How can you get numbers up?

[Measi]

One question, though--

Is the sorority with lowest membership *happy* being a smaller group? I know one of the things on our campus that drove PNM's to the professional and academic GLO's, rather than the limited number of PHC's was the overwhelming size.

Granted, I belong to a GLO that was not allowed to join the Greek council on our campus, but perhaps this chapter has a desire to stay smaller?

~ Mel.

[ADPiShannan]

I lived with their president one year at an apt across the street from our sororities and no I would say they are not happy with it. They want to be strong and gain members just like anyone else. I do not think they like the idea of the GPA requirement, I know they dont, but they cant change it as their EO has said no. Its hard cause they want so badly to get the girls and they are frustrated cause they recruit so hard but they just cant get the numbers everyone else is able to obtain. I would say none of the sororities on our campus are about number, were all about members, but its hard for the ones who have a high house total already when we would like to take other girls who we feel fit in perfectly but we cant cause of house total and maybe some of the girls cant get into the lower number sorority cause they dont have a 3.0 or 3.2. Its just frustrating all around and I dont see how it is going to get any better. We are behind that sorority 100% but unless they get that changed, Im afraid we will all sink. Its just so hard.... Ive seen how upset they are and how much they work but it just is a shame.

[hannahgirl]

Alright....I think I should jump in here too since I am also from this campus and know what is going on also.

In response to whether the small sorority enjoys being a smaller group, I have heard it in different ways. Many of them enjoy the small sisterhood that they have when many of them desprately want to expand. This has caused some major conflict internally and might also be a reason why their numbers continue to decrease.

As for expanding and/or decreasing house total, I am not forseeing that happening soon. Especially expansion. Last night, I spoke with our Assistant Director of Greek Life and specifically asked him about expansion since I had been Panhellenic President and on the Expansion Committee in 2002. He spoke of our newest Fraternity and also of a Latino Fraternity that has requested to come on campus but not specifically of PHC chapters. I did ask about them and he said that we are not looking at anyone right now but many chapters have expressed some sort of interest.

Since Spring 2002, our PR within Panhellenic has increased. We've had strong PR plans and increased our visibility to new and incoming students. We have had some strong leaders who have organized and worked to do this (but also those that have failed in those areas too...Shannan would know what I'm talking about.... ). This has since continued to expand and as new people come in, different conferences are attended, and new ideas are established, more things are happening in order to improve our numbers.

I too want our campus to grow and would like to see another chapter come on campus and our smallest chapter become strong again, but until that happens, or godforbid this chapter closes, I'm not sure how long it will really take.

Just thought I should throw in my .02 especially since I just went Alum in December.

[KSUViolet06]

That's crazy, I thought Kent was a big commuter school (23,000 students, 6,000 on campus). I also thought Greek Life was struggling here. I knew Akron was mostly commuter, but 2,000 on campus?! Out of 20,000?!

It's just so strange to me cuz we're maybe 30 minutes away, but it's like a whole new world. Greek Life is actually growing here (Mrs. McCartney can attest to this) We're a little over 10% greek I think, but I don't think it's always been that way.

I think it has a lot to do w/ the environment. Akron= downtown, city campus, Kent= college town. I think you could increase your on campus visibility w/ t-shirts, buttons, ads in the school's paper.
I know here at Kent we have a Greek Beats section of the paper where groups advertise COB or give each other shout outs.

(i.e. DG congratulates Alpha Phi on winning Derby Darlings! Way to go! OR Thanks Delta Chi for an awesome mixer love Tri-Sigma!!)

It may not seem like much but it definitely makes girls interested. I remember looking at them and thinking of how much fun it must be!

Even if you don't have a special section, taking out classifieds once a week is great PR.

Also WEAR YOUR LETTERS and event T-shirts. I couldn't count the number of times I saw a cute, fun, Greek Week tee and longed to be in on the fun!

When COB starts, you could set up a signup table in a popular area of campus. Have your paddles, scrapbooks, etc out for girls to look at. Girls can stop by, look around and ask questions, and actually see the members.

I'm just trying to share some of the things that made me notice greek life as a PNM, since that was only like a month ago.



Hope I helped,

JocelynC

[hannahgirl]

I think the idea of the shout outs in the paper is a great idea and also a way to increase our Panhellenicism and Interfraternalism on campus. I know we have tried before to have positive PR in the paper, however, the truth of the matter is that our school newspaper isn't too supportive of Greek Life. That might change though, I don't know. I do know some greek members who write for the paper but as far as I know with past editors, anything greek was never published unless it was negative or had a negative connotation tied to something positive. They would, however, post Songfest and Mocktail results, but articles were very small if anything more than a picture.

But I'm also not saying that we can't keep trying because we can...I'm just pointing out the issues we've had in the past.

Also...wearing letters and event T's on campus is not a problem AT ALL. I always see letters being worn on campus and I would have to say that all (if not most of) the sorority women own bags with their block letters on them. So visibility of letters isn't really an issue...

[33girl]

If you put classifieds and other ads in though, it doesn't matter how anti-Greek anyone on the paper staff is...give them $$$ and they won't care.

[Tom Earp]

I wish there was a sure fire answer, but My old school is in the same prediciment. 6 Frateritys and 3 Soroities. The Soros are having problems getting numbers ergo no new Groups on campus. Fraternitys are also have numbers problems.

They do not to seem to have the answers either.

I hear that Greek Numbers are growing, and in the next article, Greek Numbers are declining, which is right?

Should protection be issued to Soroitys who do not make their numbers and maybe bring new ones on campus who may give other Independents something to decide on?

I dont know the answer, but if some Groups are holding expansion back, then whose fault is that, theirs and theirs along.

It truely sounds like the Greek Community has really come together at Akron, and dont say it is just because it is a commuter school.

In smaller towns, they are called townies, who go to college but live like they were still in HS, with their parents. Hell, we had Guys living in the house who were Townies!

[Jill1228]

Just subscribing...

Wonderful question!

[CarolinaCutie]

It seems to me that if quota for formal recruitment is only 10-15 girls, house total should NOT be 65.

But that could be my experience... At my school, it is quite lovely because we only use COB to fill a couple empty spaces. There are some sororities who never COB at all on our campus (good retention, I guess). Quota each year is around 20, and total is 50. So if you successfully get quota every year during recruitment, and hang on to those girls, it's very easy to be at total or above!

I wish I had more advice for you... but I think raising your campus total is not the way to go.

[exlurker]

Originally posted by 33girl
3.0 - holy @#$% - I am all for academic high standards but unless it's a professional or honorary, that seems excessive.

33girl, there is quite a range of GPA requirements -- different campuses and different GLOs, y'know. For instance, at Oklahoma State -- which admittedly is not a commuter school -- all the NPC sororities require a 3.0 high school GPA, and for sophomores, etc. the college GPA ranges from a 2.5 to at least a 3.0. They have an info chart with GPA requirements, financial info, live-in requirements and so on at

http://osunet.okstate.edu/greeklife/...y_chapters.asp

Guess what I'm saying is that while a 3.0 may cause recruitment headaches at Akron, it looks like it's the norm for OSU frosh. I'm fairly sure that there are other Greek systems where a 3.0 high school GPA requirement for NPC chapters is nothing unusual.

[33girl]

I'm thinking of a 3.0 college, not a 3.0 high school. If it was high school I would say that was fine. But I got the impression they were talking about college GPA.

And it has to be remembered that we're talking about a different type of school than OSU.

[exlurker]

33girl, Oh, yeah, that's different -- sorry I misinterpreted what you were getting at. And yes, absolutely, they're different kinds of schools.

[ADPiShannan]

3.0 period
it is 3.0 for hs or for college

[dakareng]

I attended a university (also in Ohio) that was, at that time, mainly commuter. Less than 10% of students lived on-campus (that has since changed) so I can empathize with your challenges. If the campus newspaper doesn't print positive things about GLOs, get some Greeks on staff. Put in ads... they won't turn down your money. Most of all, target those ads to reflect the positive message that you want conveyed (like congratuating all the 3.5+ GPA members or announcing results of a major philanthropy event). Try going 'outside' your circle for social events.... nothing against the fraternities, but have you ever thought about having a party with the men's lacrosse team? It may not help you directly but it might help that struggling fraternity across the street who then might reciprocate.

And if I'm understanding you correctly, some of the groups on your campus require a minimum GPA of 3.0- 3.2 (HS or college) and that is not per local bylaws but is set by their headquarters?

[bluefish81]

I agree with what some of the other posters are suggesting that raising total isn't really a feasible option since not all chapters are at total. Don't all chapters have to be at total for a certain period of time before it can be raised? Or is that just a requirement in order to add a new chapter.
I think it's great that your Greek Community as a whole is developing PR plans to raise the visibility of the overall group, that is awesome. Hopefully by doing this, more women will be interested in participating in recruitment both formally and informally which will have a rippling effect.
But if this one house is having a lot of struggle then they will need to step up to the plate. I'm not trying to sound mean toward them, I come from a chapter that has struggled for years and is just now rounding the curve and coming up. I would suggest that the chapter evaluate why their numbers are so low - ie. have they always been like this or did something happen? Is it just the scholastic requirement?
In my opinion having that high of a scholarship requirement just to get in should make it fairly easy for them to be close to, if not #1 on your campus in grades. Is this true? If they are #1 in grades this is something they should really play up more - both during formal and informal. That seems really high for your campus if everyone is significantly lower than them.
If they don't want to budge on the GPA requirement and they aren't getting the numbers they want during formal (my chapter never got quota once while I was active) they need to be COBing 24/7. My chapter COB'ed like it was their job and it's very successful for them, still is, they got over 20 women through informal this year alone.
PR is also key. I'm suprised that their HQ is not stepping in to offer more support. Perhaps they are, but from the way you make it sound there has been support in the past but currently there isn't too much support.
I understand the concern that they may have about the growth of the chapter potentially effecting their sisterhood. Some women in my house liked our house being smaller because everyone knew everybody and what have you. They are realizing as they grow though that they can still enjoy all that wonderful sisterhood while becoming larger. While I can't relate as to the climate of your campus (mine was definetely not a commuter school) I understand potentially where that chapter may be coming from.