Clemson Theta closing

[LuvMyPNM]

Bingo Kempk - there were no financial reasons: they were given a financial award at a recent national conference, there were no sisterhood reasons, there were no scholarship or leadership reasons either. They felt that the success of a recolonizing chapter getting closer to campus average was the nail in the coffin. My question is how come when they knew that was happening they did nothing to assist that Chapter in having a stronger recruitment? It is a competition after all - they were content to let it go, just as they were at Ole Miss. ADPi was a recolonization too don't forget, and is a strong force in the South. APhi is another strong sorority. What did nationals do really to help EZ chapter there? Somehow a chapter which was under the size of other houses at that campus led in all the advertised important features, but it was the underlying size of chapter and reputation which did them in - things that were not considered by the members of those chapters to be detrimental and yet they were. Sad.

[ladybug12]

As someone who has volunteered for over 2 decades as a national officer in the membership department for my GLO, I agree that closing a chapter due to membership numbers is a very difficult situation.

I have worked with chapters that struggled for years with membership. Some have made it, some did not.

The negative factors I have seen:
Toxic/negative campus environment. Fraternities who refuse to have mixers with the chapter. Chapter reputation as the "fat girls" have members told not to be seen eating in public. Never having a chance to be paired with a strong organization for Homecoming or big campus events. Only having half the women who match with you on bid day actually show up year after year. Being told constantly to COB or else.

Chapter members who accept their reputation/situation. "we like being small because we are so close". "We suck! We are losers" (actually said during a workshop I was conducting and no one challenged her besides me).

Successful reconstructions:
Other NPC sororities networking with our chapter and supporting our philanthropic efforts and doing "Super-Swaps" with frats that normally would not have a social event with us.
Chapter embracing/changing their internal identity. Rather than being the awkward sorority, recognizing that they have top grades and embracing/promoting the new reputation as the "smart girls on campus."
Being willing to go beyond their comfort zone and try something different during recruitment...whether that is party structure or content, changing "what has always been done".
Changing how they prepare for formal recruitment. I was astonished to visit a chapter on a large campus where my chapter did not have any PNM review sessions or matching chapter members with PNMs who had similar interests. They had just not ever done it or been told to do it because "we are laid back". The first year this was implemented, recruitment stats improved. The second year, the chapter met quota and got quota additions...and everyone showed up on bid day.

These are just a few examples in my experience. Closing any chapter for any reason is painful to many people beyond the chapter women and their alumnae. We have all been through this with our own organizations and I hate that Theta will close 2 chapters with long histories on their campuses.

[thetalady]

Originally Posted by kempk

Theta cares more about Greek rank!! They couldn’t take another mature chapter being considered bottom tier.

Well, that is just complete crap. You really think that any adult takes the vile content on GR seriously? Only 18 year old girls listen to the petty gossip there. Oh, well I guess you might be a petty 18 yr old girl......

[Titchou]

Having done my turn on more than one occasion as the Council appointed "save the chapter" adviser, it's never an easy answer for any chapter. There are a myriad of reasons when a chapter is closed. It's not just one- unless a risk management issue. Changing the chapter culture is difficult. And yes, they "like" being smaller and are truly afraid to change...mostly because they fear failure...so they just want to stay as they are. And sadly that isn't usually possible.Every NPC group wants their collegians to have the best AZA or whatever experience. It's just not always possible. LadyBug is spot on. And FYI, my chapter of initiation was closed about 12 years after I was there...and we came back 32 years later. It's hard- very hard.

[LuvMyPNM]

Ladybug I concur -- I don't know if any of that was attemped but it certainly does seem to make a lot of sense. I remember when my oldest was going through at Ole Miss and she talked about how the women at houses she was attracted to connected on some level with her - major, where she was from, sports she played, etc. When she got to the other side, she realized why - they planned that! They matched people up deliberately - it's not rocket science. You want the PNMs to picture themselves there, as they'll see someone or several someones they already have something in common with. This is why too at many schools there are clusters of girls from same hometowns or high schools or involved in something already at the school (e.g. cheerleaders or dance team) are swept up into certain houses. They already have something in common. To go into recruitment not thinking that way is to be unprepared and not setting yourselves up for success.

[kempk]

Originally Posted by thetalady

Well, that is just complete crap. You really think that any adult takes the vile content on GR seriously? Only 18 year old girls listen to the petty gossip there. Oh, well I guess you might be a petty 18 yr old girl......

Why do you resort to ad hominem attacks when someone disagrees with you?

[Theta1234]

Good night, this is getting a little crazy. Where is AZTheta? I think her voice would be very useful right about now.

[als463]

Seriously, this is getting out of hand. Why do we need an entire thread to discuss the closing of a chapter? It’s devastating to have to close a chapter and this thread that was started is just pouring some salt on wounds. Can the Mods please lock this? I’m disgusted by the desire of some posters to go out of their way to share a chapter has closed between this one and the Ole Miss threads. I’m not even a Theta but, one of my favorite NPC sisters (AZTheta) is and I am sick and tired of seeing page upon page of pointing out a chapter having low numbers. What was the point of starting this thread? Are you a Theta? If not, how about instead of making baseless statements that Theta spends too much time on “that” site, you focus on your own organization—or better yet, yourself! Mods please lock this thread and the Ole Miss one to let them die. I’m done with watching Monday morning quarterbacks with no ties to this organization tell us what they think should have happened with the painful decision to close a chapter.

[33girl]

There’s one or two trolls in here who obviously need the ban hammer. Other than that, this is a pretty civil thread and many of the posters in it are speaking in generalities.

[AZTheta]

Thank you to my Panhellenic sisters for the wise words. Yes, I agree with als463 (+hugs to you my friend! long time no hear) - do we need two threads on chapter closures? Why? What purpose is this serving now? I do hope that the thread(s) won't be removed as there is some very sound advice in them.

To the trolls (or socks? specifically in reference to one very new poster's comments which I found insulting, to put it politely): be gone with the lot of you, as your ilk serves no purpose here. Your baseless slurs are not helping matters. AAMOF it reminds me of the expression "pouring salt in the wound".

I have no inside knowledge of these charter revocations. There are those who do, and obviously, as my dear Theta sister put it in another thread, we are not going to air our dirty laundry to satisfy you. The manner in which HQ is handling things is of concern to many alumnae and that is all I am going to state. Period.

My heart aches for Harvard, Ole Miss, and Clemson. Those actives and alums are heartbroken. Show some compassion for them and BACK OFF.

[kempk]

Originally Posted by als463

Seriously, this is getting out of hand. Why do we need an entire thread to discuss the closing of a chapter? It’s devastating to have to close a chapter and this thread that was started is just pouring some salt on wounds. Can the Mods please lock this? I’m disgusted by the desire of some posters to go out of their way to share a chapter has closed between this one and the Ole Miss threads. I’m not even a Theta but, one of my favorite NPC sisters (AZTheta) is and I am sick and tired of seeing page upon page of pointing out a chapter having low numbers. What was the point of starting this thread? Are you a Theta? If not, how about instead of making baseless statements that Theta spends too much time on “that” site, you focus on your own organization—or better yet, yourself! Mods please lock this thread and the Ole Miss one to let them die. I’m done with watching Monday morning quarterbacks with no ties to this organization tell us what they think should have happened with the painful decision to close a chapter.

You can actually read some of those GR posts and get a sense that older women are posting. Yes, I think many from this site are on that site. The gist of the message is that it seems Theta nationals didn’t value Clemson theta’s positives regarding philanthropy, sisterhood and what is likely a sound budget, so their ‘popularity’ could have been the issue. Someone said that Ole Miss theta was told they needed prettier girls. Sounds like Greekrank-type of priorities.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by kempk

You can actually read some of those GR posts and get a sense that older women are posting. Yes, I think many from this site are on that site. The gist of the message is that it seems Theta nationals didn’t value Clemson theta’s positives regarding philanthropy, sisterhood and what is likely a sound budget, so their ‘popularity’ could have been the issue. Someone said that Ole Miss theta was told they needed prettier girls. Sounds like Greekrank-type of priorities.

Stop wasting our time. I don't care what you think because you're not a Theta and I doubt you're greek. You are part of the problem, actually. We don't give a flying feck about GreekRank, and obviously you're here to stir the pot. You're repeating hearsay and gossip. I think YOU need the ban hammer, NOW.

ETA: your speculation is ridiculous.

[kempk]

Originally Posted by AZTheta

Thank you to my Panhellenic sisters for the wise words. Yes, I agree with als463 (+hugs to you my friend! long time no hear) - do we need two threads on chapter closures? Why? What purpose is this serving now? I do hope that the thread(s) won't be removed as there is some very sound advice in them.

To the trolls (or socks? specifically in reference to one very new poster's comments which I found insulting, to put it politely): be gone with the lot of you, as your ilk serves no purpose here. Your baseless slurs are not helping matters. AAMOF it reminds me of the expression "pouring salt in the wound".

I have no inside knowledge of these charter revocations. There are those who do, and obviously, as my dear Theta sister put it in another thread, we are not going to air our dirty laundry to satisfy you. The manner in which HQ is handling things is of concern to many alumnae and that is all I am going to state. Period.

My heart aches for Harvard, Ole Miss, and Clemson. Those actives and alums are heartbroken. Show some compassion for them and BACK OFF.

Now what’s happened at Harvard, that is just hugely unfortunate! Outrageous that women are not allowed to gather in their own groups.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by kempk

Now what’s happened at Harvard, that is just hugely unfortunate! Outrageous that women are not allowed to gather in their own groups.

Shut Up.

Just shut up. I know who you are and this is my final word to you. Yeah I'm putting you on ignore, you are a waste of time.

You think that Ole Miss and Clemson are not also "hugely unfortunate"? You infuriate me and all my Panhellenic sisters. You have no business here. NONE. Your ego won't let you, though - you'll persist in attempting to have the last word. Good luck with that, troll.

[kempk]

Of course what happens at Clemson and Ole Miss is unfortunate but when women are not allowed to gather in their own groups to begin with because of confusion about equality, that’s even more unfortunate.