area for conversations either between ATOs or about ATO as an organization. I can't imagine what would lead to any other conclusion.

Your natural assumption would be incorrect, and the reality of the dynamics of this board would lead to a different conclusion. Many if not most regular GCers access the boards through the "New Posts" page. They scroll down and look at the threads, clicking on those that interest them, often paying little if any attention to which forum the thread is in. May sound crazy, but that's the reality here.

It's insulting to all of us that I should have to be so politically correct that I cannot express a basis for my opinions without people taking it personally. We're adults here. Hopefully with some professionalism. We can endure criticism without being offended. You don't have to agree, but if you think I shouldn't be able to have the conversation then you're in the wrong country.

This is you not getting it. At all. It's not a matter of people taking your opinions personally. Your opinion is your opinion, and that's fine by me. And it's certainly not a matter of expecting political correctness. And it's certainly not about freedom of speech. Nobody is asking you to sit there and listen to us badmouth the United States of America, Otter.

Originally Posted by dnall

I understand what you're saying - if I say west coast greek systems suck then I'm implying your chapters (and mine) in those states suck.

I get that if you read what I wrote out of context that you can interpret it that way. The key contextual difference is that it's posted in an ATO area.

And we, who have been around GC a lot longer than you have, are trying to tell you that that "key contextual difference" isn't nearly as key as you seem to think. I can understand why you would think it is, but in reality, it's just not.