Advice on founding a sorority/cure me of founderitis

[*winter*]

Can you start a service sorority? I was in Gamma Sigma Sigma. You'd have sisterhood and service, and many schools don't frown upon them, because they see it as more of a student activity/club than a Greek organization. I'd be happy to call you a sister! I'm so sorry you're going through this.

[33girl]

Would GSS be okay with a chapter designating one philanthropy or would that be frowned upon? Just asking because philanthropy events and service hours can sometimes be two very different animals.

[suebarton]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Would GSS be okay with a chapter designating one philanthropy or would that be frowned upon? Just asking because philanthropy events and service hours can sometimes be two very different animals.

When I was an undergrad in GSS, we always had a major focus that changed every two years. That didn't limit our service to other organizations and also service to the campus.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by *winter*

Can you start a service sorority? I was in Gamma Sigma Sigma. You'd have sisterhood and service, and many schools don't frown upon them, because they see it as more of a student activity/club than a Greek organization. I'd be happy to call you a sister! I'm so sorry you're going through this.

Given that there actually is an NPC system there, the chance of the administration rejecting Gamma Sigma Sigma is microscopically small. To flip it, the assumption from APO staffers is that any school with a recognized IFC that isn't in complete chaos will allow Alpha Phi Omega.

However one question is would the OP be ok with Mister Sisters (GSS having no Title IX exemption)

[clemsongirl]

Originally Posted by naraht

Given that there actually is an NPC system there, the chance of the administration rejecting Gamma Sigma Sigma is microscopically small. To flip it, the assumption from APO staffers is that any school with a recognized IFC that isn't in complete chaos will allow Alpha Phi Omega.

However one question is would the OP be ok with Mister Sisters (GSS having no Title IX exemption)

APO is not housed under Fraternity and Sorority Life at Ole Miss (nor was it at Clemson). It's just another registered student organization that happens to have Greek letters. I presume Gamma Sigma Sigma or any other co-ed service group would be treated the same way there.

I'll also add that at Clemson Gamma Sigma Sigma was comprised entirely of female-identifying students even though they have no single-gender Title IX exemption. I don't know if they accomplished this exclusively through marketing themselves as an organization for women or through some other means, but some groups look different in practice than on paper.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by clemsongirl

APO is not housed under Fraternity and Sorority Life at Ole Miss (nor was it at Clemson). It's just another registered student organization that happens to have Greek letters. I presume Gamma Sigma Sigma or any other co-ed service group would be treated the same way there.

I'll also add that at Clemson Gamma Sigma Sigma was comprised entirely of female-identifying students even though they have no single-gender Title IX exemption. I don't know if they accomplished this exclusively through marketing themselves as an organization for women or through some other means, but some groups look different in practice than on paper.

Really depends on the school. A few have tried pulling all of the groups that actually pledge (regardless of what they call it) under the same umbrella as the NIC/NPC/NPHC GLOs. However, I'd expect that GSS like APO however is outside of "Official Greek Life" at the majority of its schools.

I don't have a good feeling for what degree Gamma Sigma Sigma's nationally created recruitment literature emphasizes that men can be in a chapter. The national website is pretty open about it (as opposed to Omega Phi Alpha which someone would assume based on everything national publishes online that they had a Title IX exemption)

[GreekOne]

Originally Posted by clemsongirl

APO is not housed under Fraternity and Sorority Life at Ole Miss (nor was it at Clemson). It's just another registered student organization that happens to have Greek letters. I presume Gamma Sigma Sigma or any other co-ed service group would be treated the same way there.

I'll also add that at Clemson Gamma Sigma Sigma was comprised entirely of female-identifying students even though they have no single-gender Title IX exemption. I don't know if they accomplished this exclusively through marketing themselves as an organization for women or through some other means, but some groups look different in practice than on paper.

Epsilon Sigma Alpha is another such organization. Nationally, they are supposed to be a co-ed service organization. But at Penn State, for example, they operate as an underground social sorority and only recruit women. The group was chartered by former Chi Omega members when they lost their recognition with their nationals.

These types of service organizations are not really part of the Greek system but would allow the OP to continue their service mission and maintain an organizational structure for her current sisters.