questioning whether the chapter should remain open

[ADPiAkron]

I think you just need to lay it on the line with exec! If they do not want to change, then it will be recommended to HQ that their chapter should close. I know threats are terrible, but it sounds like that is what these girls need!! If there numbers are low and they have problems now...they are only going to continue to get worse! Stand up to them and just tell them- YOU WILL NOT BE HERE MUCH LONGER IF THIS CONTINUES!

Good Luck!

[Tom Earp]

While all of the ideas have been good, maybe it is time that the line is drawn. The fear may be needed to be put in them to get them to come around.

Maybe it is time that these self centered little snots come to the realization that if it were not for the Alums who were Actives before them had not done the job, they wold not be there!

What is saddening is that your National has blinders on and will not really check into it more closely!

Do try to get some concerned Alums more involved and band together, give it the good old school girl try. Give a defenite time table and if not followed, then have enough power of numbers to get Hdq. involved more deeply!

If they will not do that, then, wash you hands and step back, they will shoot themselves in their own feet.

There will no longer be a Chapter there, and it will be on their heads! Just make sure that they know that!

[lionlove]

Maybe they're too scared to ask for help? Most likely they know they are in trouble with numbers but they fear that asking for help makes them look weak and they fear retribution from nationals (you mentioned that nationals does little more than yell at the chapter). By having exec present a unified front, they can give the appearance of being stronger than they really are, thus avoid having nationals berate them.

If the collegiates know that nationals or alums are considering closing the chapter, they will try to solve this on their own rather than seek outside help.

[Tom Earp]

lionlove,

not sure if that insecurity and asking for help is the right wording!

I know My Chapter is going through some very hard membership times and I have suggested many Times to get IHQ involved. No, No, we dont want IHQ involved Well we as Alums dont either, but when push comes to shove, the bullet needs to be bitten!

At our last House Corp. meeting the few Actives we have were all pissing, moaning and crying about not having a House. Well, we are in the process of trying to get a new house built! Then the pissing and moaning started again about not having enough members to afford it!

My Response, "Well lets just notify IHQ to Close the Chapter".

Here again, not knowing what Chapter, Soroity, and School does give us on GC a little drawback of the Situation.

We can only speak in general terms!

I remember My Daddy telling me, "Boy Shit or Get Off The Pot"!

Think the same might apply here! They are trying to blow smoke up someones asses, but all they are doing is hurting themselves.

[adpiucf]

Apathy is a dangerous thing. It can destroy a chapter.

Recommendations:
1) Involve your alumnae
* Hold a Reunion Evening where alumnae attend a special meeting held in lieu of chapter business. This can be attributed to an alumnae relations effort. Everyone can wear letters instead of pin attire. The alum will bring their scrapbooks, mementoes, etc., and talk about what campus was like in "their day." They can encourage Q&A from the chapter members. One of the alum present should bring an item from a chapter that has closed-- like a chapter award. Talk to the chapter about the importance of caring about image and leadership, about friendship for one another, etc., and how sad it is when a chapter closes, and the chapter's belongings are auctioned off at an estate sale, items that have been in the house for 50-100 years or more. At the end of the meeting, do a [insert stuffed animal mascot here] passing where each member shares her thoughts and feelings about the chapter and friendship. Only the member with the mascot in her arms can speak. Tears and laughter will flow freely. End with a meaningful sorority song that everyone knows. Include your new members in this meeting, too.

2) How does the chapter think the exec board is doing?
Often exec board can unintentionally be perceived as a clique. Once a year, in lieu of chapter business, hold an open forum meeting for chapter members called "How are we doing?" Allow members and exec board to express feeings, ideas and frustration. Plan solutions as a chapter and set goals for the next 6 months that are acheivable and measurable, with someone in charge of each goal. Encourage chapter members to set personal goals and to share those goals with the chapter. Each chapter member can select a mentor to help keep her motivated and wanting to meet her goal. Regroup in 6 months and reward those who met their goals. Recognize all the goals met and have a special sisterhood event. Set new goals, etc....

3) Communication
The chapter should be an integral part of planning chapter direction. In #2 I talked about goal setting. Involve the chapter in things like Recruitment Needs-Assessment of New Members, chapter goals in scholarship, putting together a PR plan, etc. Fom committees to support key officers in their roles. This will give all chapter members an opportunity to explore a new area of interest and give the exec an opp to delegate to the chapter. It will alleviate officer burnout and also give passionate members a chance to share their passion.

Good luck and feel free to PM me. I have been in your shoes before.

[LXAAlum]

Interesting situation - I don't think "declining numbers" are the problem - but they are definitely a symptom of something bigger getting in the way of your chapter achieving success.

Like others have posted, I would also draw "a line in the sand" - sounds like with the recent history of the chapter, the sisters are used to "keeping things the way they are" by running out those who are trying to help. Now is the time to give that help, whether or not they believe it is needed.

I would confront them with the facts - numbers are declining - hazing might be going on (and "the other chapters do it, so we have to" is the DUMBEST excuse I've ever heard for having to do it - this might just be the chance to show the excellence of this chapter - that new members WILL be treated with respect - in direct contrast to the others - if they still balk, tell them "then let's be honest and put 'we'll beat the snot out of you worse than any other chapter' on our rush posters and shirts" - and see what kind of new members you get). Alumni/undergrad relations are non-existent or hostile at best, which is always a recipe for disaster in the short term.

Either they agree to start addressing the problems and confronting them head on to change the chapter into what it CAN be, or they need to choose deactivation. Worst-case: do it for them with a membership review or whatever process exists for your GLO.

You need to stress the urgency of the situation - either they help change things now or they won't be part of the sisterhood in the future - either the chapter will have to make drastic changes or fold.

You could do what one CA for LXA did one time - he was so disgusted by what he found in a surprise visit to the chapter house that he personally took the charter off the wall - and would not return it until things changed, and he had a long list of changes, that mirrored everything the HQ of the fraternity had been telling them for a long time. They started to make some changes, but, unfortunately it was too little, too late, and some of their two-year old "traditions" were too dear to part with, and the chapter was eventually closed. That was my chapter.

[Tom Earp]

LXAAlum, that is a very poingnt (?) point, but says it all in a nut shell!

It must at times get very eye opening for some before they realize the situation! Then maybe, it will be to late!

I can understand a little more of what it ment to you at the UNC Chartering!

[WesternAlumn]

disillusioned CA, when I read your post, it could have been me writing it (other than I am not the CA but another advisor). Our chapter has been going downhill for years. There has been very little help from head office. Things have gotten better in the last couple of years but there is still little growth. The members seem to be content with being a small chapter and not having the vision to grow. What can be done?

[33girl]

Originally posted by WesternAlumn
disillusioned CA, when I read your post, it could have been me writing it (other than I am not the CA but another advisor). Our chapter has been going downhill for years. There has been very little help from head office. Things have gotten better in the last couple of years but there is still little growth. The members seem to be content with being a small chapter and not having the vision to grow. What can be done?

Is your head office OK with them being small?

Are they meeting financial obligations and filling the house (if they have one)?

Are they maintaining a consistent size from year to year and not overburdened with too many offices?

Are the women having an enjoyable sorority experience (i.e. they participate in things, they like being around each other, there isn't a lot of disaffiliation)?

If the answers to these questions are all yes, you really don't have a problem. Not everyone wants their chapter to be the hugest on campus. You may want to see them grow, but if that's not what they want, and your HQ doesn't push it, you can't force them into it.

[PhiPsiRuss]

If you shut down the chapter, how will you start it up again? Is it possible to negotiate an outpath with the administration and/or PanHel that will ensure your groups return?

[Little E]

Originally posted by PhiPsiRuss
If you shut down the chapter, how will you start it up again? Is it possible to negotiate an outpath with the administration and/or PanHel that will ensure your groups return?

If the chapter is not healthy and is struggling maybe it is better for the group to leave, regardless of when they may return. Yes it is sad to lose a chapter, but even worse when that group brings down and org because they are uncontrollable.

The original poster put this up a year ago, I'd be suprised if they are still around.

[AOIIBrandi]

oops didn't realize how old the original post is. Deleting my reply...

[33girl]

Originally posted by Little E
If the chapter is not healthy and is struggling maybe it is better for the group to leave, regardless of when they may return. Yes it is sad to lose a chapter, but even worse when that group brings down and org because they are uncontrollable.

The original poster put this up a year ago, I'd be suprised if they are still around.

I think Russ was referencing the more recent post where they only seem to have a numbers issue - not the OP where she was afraid there might be hazing problems. Those are two very different things.

[disillusionedCA]

I am still around occasionally, although I don't post. I have found this board to be a good resource.

My story...

After spending all of last spring emailing headquarters outlining problems I saw and begging for support, I was pretty much ignored. I really thought I was going to resign my position and be done with the organzation as a whole. At our convention this summer, in front of the collegiate officers in attendance and the officers from headquarters, I made it VERY clear that this chapter was in trouble and needed help. I think the collegiates were in shock, even though I said that I was going to do this. I laid everything on the line with everyone at our meeting and made it clear I wasn't going to tolerate being ignored anymore and that the chapter needed to change. The good news is that we got new area officers and they were much more invested in helping out my chapter. They were very committed to sending in reinforcements during the semester (and did in fact do that). I left convention feeling renewed in my position and felt that everyone (including the collegiates) were on the same page.

Due to circumstances beyond her control, the new member educator needed to resign and leave school. A person was appointed in the iterim and she was a nightmare. She had planned a program that was nothing but hazing! When I told her that this plan needed to be changed to reflect the organizations new member plan and involve no activities that were against the law. She yelled at me and told me that every other chapter on campus was doing these kinds of things and that our chapter needed to participate too! Much to my dismay, she ended up being elected once school reconviened. Luckily, our headquarters was extremely involved this fall and the other members of the exec board realized that if the NME did what she planned to do, that the chapter would be closed. She was kept in check, thankfully!

We are in the midst of an officer change. With the actions of the NME this fall, the rest of the exec board realized that there were lots of problems in the chapter. They took some steps to make some changes. I just hoped they passed this information on to the new board!

Let's hope for a better year!

[FSUZeta]

should be nominated for sainthood-or at least a high award within your organization!! it sounds like you are making headway, both with your national office and with your collegiate chapter.keep up the good work. it would seem to me that a non hazing chapter would be the one everyone would be trying to join, so keep reinforcing the non hazing message to your collegiate members and speading the word around campus. have you tried to set up a meeting of advisors from the other chapters on campus?maybe if all the advisors banded together to eradicate the hazing, it would gradually go away.

it also sounds like the chapter is not making the wisest decisions when choosing its officers. would it be possible for you and/or other advisors to review the proposed slate of officers before it is presented to the chapter, or could you conduct interviews beforehand with members interested in holding office? it sounds like they make poor choices, and might need to have that privilege(autonomous decision making) suspended for a time,maybe if they learn that hazing will not be tolerated and have their exact duties lined out for them, they will tow the line. good luck!lisa