Greek Decline

[AKA_Monet]

Originally posted by dardenr
1) Make an impression on parents. Volunteer during move-in and parents weekend and wear your letters. By making a connection with parents and family members, one will leave a positive impression on the people who are most likely paying the tuition. Supportive families will have less doubts about the child seeking membership should they divulge their interest.

When I was a G.A., I contacted parents that I suspected knew little about the greek system. And it was an eye opener for me regarding parental ignorance... But it may have been a California thang rather than the parental ignorance thang...

Big universities do not have "official" move in dates. However, there are other avenues we can use to get noticed on day 1...

2) Set the standard of maturity on your campus. Be ladies and gentlemen. Don't fight. Don't smoke weed. Drink responsibly.

I am not gonna touch that one as a former GA...

3) Get involved in the Black Student Alliance and NAACP and MEAN IT! Don't join because you want to increase the visibility of your org and outshine another...do it because you care. Just as we tell aspirants that you will find Greeks if you do community service, we will find aspirants in the same place.

I agree 1908%. Even as a graduate student, I participated in the African American Student groups left and right. When the young folks got to see me and summa the old heads too, many of their perspectives totally changed regarding BGLO's. They got to know me and they got to see a totally different side. The side many young folks ain't too interested in seeing... But that's okay... It gives good press anyways...

4) Cooperate with your administration. Work with your local grad chapter or advisor and get your administrators invited to grad chapter events. If an administrator sees that you are reaching out to them, and they understand the lifetime committment, maybe they will sympathize when the chapter enters lean times.

In light of circumstances for several D9 organizations, there may be a manditory requirement for the participation... In fact, when many of the elder BGLO's showed up respectfully dressed with a nice lapel pins on, a lot of the professors that showed up knew elders from other activities... Then the college officials started putting 2 and 2 together...

5) Smile every once in a while. Life isn't that bad.

6) Be a sister or a brother to ALL sisters and brothers. Not everyone wants to join your organization, sometimes they're just trying to read what's on your jacket.

We grad ads from various orgs compare notes often... When a young person asks us about another org, hey I got over it and got them in touch with that respective rep...

7) Write a press release EVERY SINGLE TIME you have an event and submit it to the campus newspaper.

8) Make sure that you appear in the yearbook!

9) Keep your website updated at least once a month.

And be nice to your GA and give them the materials to keep the info updated... Cuz that stuh has to be submitted to the headquarters for our international's to keep the tax-exemption status with the government...

10) Minority Student Weekends. Nearly every non-HBCU has one of these. Make sure your brothers and sisters AT LEAST volunteer their dorm rooms for prospective students at these events. If that's not possible, throw a party, have a yard show, or do some kind of event during those weekends to entertain the prospectives. That not only leaves a positive impression of your org, but the school. More people of color at the school, the bigger the pool of candidates.

YOU ARE AN OUTGOING MEMBER!!! YOU ARE ON THE BALL!!! KEEP IT UP!!!

Just wanted to offer some solutions since this could easily become a blame game.

I concur 1908%