What can be done to help smaller GLO's?

[carnation]

I'd like to know who has more ideas about this topic!

[alphaalpha]

I am not really sure how to change this but would the idea of smaller orgs getting bigger similar to why chapters at a university remain small. I mean, lets say i am part of a group that wants to go national and i had my pick of say 4 NPC's, Lets say that ABC is well known, DEF is Just as well know. Now GHI and XYZ have the same amount of chapters as ABC and DEF but are not as well know. Now, who would i choose. A group where i know that a lot of people will recognize the name and i can easily brag about being a ABC or DEF and have most non-greek people recognize or go with a group that might have the same amount of chapters but just not have the name appeal as the other two.

I know its shallow, but i know that we faced this at my chapter. The chapter is about the same size as the other chapters, but people on campus still have the notion that my chapter is small. Small, say 10 members short of total. It is all the notion that bigger is better and a more recognzed name somehow equals bigger than an unrecognized name.

So, i guess the "answer" to the original question would be that the small organizations need to be able to promote why they are outstanding and offer so much more than the well know, but possible equal sized organizations. Now, how to do this I don't know how. THis was still an ongoing process at my chapter to show why we are better and have a lot to offer.


I do know all 26 sororities in the NPC, but that is cause i took the time to learn them and it was not part of my new member process, but i think that is should be.

[honeychile]

Originally posted by Wine&SilverBlue
I think that each NPC group should at least know the names of the other groups.

I've already said that, when I was a new member, we had a section of all the NPC sororities, along with pictures of their pins and other information.

As my Pledge Mother was also Panhel President, she expanded our weekly tests, and we had to know not just the other sororities on campus, but at least five others. This included knowing that Alpha Phi was Alpha "FEE", that Pi Phi meant Pi Beta Phi, and the other sorority nicknames. I could certainly live with having new members know ALL the NPC sororities!

Knowledge is power.

Also, does it really kill someone in a larger sorority to show a little Panhellenic kindness from time to time? When one of the smaller sororities at my school was in serious trouble, EVERY ONE of our sisters wrote to the NPC to see what they could do to help. I'd love to say that we got a response, but we didn't - but the sorority in question did!

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally posted by honeychile
I've already said that, when I was a new member, we had a section of all the NPC sororities, along with pictures of their pins and other information.

Me too.

[hoosier]

If you want to add chapters, think outside the box.

Sure, you and your members and friends and alums would like to start new chapters at Big 10, SEC, Ivy Lg., and major impressive GLO systems, and you can if you totally commit every asset and resource you have (people and $$$) to that one colony for about five years.

On the other hand, you could start five colonies at lesser schools, for less $$$ and effort.

These five lesser school colonies might prosper and grow, because they would have less competition, and the existing competition might be housed in old family residences (not U Miss-style columned mansions), might be smaller in number of members, and might be less competitive.

I would urge you to follow the path many of the fraternities (such as LXA, SPE, TKE) have done and build your number of chapters at the smaller and less-known schools. If you start chapters at Butler, Ball State, and Tri-State, perhaps an opportunity to start at IU, Purdue, or DePauw will come along in a few years.

Good luck.

[Little E]

I totally agree to the sentiment about how much it stinks when someone doesn't recognize your org. Or especially when they mention that the smaller orgs will go under in the next...what...20 years? I sincerely hope AST does not succumb to that.

I think at some point you have to realize that in order to get to the 'big schools' you need money. Say AST (or any 'smaller' NPC) colonized at a major university. You figure you need at about a million to purchase a house, then you need to furnish the house, create a marketing campaign, gifts for all your founders, plus the need to have a permanent rep on campus. The costs add up quickly and if that chapter goes under during those shakey first 10 years, it would seriously put the entire national org in jeapordy. I think that while it would be great to see my letters more, I don't want that dream expansion to put at risk my chapter and the 80 others that exist.

I'm so excited to see AST expanding (faster than any other NPC I believe), but I also trust that our NC made some very smart decisions.

What I'm trying to get at is that expansion is great, but not at the expense of the entire organization. I'd rather have letters rarely seen, than a defunt nat'l org.

On the upside, because we're smaller, we make less badges, so they are harder to buy on ebay.

[33girl]

Originally posted by hoosier
If you want to add chapters, think outside the box.

Sure, you and your members and friends and alums would like to start new chapters at Big 10, SEC, Ivy Lg., and major impressive GLO systems, and you can if you totally commit every asset and resource you have (people and $$$) to that one colony for about five years.

On the other hand, you could start five colonies at lesser schools, for less $$$ and effort.

These five lesser school colonies might prosper and grow, because they would have less competition, and the existing competition might be housed in old family residences (not U Miss-style columned mansions), might be smaller in number of members, and might be less competitive.

I would urge you to follow the path many of the fraternities (such as LXA, SPE, TKE) have done and build your number of chapters at the smaller and less-known schools. If you start chapters at Butler, Ball State, and Tri-State, perhaps an opportunity to start at IU, Purdue, or DePauw will come along in a few years.

Good luck.

Theoretically, yeah.

But the fact is, 1) a lot of the time there's more effort than you'd think since the Greek system isn't as strong and you're constantly having to promote and 2) the numbers are SO different - which I don't think is as true for fraternities.

Like I said, unless something drastically changes with the Greek system at either school, in 5 years the new DZ chapter at UF is going to have as many alums as it will take our chapter in Alaska to have in 30 years.

You're definitely right though, about starting chapters that are near big schools.

[Buttonz]

Originally posted by AngelPhiSig


I think it should be every NPC sorority girl's job to at least RECOGNIZE the other 25!

It's b ecause of me (really) that most of the current active sisters are able to name most of the NPCs. I learnt them here on GC and I made the two classes after me when I was NME learn it, and the current NME has kept that up Our NM manual includes a listing of all 26 NPC's, thier badge, and where and when they were founded. It also includes a paragraph on NPHC and the names of all of the Divine Nine. (Did I mention that I love our NM manual and I feel that NME is the best postion?)

Yes, I hate it when people don't know what SDT is. We have a few chapters at 'bigger schools' (like UT) but most of our chapters are at smaller schools. We currently have around 60 active chapters, which is small compared to the bigger NPCs.

[Tom Earp]

Originally posted by hoosier
If you want to add chapters, think outside the box.

Sure, you and your members and friends and alums would like to start new chapters at Big 10, SEC, Ivy Lg., and major impressive GLO systems, and you can if you totally commit every asset and resource you have (people and $$$) to that one colony for about five years.

On the other hand, you could start five colonies at lesser schools, for less $$$ and effort.

These five lesser school colonies might prosper and grow, because they would have less competition, and the existing competition might be housed in old family residences (not U Miss-style columned mansions), might be smaller in number of members, and might be less competitive.

I would urge you to follow the path many of the fraternities (such as LXA, SPE, TKE) have done and build your number of chapters at the smaller and less-known schools. If you start chapters at Butler, Ball State, and Tri-State, perhaps an opportunity to start at IU, Purdue, or DePauw will come along in a few years.

Good luck.

At one time, LXA did put Badges and Pledge Pins in.

They quit doing that and have added Listings of GLOs all that or of National Prominence.

We are trying to get them to go back to adding Badges/Pins so that More will know Who some are and learn education about other GLOs.



LXA as such TKE have not totally centered on Major Uns. Yes, I am sure We All want to be there, but Cost is a major factor.

Cost is what is keeping Nationals from expanding to Alaska and Hawaii. It is easier to drive to closer Chapters than have window time. Spend time with Chapters and not on the highway.

If you check, Groups are specifcialy in Groups of the country. More so with Soroitys I think.

As much Money as one might think, HQs arnt Rich.

LXA has a two pronged espansion as some others do, Grow to Schools that are/were State Colleges and are becoming Uns. Also going back and try to recolonize.

[ZetaGirl22]

I am an alumna at University of MD, and honestly, I am surpirsed that DPhiE, SDT and Phi Sig were considered to be smaller NPC's-at UMD you would NEVER know that. All three groups are VERY highly regarded on campus and consistantly make quota during formal recruitment. I don't think any are at total, but then again, only 4 groups are , and I do know that DPhi E normally takes quota plus in the spring , so at least at UMD, your orgs are going strong which I believe has one of the larger greek systems in the mid atlantic/northeast

[astroAPhi]

Originally posted by Buttonz
Yes, I hate it when people don't know what SDT is. We have a few chapters at 'bigger schools' (like UT) but most of our chapters are at smaller schools. We currently have around 60 active chapters, which is small compared to the bigger NPCs.

Just to let you know, I hear that you're doing awesome at FSU. A high school acquaintence joined your new chapter so she occasionally tells me how you're doing. My best friend goes there and she is not affiliated and even she's noticed their presence on campus.

[PhoenixAzul]

As far as I know, all of the sororities require the girls to know the Letters, nickname(s), colors, mascots, mottos, and presidents of all of the sororities and fraternities on our campus. As far as I know,none include the NPHC city wide chapters we have (we have quite a few AKA's and Alpha Phi Alphas and a growing number of DST's and Zeta Phi Beta's). If I'm chosen for new member ed this year, I want to include this because these groups are making an increasingly larger contribution to our campus and they deserve recognition that is given the others.

[KSUViolet06]

I know that Sigma has ALOT of chapters, but alot of them are at smaller schools. You have to think about it like this. Colonizing at LSU or Ole Miss or any other large school is a BIG investement and risk for a sorority with no presence in the area or no history with the school.

The national can be invited to colonize, invest in a nice house, have a colony recruitment, and it can completely FLOP. At large schools, some girls can be very hesitant to join something new because it can be viewed as less "prestigious". Large scale colonizations cost alot of $, and when they are unsuccessful, it's a waste of it.

Alot of smaller GLOs colonize at schools with newer or smaller Greek systems that they know a chapter would have a good chance of survival in. 3 or 4 small school colonizations that produce solid chapters is also more economical than ONE HUGE colonization effort at an LSU, Ole Miss, KY, etc that fails after one year.

[33girl]

Originally posted by JocelynC
Alot of smaller GLOs colonize at schools with newer or smaller Greek systems that they know a chapter would have a good chance of survival in. 3 or 4 small school colonizations that produce solid chapters is also more economical than ONE HUGE colonization effort at an LSU, Ole Miss, KY, etc that fails after one year.

But the other side of that coin is if you put ALL your resources towards one big colonization effort instead of spreading them out among smaller schools, you have a greater chance of being successful - and if you are, you will recoup your investment much more quickly. DZ's chapter at UF (using them again) is under 5 years old, and I would wager they've already had TWICE the amount of sisters join than the last 5 chapters we've colonized at small schools combined.

If you continually say "we can't compete at big schools, our niche is smaller schools" it is a self fulfilling prophecy. Your "niche" turns into a box that you can't get out of, even when you want to.

[FreeBecky]

Personally, I think having some knowledge of all NPC sororities is part of being a well rounded greek woman. I don't like it when people look at my letters and ask if we are local because they have never heard of us. I don't expect everyone to know the history and logistics of all the NPC orgs, but I do believe that everyone at least know they exist.