Sororities Not Using their House for Events

[chi-o_cat]

It’s been 20 years since I was In college, and I recently volunteered as a chapter advisor. I know that a lot of things have changed over the years, especially in the areas of recruitment, risk management, new member process, etc. The chapter where I’m an advisor is not at the school I attended. Formal recruitment was this fall, and out of the 4 rounds, only one round (house tours) took place at the sorority house. The rest of the rounds, for all 5 sororities, took place in the student union and other campus buildings. This chapter (I don’t know about the others on campus) also has chapter meetings, new member meetings, exec board, etc in academic buildings. They don’t have initiation at the house, either. They have used churches and other “borrowed space” for this in the past.

Is this a nationwide trend, to not use the sorority house for chapter functions, or is this something particular to this university? Back in the “olden days” we had everything at the house- meetings, initiation, recruitment, etc. Pretty much the only thing I remember not taking place in the house were formals and semi-formals. There was one sorority that didn’t have a house, and they used a fraternity house for their recruitment location. At the university where I am an advisor, sorority houses are a relatively new concept. They are school-owned houses which opened in 2007 (previously sororities had assigned floors in the dorms), but still, it’s been 5 years, so that means at this point even the oldest member joined when there was a house. I’m wondering if maybe some of these are just carried-over habits from the days where there was no house, in other words, doing things they way they’ve always been done, just because nobody has thought to do it any differently. Or are schools (or national offices) in general, encouraging sororities to conduct more of the “business” of the organization away from the house?

[Benzgirl]

My initiating chapter does everything except "meet the Greeks" in the house (meetings, initiation and recruitment).

The chapter I advise doesn't have a house but does have a wing in a dorm with a chapter room. The Living Room of the wing (not private) is used for recruitment, along with the Chapter Room. Signs are up to keep all non-chapter members out of the living room during recruitment. Only once have I witnessed a non-member walk through and you could tell she was doing it on purpose. Meetings and all voting are in the Chapter Room, but it is tight. Initiation is always held in another building (tyipcally a union) because of space needs.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by chi-o_cat

Or are schools (or national offices) in general, encouraging sororities to conduct more of the “business” of the organization away from the house?

I've not heard anything of this type. What I have heard is that many chapters have grown to the point where they can no longer fit everyone in the chapter house for recruitment, business meetings, etc.

[33girl]

That just sounds like they don't have room to comfortably fit everyone (as DBB said). In my opinion, sororities who are just beginning with housing are wise to have a house that is a little smaller than what they need, rather than having a ginormous house just for the sake of having meetings etc there and then being under constant, intense pressure to be at total+ to fill it.

Of course if you are at the sort of school where all the sororities are at total+ all the time, go for it and build San Simeon II.

[victoriana]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I've not heard anything of this type. What I have heard is that many chapters have grown to the point where they can no longer fit everyone in the chapter house for recruitment, business meetings, etc.

We could never have a business meeting in our chapter room. We are hard pressed to fit everyone in, and every inch of floor and couch space is taken. It's not very comfortable to sit with the whole chapter in the room for longer than 20 minutes. Our house is definitely too small to have a ton of events there.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

What I have heard is that many chapters have grown to the point where they can no longer fit everyone in the chapter house for recruitment, business meetings, etc.

Back when I was a NM, my chapter had like 50 girls and had a small house that maybe slept 8-10 people. It was formerly a single family home so there was no way for us to EVER have meeting there. We had to meet on campus.

The way chapters are growing now, even the chapters at my alma mater who have always had larger houses with more than enough room are pressed for space in their chapter rooms. Ex: whole chapters used to be like 70/80 women and this year the NM classes alone were in the 50s. Your chapter room that used to fit 80 comfortably is getting a little cramped.

[ForeverRoses]

We had a chapter house but had most of our meetings in other spaces. A large lecture hall just seems to be set up perfectly for a chapter meeting. Desks/tables are already there, you can close the door for privacy, etc. and you don't have to be completely crammed in.

Our initiation was always held at the chapel on campus. Most of the sororites and fraternities held initiation there-- even if they had the space for it in their house.

We did have recruitment in the house, but then membership selection moved back to one of the lecture halls.

[KillarneyRose]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

Our initiation was always held at the chapel on campus. Most of the sororites and fraternities held initiation there-- even if they had the space for it in their house.

I'm just not sure I'd feel comfortable doing the goat sacrifice in a chapel.