Local in Trouble

[maggieaxid]

I think your main problem is getting your name out to the student community. PNM's may be interested in your group if they knew you existed, especially at such a big school.
If your greek advisor would let you, see if you can hold some other interest parties before recruitment begins. And its not as important to a have a house "per se", but if one of your sisters lives in an apartment, make that your designated spot to have things.
One thing I found is that pnm's don't like board games or anything that can be construed as competitive. They feel as if they are in an awkward position-"if i win, i will feel bad and maybe the sister won't like me for it"- I find it better to go to the movies together, go to someplace like Dairy Queen to get ice cream and chill out, or have girls over to watch TV shows- like "friends night" or "Real World" night or something like that and have pizza and soda and stuff. As long as this stuff isn't seen as hazing at your school. Just let the pnm's buy all their own share of stuff.
PM me if you have any other questions.

I left a message for our Greek advisor explaining our situation and asking about becoming national (which is what we wanted to do in the first place). She hasn't responded to the message I left over a week ago so I'm calling her tomorrow morning.

As for our morale? I'm trying to get it up by talking to alum/former members and bouncing ideas off of them. One of our recent alum gave me a great idea. She said sisters of FGP used to eat lunch together in one of our main cafeterias located in our student center. Now I'm trying to organize a time when our current sisters can do that for lunch or dinner (both are times when many people are in that cafeteria).

You know, sometimes I sit here and think "Why bother?" and then I remember why I joined Phi Gam- because I loved the sisters so much and everything they represent. I'm truly making an effort put some work into this organization and if we sink, they we sink trying!

Greek to Greek,
That1LoudChick

[AngelPhiSig]

Just like you said, remember why you joined your chapter in the first place. Pass that idea on to others.

I helped my TBS chapter with recruitment this year, we are at 9 members when our brother org is at 23 or so. We only "compete" aganst eachother for numbers, so its sad to see that TBS is small.

We look at the fact that we are very close and we are very strong that way. Show people that your chapter isnt about letters on a sweatshrit and show them that you have TRUE sisterhood!

Have sisters bring their friends down, if there are only 4 of you then you all must have friends who arent in the chapter - why arent they?! Show people that with 4 sisters you can make traditions, not follow them, and the same goes for being a local - you are unique.

Look for non-traditional people. International students might be too afraid to look into greek life and they might be the best sisters you can get! Look into grad students who might have missed out before - ask any Phi Sig chapter that has grad students - they rock! Open yourself to people who wouldnt normally join an org. Go to meetings of other clubs and orgs, get involved. In Phi Sig we are nationally told we have to be in two other campus activities. I am in the band, and let me tell you we have got more members who were in band than any other org - we once made up almost the entire colorguard!

If you need any other ideas, please PM me or IM me @ StarletAngel521 -we can share ideas, seeing that I am the pres of my TBS chapter and also recruiting for my small 3 member Beta Sigma Phi chapter!

[shadokat]

Loudchick--

Where are the alums from your chapter?? Get them to come and help you!! You were successful once, and with hard work, you can try to be again. Having only 4 women is a death sentence during formal recruitment, and unlike others, I respect your decision to not participate. It's just like a group starting a colony would do. BUT, the colonies then have a big push with alumnae and international volunteers to recruit women. You don't have the luxury of a HQs, but you do have alums, and if they care about your chapter and are in your area, they should be willing to come and help!! Showing commitment to your organization is a huge deal, and if the four of you do that, along with your alumnae, maybe that will help. As for getting an NPC group to come there, Kent's panhel would have to vote on that I'd think.

[33girl]

There are a lot of wonderful, quality women who don't join a sorority not because they don't want to belong to one, but because they can't stand the structure and (often) the fakiness of formal rush. Also, women may want to join a sorority but can't afford the dues - I am assuming yours are lowest on campus since you are local and unhoused. Those groups are the women you need to target. They will see what would be construed by some as negatives (no national affiliation, no house) as positives.

I agree w/ shadokat, tell the alums you need help!! No you don't have a national HQ that will close you because you are small - but with 4 members, you need to get more or you will die out.

If you have stayed around for 15 years, obviously a local group is something that Kent State wants and needs. Don't give up.

p.s. I've also heard of doing things like taking a block class - i.e. a whole group of women together. Ask the Greek advisor if anyone has approached her about adding a new group to campus - perhaps the two of you can get together.

[DGMarie]

Originally posted by That1LoudChick
I left a message for our Greek advisor explaining our situation and asking about becoming national (which is what we wanted to do in the first place).

National? I don't understand that part. You need to build up your numbers locally first. Someone correct me but I think you would need more substantial numbers of members.

You might try the Rush board and contact Corina of the Rush at USC thread (the monster thread). She started small and is growing her local a lot it seems.

[shadokat]

33girl, GREAT POINT on the block group. We did this at a chapter, and they went from 16 to 46 in one year. There are options out there. And don't believe that girls don't want to be in a sorority. They do, it's just about how you approach and sell it. How many times do we hear that this chapter or that chapter is the "non-sorority" sorority?? Once you get your alumnae involved, I'd sit down with them and your current group and do a marketing/PR plan and work on attaining REAL goals...if your goal is to get 5 new women in a year, set out to do that, and once you've accomplished that, establish a new goal. It can be done...

So I've talked to the Greek advisor (she called me back the day I was going to call her) and she told me everything Phi Gam needs in order to succeed as a sorority.

Here's What I remember:
1. 5 officers to put down on that piece of paper that says we are a recognized organization at Kent State University.
2. Pay IGPB dues from last fall (apparently we never did that).
3. Start going to Panhellenic Council meetings.

That's all I can remember we need. Unfortunately, nobody is helping me! I've gotten e-mails from 2 alum saying they'll help with rush as much as they can, but that's about it. I talked to a friend of mine in AXD and she seems insistent that we go national. She told me that some of our alum that she knows didn't feel they got the full sorority experience because we don't do anything. I hate to admit it, but I agree.

I feel like I'm the only one working this hard to get us back on our feet. I know I can't do it alone. ::sigh:: Maybe we should go national. I mean, maybe I'm trying to save something that's only relying on life support to live. I dunno.

Greek to Greek,
That1LoudChick

[texas*princess]

That1LoudChick, I wish your sorority the best of luck!

I'm sorry to hear that you feel you're the only one trying to do something to save your sorority.

I don't want this to discourage you, but if you all intend to affiliate with a national sorority, it takes *a lot* of hard work from *everyone* involved.

Maybe you girls can have some kind of retreat or something... A way to get the members psyched up again and to remind them why they joined your sorority so the overall morale will be better and you all will be able to start the fall semester on a 'good foot'.

Originally posted by texas*princess
Maybe you girls can have some kind of retreat or something... A way to get the members psyched up again and to remind them why they joined your sorority so the overall morale will be better and you all will be able to start the fall semester on a 'good foot'.

In retrospect, that would be a wonderful idea. I'm quite pessimistic right now so excuse me for saying this, but I nobody seems to have the time to care! I'm getting so frustrated trying to e-mail, call, and IM our active sisters and having them not respond to me at all! I think the last active sister I talked to was my Big and it wasn't for long. I heard what has happened with past sisters was that they got burned out. I am barely active and I know how they feel! When you have 3 or 4 other women stubbornly refusing to do anything or listen to you, you start to give up hope. Anyway, thank you for your encouragement.

Greek to Greek,
That1LoudChick

P.S. I know of another thread on here that was of a girl who was trying to get her local have a national take over them so I'm gonna try to find that and see what she did.

[astroAPhi]

I hate to admit it, but some of us in national groups tend to think that it's the only way to go. If you are not ready yet to go national, do not even worry about it. I think you are right to want to get your strength up. Everything your advisor told you is right... those are all things you need to do to succeed. I (personally... this may not apply to all) think that all groups should really be involved in whatever form a Greek Council exists on your campus in order to be successful. Definitely go to those meetings... you will get more respect from the Greek community as a whole that you are trying to be involved with them, and hopefully that will increase your Recruitment numbers (whether you do it on your own or through PHC or whatever group) when other girls see that you get along with and are part of the Greek community.

I won't kid you, it sounds like you have a hard task, and I really feel for you. It's not easy to motivate a group, especially when you think they've all given up. I think you might have to be flat out honest with them... if they're not willing to help, your sorority will die. One person can't run a sorority.

Good luck. I hope everything works out come this fall.

[texas*princess]

Originally posted by astroAPhi
I won't kid you, it sounds like you have a hard task, and I really feel for you. It's not easy to motivate a group, especially when you think they've all given up. I think you might have to be flat out honest with them... if they're not willing to help, your sorority will die. One person can't run a sorority.

Good luck. I hope everything works out come this fall.

I completely agree.. one person can't run a sorority, and it is probably very hard for 4 active members to run a sorority if they have to take on multiple offices. Unfortunately this is probably what is contributing to burning everyone out

[shadokat]

Loud--

I don't understand how going national is going to help your situation. I don't need to tell you this, but you all have to pull together and make Phi Gam successful and THEN ask campus to expand. Otherwise, campus will not see the need to add another national to your campus. Also, once Phi Gam expands, you may not WANT to go national, which is something to think about. I would seriously work on getting more women involved and getting new members. Get your 5 officers, pay your IGPB dues and get going to Panhel.

You're right that you can't do it alone, but you'd be surprised to see how many women you can get involved if you're all positive about the experience. Best of luck, and PM me for anything.

[sleazydz]

Hmm, my advise would be just to let it go, there's not really much you can do, being a local sorority and all....maybe you could try recolonizing in a few years

[MoxieGrrl]

sleazydz - I have to respectfully disagree. Local or not, it is obvious that that1loudchick loves her house. A house closing is not less important "just because it's a local"!!

That1loudchick: I'm not an alum, but let me know if I can help in any way!!!!