Post-Charter Slump

Kevin · #1 04-02-2003, 01:26 AM

For you founding members out there (or those that are intimate with your chapter's early history):

Was there a let-down after your chapter chartered? We've constantly been warned by our HQ and alums (although we haven't noticed this ourselves) that since we chartered last year we should be experienceing a "post-chartering slump."

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon? Sure there will always be a few old members that decide that after the charter has been attained that they have "made their contribution".. But on the whole did you notice that much of a difference?

KEPike · #2 04-02-2003, 01:50 AM

I would be much more leary about having a problem 5 or so years in. This is due in part to the founding members all graduating and those "traditions" which were established either have a hard time sticking or are plagues on the organization.

I pledged during the "5 year lul" of my chapter. Our numbers when I pledged were in the 70s, by my senior year we were down to 30. Our programming completely went away and we basically had to start over with alot of stuff. Luckily, we had a group of very dedicated guys who brought the chapter back to prominence.

I would be much more worried about this happening, especially when the founding members of your chapter graduate.

Pi Kapp 142 · #3 04-02-2003, 03:31 AM

Ya, we had the same "lull" after chartering. Almost lost it a few years after chartering. My buddies chapter is now getting over that as well.

lauralaylin · #4 04-02-2003, 11:26 AM

Coming from a charter member, we had a slump after we were installed. We started doing better and better at recruitment ever semester, but I think our programming and sisterhood didn't do as well. But we also had only one advisor who was never around, so we were doing everything on our own. And with the change in the types of women we were taking in recruitment, issues arose. Finally now the chapter is doing a lot better, but it's been about 4 years. We were never horrible, but looking back, I certainly see it.

KEPike · #5 04-02-2003, 03:08 PM

Yeah, I'd definitely agree that things in my chapter were never horrible, but there certainly were some striking differences from the chapter at chartering and also the makeup of my chapter the way it is today.

I think that the slump is also somewhat dependent on the goals and objectives of your chapter. We were founded basically with the highest intentions (win everything on campus, compete for international awards, etc.) and to have alot of fun. Other chapters may have been chartered simply as a social organization with few other expectations from their members.

Our "slump" really was made out to be bad because we weren't #1 on our campus right off the bat, so we had alot of internal struggles. I would suspect that slumps that other organizations may have is due to members mainly becoming apathetic and not pulling their weight. These can be two very different things.

Which one do you think your chapter may have, ktsnake? From what you've discussed, it sounds like the first one, not immediately living up to the high expectations as opposed to having problem members.

ansturge · #6 04-02-2003, 03:19 PM

We had a slump, we strove to get our numbers up and we ran into the quantity vs quality issue.

It happens to everyone eventually

all of the founding sisters have now graduated and most of the beta and gamma classes have as well, so now our sorority is in the critical sink or swim stage -- so far i think they are doing rather well for themselves.

Kevin · #7 04-02-2003, 03:19 PM

I think it's over for us.. Essentially what it took was for a lot of the founding guys to graduate. It's like basically any chapter and their seniors who are ex-officers. They always want to do things the way they "used to be done". That stuff and those attitudes held us back for awhile. I think we're coming back strong with that attitude gone though.

It's also because many people join with the goal of getting that charter. Once they get it they feel like they've gotten what they wanted out of the fraternity experience.

madmax · #8 04-04-2003, 02:47 PM

Maybe its the national orgainzation that has the slump. When a chapter is new the national sends advisors to train the members. The national also sends professional recruiters to help the chapter during rush. After a few years the party is over and the ony time the chapter hears from the national is when the national wants money. The active members might be working just as hard as they did initially but numbers start to drop. Who is to blame?

Kevin · #9 04-04-2003, 02:51 PM

Professional recruiters? That would have been nice! Our organization has been pretty supportive before and after we earned our charter. Probably actually more supportive after. As a colony -- I think we were under a new director and this has changed since... They did send the director of expansion to my school, he recruited some guys trained them and left us with books on how to run a colony. As far as a petetition we recieved one from a colony that had just rechartered to model ours off of.

It took us 3 years to figure out what the hell was going on and we finally got the charter. HQ and the local alums have been riding us about not having a post-charter slump (which you might argue that we had but you'd have a tough time quantifying it). The reason for me starting the thread was that I was curious as to if others had experienced this phenomenon?

JerzeeBoy26 · #10 04-05-2003, 12:50 AM

we are entering our slump right now (in my opinion) but its through no fault of the national org or the alums who both remain very dedicated. All fraternities go through cycles every 4-5 years and so you have your "off" period. the key is to recognize the problems and try to fix them. our problem is that guys have lost focus on what we are about as a house and have also become lazy because our numbers went from 30 to 70 in just over 2 years. I think this cycle is more brutal for recently founded chapters because it takes a long time to gain the consistency that older, established chapters have

Rudey · #11 04-06-2003, 06:10 PM

Kevin, I'd be careful about those old traditions. Sometimes the traditions and the old ways of doing things are important. To me as a founder, I found nothing more irritating than a bunch of new guys who came in after me and thought they knew everything. That is where the lull comes from I think. These challenges that the new guys provide before the fraternity is solidified.

Max is also right. I want to see a damn consultant at our campus again but there isn't a trip planned anytime soon. I don't know if it's because the office hasn't sent one or because our president chose to not get one. Either way it was helpful.

Another thing is that the founders were the most motivated. The rest of our founders, including me, are graduating this year and are more focused on the rest of our lives so this contributes to the lull also.

We pulled in the second largest pledge classes last year and this year. It's a little frustrating seeing your spring rush not be as great.

-Rudey
--It's a little more than frustrating actually

Tom Earp · #12 04-06-2003, 06:35 PM

Yes, if you fall off of the wagon of post Initiation High, it does get to be a let down!

It took us @ 8 years. Why? Well the International figured we were on the straight and narrow and could fly on our own!

Each Chapter goes on its own for a while! We did and then ran into problems several times! Alums lost interest because those that worked their asses off were beging to have familys and job responsebilitys.

Yep, it runs like a wheel, it keeps turning, You are on Top and you go Down!!!!

Hell, 5 years ago we were supposed to have a Charter taken! Hopefully now we are getting back up to speed!

It dont take very long for it to happen!

I visited a Chapter that was on top of the pile, 6 mo. later there are real problems! It does not take long, like a semester!

The only thing you can do as a member is keep plugging along and work you butts off!

Just hang in and work to get it done!!

Kevin · #13 04-06-2003, 08:37 PM

Great to hear this stuff! It's always a danger in my mind. I take great pride/ownership in what the chapter is and what it will become. Will be a new challenge to see what my role will be as an alumnus. We'll probably be starting an alumni chapter in fairly short order.. I'll keep ya'll posted on that.

LXAAlum · #14 04-24-2003, 02:26 PM

There are always "cycles" of organizations. One thing that I have seen that is KEY to minimizing the dips: Good, Strong, Positive, Alumni Involvement.

Lack of alumni involvement usually leads to dips. Not intentional dips, but, let's face it, active members only have a maximum of four (OK, maybe five or six for the professional students) years of "experience", history, traditions, etc....

Keeping alumni involved, long-term, can help maintain the consistency that is necessary for chapters/colonies to remain strong, AND focused on the true objectives for each GLO.

Anyhow, that's my two cents...

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