Mergers? Dissolution?

[*winter*]

Theta Phi Alpha article: https://thetaphialpha.org/foundation...o-we-get-there

Seems they have a strategic plan that results in growth at a rate they can handle as a smaller organization. Interesting case study.

[kuriousiti]

Originally Posted by *winter*

Theta Phi Alpha article: https://thetaphialpha.org/foundation...o-we-get-there

Seems they have a strategic plan that results in growth at a rate they can handle as a smaller organization. Interesting case study.

Thanks for showing me that! I took a quick look at part 2, just to get a better idea of their bigger picture goals, and I found their plan and blog posts really fascinating. I'm going to do some digging to see if my organization has written anything similar!

For anyone who's curious, here's the link to part 2!:
https://thetaphialpha.org/foundation...o-we-get-there

[PKT4LIFE]

Originally Posted by kuriousiti

Thanks for showing me that! I took a quick look at part 2, just to get a better idea of their bigger picture goals, and I found their plan and blog posts really fascinating. I'm going to do some digging to see if my organization has written anything similar!

For anyone who's curious, here's the link to part 2!:
https://thetaphialpha.org/foundation...o-we-get-there

During the early-mid 1980's, I remember the Theta Phi Alpha Chapter at Cleveland State being on "Pins and Needles" because they were going to be "kicked out" of the NPC due to having less than the minimal active chapter # and whether or not their organization was going to be disbanding.

[*winter*]

Originally Posted by PKT4LIFE

During the early-mid 1980's, I remember the Theta Phi Alpha Chapter at Cleveland State being on "Pins and Needles" because they were going to be "kicked out" of the NPC due to having less than the minimal active chapter # and whether or not their organization was going to be disbanding.

I googled their organization because I remember hearing about that situation, and I also know TPA has grown greatly since then. Turns out…they had a plan! Which is exactly the point: smaller organizations have been aware that this might become a problem and many are arranging things to head that off at the pass.

I’m not any expert but I don’t see any of the smaller NPCs folding (barring some exceptional unforeseen circumstances). They’re expanding in a way that makes sense for their organizations: taking on smaller chapters on smaller campuses, thus increasing their membership and alumnae presence without overburdening or overextending themselves. Where I’m from, the smaller organizations are thriving and have been for many years. They have name recognition, longevity and deep family ties here.

[carnation]

Someone mentioned how hard it would be to lose your ritual if a bigger group took you in. I can also see how a bigger group would not want to change their ritual to take in a smaller group's ritual.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by kuriousiti

This is a really interesting thought, that I failed to consider. If a current NPC member left the council, another council accept the addition of a new organization? If, for example, Chi O (I promise I’m just picking a random group, I love my Chi O friends) chose to leave NPC, citing low chapter numbers (iirc they are actually one of the larger groups!), which other council could they pick? Obviously they couldn’t join NPHC or MGC, since they don’t have cultural roots. I assume (and please, correct me if I’m wrong) that IFC wouldn’t be an option. The only feasible option I could see might be the Professional Greek council, however, I assume this would require that they pick a specialization.
Of course, this doesn’t factor in the possibility of an organization functioning without a governing council; which I don’t think is common (if it is actually a thing at all).

I would think they wouldn’t want to be hamstrung by a governing council at all. That was part of my point.

Originally Posted by Cheerio

Wouldn't such a group still want to be recognized as legitimate by the panhellenic/schools on which it has chapters, therefore still follow all campus quota/total rules?

I’m thinking that would be a chapter by chapter thing. If the group is always at total and always making quota (in effect, if the chapter is doing better than the national organization) then they could stay on that path. But if part of their reason of wanting to leave NPC in the first place is that the majority of their chapters do poorly in formal rush - in effect their “legitimacy” is what’s killing them - that’s also part of my point. They could take as many pledges as they want, as often as they want, without formal rush.

I don’t think schools are as worried about groups being in NPC as they are about them having a national body overseeing them. If that national body makes it clear that the reason they are leaving NPC is solely a numbers issue I truly don’t think the school is going to care.