Pledge worried about small fraternity

[AOII Angel]

You seriously need to learn that your experience is NOT the only experience. Despite your insistence that your way is the only way that works, many smaller chapters happily function across the country. There is more than one successful model in the Greek world. The mega-chapter with the huge house isn't the only one.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by 33girl

And here I thought it was about brotherhood. My mistake.

Once again, the values of your fraternity that you tout so much are completely at odds with what you're posting.

Yep.

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

You seriously need to learn that your experience is NOT the only experience. Despite your insistence that your way is the only way that works, many smaller chapters happily function across the country. There is more than one successful model in the Greek world. The mega-chapter with the huge house isn't the only one.

And an even bigger yep.

[dnall]

I'm not talking at all about my school or my undergrad experience.

While I certainly believe very deeply in what my fraternity is about, operationally it is still a business. As a business, it must provide adequate services to meet the expectations of members or they will either not stay members or pay or both.

For an NIC fraternity at any school that is 14-20 events a year, and those have a definable cost. It will be variable from place to place, depending on the rule structure between your school and nationals as locally enforced, and what things cost in that area based on what's available. I can show you locations where to do that many events according to the rules/costs they are required to deal with the min cost regardless if you have 20 or 70 members would be close to 100k/yr. And I can show you other places where you can accomplish the same thing for a tiny fraction of that cost.

I don't know what the economics of the greek system in Hawaii are. I'm not commenting on that. All I know is fewer members means less money, which drastically limits what you can do. That doesn't mean you can't survive or have a good greek experience, but that lack of resources will define that greek experience.

While a 100man chapter has huge financial resources, there are just as many cons to that end of the spectrum as well, they just tend to be less about money. Some happy medium supportable by the school is the most balanced situation. 20-anything is always going to be a struggle for resources. That chapter would be best served to get their numbers up closer to 40. There's a lot more synergy in that range to capitalize on.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by dnall

I'm not talking at all about my school or my undergrad experience.

While I certainly believe very deeply in what my fraternity is about, operationally it is still a business. As a business, it must provide adequate services to meet the expectations of members or they will either not stay members or pay or both.

For an NIC fraternity at any school that is 14-20 events a year, and those have a definable cost. It will be variable from place to place, depending on the rule structure between your school and nationals as locally enforced, and what things cost in that area based on what's available. I can show you locations where to do that many events according to the rules/costs they are required to deal with the min cost regardless if you have 20 or 70 members would be close to 100k/yr. And I can show you other places where you can accomplish the same thing for a tiny fraction of that cost.

I don't know what the economics of the greek system in Hawaii are. I'm not commenting on that. All I know is fewer members means less money, which drastically limits what you can do. That doesn't mean you can't survive or have a good greek experience, but that lack of resources will define that greek experience.

While a 100man chapter has huge financial resources, there are just as many cons to that end of the spectrum as well, they just tend to be less about money. Some happy medium supportable by the school is the most balanced situation. 20-anything is always going to be a struggle for resources. That chapter would be best served to get their numbers up closer to 40. There's a lot more synergy in that range to capitalize on.

@ the bolded:

WHY DO YOU SAY THINGS THAT ARE NOT TRUE.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by dnall

I'm not talking at all about my school or my undergrad experience.

While I certainly believe very deeply in what my fraternity is about, operationally it is still a business. As a business, it must provide adequate services to meet the expectations of members or they will either not stay members or pay or both.

So all of our "businesses" must be F500 in order to be successful? There's no market for mom-and-pop shops?

I'm not sure which ass cheek you pulled your formula from, but how do you know that the events provided by a 20-30 member chapter AREN'T meeting the expectations of members? They are, after all, the ones PLANNING said events.

For an NIC fraternity at any school that is 14-20 events a year, and those have a definable cost. It will be variable from place to place, depending on the rule structure between your school and nationals as locally enforced, and what things cost in that area based on what's available. I can show you locations where to do that many events according to the rules/costs they are required to deal with the min cost regardless if you have 20 or 70 members would be close to 100k/yr. And I can show you other places where you can accomplish the same thing for a tiny fraction of that cost.

The bold is where you keep fucking up. If you want to say "For ATO at large colleges..." fine. You obviously don't have enough knowledge of every NIC organization (one of which is my organization), so you cannot speak on the "norms" at EVERY school.

I don't know what the economics of the greek system in Hawaii are. I'm not commenting on that. All I know is fewer members means less money, which drastically limits what you can do. That doesn't mean you can't survive or have a good greek experience, but that lack of resources will define that greek experience.

Here's a formula.

100 members x $500 dues = $50,000

30 members x $2000 dues = $60,000

So -- fewer members does NOT always mean less money.

While a 100man chapter has huge financial resources, there are just as many cons to that end of the spectrum as well, they just tend to be less about money. Some happy medium supportable by the school is the most balanced situation. 20-anything is always going to be a struggle for resources. That chapter would be best served to get their numbers up closer to 40. There's a lot more synergy in that range to capitalize on.

So Regional State University is always going to struggle, regardless of the fact that the campus can't support hundred-man chapters? Ok.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

So Regional State University is always going to struggle, regardless of the fact that the campus can't support hundred-man chapters? Ok.

I'm also curious about the aforementioned "14-20 events" every chapter has to have every year.

[dekeguy]

There seem to be a couple of bits of info about your chapter that are lacking here. Some fraternities emphasize brotherhood more than others. Some emphasize size of chapter. Some are highly selective and traditionally have smaller chapters. Some are pretty much on their own and some have really heavy alumni support (financial contributions, house corporations, dues and fees 'scholarships' for good candidates who might not otherwise be able to afford the costs, etc).
As we all have heard so many times, find where you fit and go for it. Since this chapter is one you liked and were happy to receive a bid from take a look at how this one interacts and what it does. Brotherhood in a smaller house is easier to attain than in an anthill.
If you fit well in your chapter then have a good pledge period and when you are initiated put real effort into seeking out top quality prospectives. My view is that it doesn't take huge numbers but great brothers to make a chapter work.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by dekeguy

My view is that it doesn't take huge numbers but great brothers to make a chapter work.

Exactly.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I'm also curious about the aforementioned "14-20 events" every chapter has to have every year.

I'm guessing he means "14-20 events that the chapter is stupid enough to invite everyone with an ovary to and completely pay for just so they can maybe get laid."

Thankfully, most chapters have more sense than to waste their money in such a manner.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I remember the days of partial Greek Life offices.

You say that like they're over. Unfortunately they're not.