AOPi at Arkansas

[carnation]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

And for inquiring minds, the old Alpha Chi Omega house is now occupied by Sigma Chi. The old DG house is now "University House" but DG gets it back if they come back to campus. Don't know about Phi Mu or KAT's housing, but alumnae have said that it wasn't competitive. I don't know that for sure though.

There aren't any "empty" Greek houses so anybody new would probably have to build.

You know that corner on Maple where the DG House is? Well, the other corner, towards Hotz and Reid Halls, is where the Theta house was. I think that maybe the Phi Mus were in there the second time they were on campus, I don't know about the first time. It was about the size of the DG house and I don't know if it's still there.

ETA: Phi Mu wasn't at Arkansas for long the first time...I used to read my aunt's old yearbooks and they weren't there in the late thirties on.

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

I want theta or phi mu back. Traditional southern sororities. No offense to AOII, but it made absolutely no sense to bring them onto the campus. They have no alumni support, and are nationally a small sorority.

The part about "no offense to AOII" is classic.

[Aphigal]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

I want theta or phi mu back. Traditional southern sororities. No offense to AOII, but it made absolutely no sense to bring them onto the campus. They have no alumni support, and are nationally a small sorority.

Hmmm I know elephants never forget but never knew they were so ignorant as well.....

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

If you are serious, I am all in.

No, I was not serious. I thought it was interesting and ridiculous that the article suggests that 3 new sororities should be brought on starting 18 months from now. Hmmm.. Kappa Delta had 17 years to get established, but 18 months for AOII. I guess that is a compliment to AOII that somebody thinks we will be that solid in such a short time. They obviously have not talked to ElephantWalk.

[carnation]

ETA:Never mind.

[Elephant Walk]

Ignorant?

Explain to me. Please. I'm sure you won't ever come back to this thread and won't tell me how it is ignorant, but go ahead.

Being called ignorant by a regular Greekchatter is like being called racist by a liberal, you know they're losing the argument.

My guess is that the Univ. of Arkansas College Panhellenic voted -- and AOII was the choice. "John & Mary Everybody" don't get to vote in these decisions!

You do realize why they voted for it correct? One of the head people up there was an AOII from State. Instead of favoring tradition and alumn support, they went with personal preference. AOII will do excellent initially because they will find leaders. Further away, they will have problems because they lack traditions. Simply look at the social scene of the UofA! Socially, the most recently founded sororities are at the bottom (however KD is far superior over ADPi). Bring on a competitive sorority which has tradition in the UofA system such as Phi Mu or DG

edit: I have a personal preference for theta because my mom was one at another university...however the Arkansas thetas had that Asian porn super star of the early '90's, Kobe Tai.

[BamaDad DZ]

I believe I heard that the University of Alabama is possibly getting two new sororities over the next year or two. Anyone else heard that?

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

You do realize why they voted for it correct? One of the head people up there was an AOII from State. Instead of favoring tradition and alumn support, they went with personal preference.

Can you PM me the "head person" who is an AOII from State? I was not aware of that and am interested.

[LaneSig]

Just my opinion:

How long would a chapter have to be gone to make a successful comeback? Alpha Chi Omega, Delta Gamma, and Kappa Alpha Theta would all make nice additions. I have a feeling that Phi Mu might be wary about making a 3rd attempt at Arkansas. Now that Gamma Phi Beta is making its way into Arkansas (colonizing the new greek system at UA-Fort Smith this spring), they might be interested.

Also, like Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Gamma Delta has a very strong chapter at Arkansas State. They have a lot of alumns in the area; they might make a good choice.

BTW - Elephant Walk, did you transfer to Arkansas this semester?

[aopirose]

Alpha Omicron Pi Establishes Colony at the University of Arkansas

Eighty-one members of Alpha Omicron Pi at the University of Arkansas gathered together in anticipation and excitement for the first time on Tuesday evening, August 29, 2006, on the University of Arkansas campus to establish AOII’s newest colony. Like previous colonies, this AOII colony will continue to exemplify the traditions of academic excellence, philanthropy, community service, and lifelong friendships found at 180 other collegiate chapters of AOII across the United States and Canada. Alpha Omicron Pi is the eighth National Panhellenic Conference sorority to organize on the University of Arkansas campus. The AOII chapter is expected to have tremendous success over the next few years as the colony and Greek tradition grow at the University.

The University opened for extension in the fall of 2004. The University of Arkansas is a competitive public university offering 195 academic degree programs at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels. Current enrollment is approximately 17,000 with a University goal to increase enrollment to 22,500 by 2010. The University of Arkansas website hails the University as the state’s only “doctoral/research university-extensive,” as categorized by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. This category is defined as producing at least 50 doctoral recipients per year. As such, the University of Arkansas is in the top tier of 150 research universities among the nation’s more than 4,000 post-secondary institutions.

The colony members at the University of Arkansas are among the top students and leaders on the campus. Their commitment to academics is evident in their average GPA of 3.35. In addition, members are involved in all areas of campus life including the Associated Student Government, Residents’ Interhall Congress, Cheerleading, Gymnastics, and numerous other honorary societies, varsity athletics, and campus organizations. Many members are also very active in philanthropic organizations and community outreach.

Vice President of Development Allison Allgier, officials from AOII International Headquarters in Brentwood, Tennessee, local alumnae and collegiate members, Alumnae Advisory Council, and Corporation Board members assisted in the recruitment efforts on campus.

The next few months will be full of fun, learning and work as the University of Arkansas colony prepares itself to be installed as the 181st chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi. Members will participate in weekly education sessions and sisterhood events, as well as socials, philanthropic events, and a colony retreat. They are responsible for establishing the chapter’s sub-motto and name that will typify the chapter’s unique character. There are also bylaws to write, officers to elect, and procedures to establish. The Colony Development Network Director, Linda Mahfouz, and the Colony Development Network Specialist, Brandi Nunnery, will guide the colony and continue guiding them as a chapter for the next several years, along with a dedicated Alumnae Advisory Committee and Corporation Board composed of 20 local AOII alumnae. Additionally, a Resident Consultant, Lauren Cox, will stay with the chapter through installation.

[hmd1014]

I want theta or phi mu back. Traditional southern sororities. No offense to AOII, but it made absolutely no sense to bring them onto the campus. They have no alumni support, and are nationally a small sorority.

Huh? AOPi is very strong in the South. They're in all but three SEC schools, and the Tennessee chapter is their oldest active chapter.

[aopirose]

LaneSig, I know it sounds like a cliché but every situation is different. A recent development in NPC is that when a chapter closes the organization has about a year to 18 months to redevelop without the school having to officially “open.” That helps because it removes several steps of the process.

For RM issues, a group may decide to wait a college generation or two. Low numbers could be rectified by a quick reorganization but if things are all that dire, they may wait several years too. You also have to factor in what the CPA and the university wants to do. Some schools are very anxious to replace a closed chapter and others are willing to let the dust settle a bit first. It just depends on the closure agreement the organization has with the CPA and the university.

Another factor is that when and if the time comes that a campus opens what other colonizations are on the organization’s plate and their goals. If a campus requires competitive housing and the housing runs $3 million, how many of those can the organization do in a year on top of the colonizations without housing issues? Local alumnae support is crucial and if there aren’t enough interested to fill the advisory and house corp. positions, why bother?

[Elephant Walk]

BTW - Elephant Walk, did you transfer to Arkansas this semester?

Yes, however I have not reaffiliated.

[GtownGirl98]

Alumnae support and traditions are not a make or break situation for a chapter to survive. My chapter has a VERY STRONG group less than 30 mins away with TONS of alumnae in the area... but we weren't inudated by alumnae when we started my chapter. The alumnae didn't want to leave their chapter. Our advisors were alumnae who had home chapters far away from home. There was a handful but not an over abundance.

Also one of the great things about starting a chapter is that you get to be apart of the new traditions. I worried sometimes what it would have been like to have joined an established chapter with established traditions but to be honest I enjoyed the beginning.

So I think that a new colony can survive without alot of alumnae support and without estabished traditions. Adding a chapter also makes a campus change some of its old traditions... I know that at Georgetown, my colonizing group started the tradition of taking chapter pictures on the college sign and now chapters that have been estabished for 30 plus years are doing this... so....

CONGRATS TO AOP and all the NEW COLONIZING MEMBERS!!!!

[Elephant Walk]

I have no doubt that they will survive. However, their standing will be questionable for at least 50 years. Even then Chi-O and others will have a century and a half of tradition.