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Being that I am an alumna from UH, I thought I would help with some of the questions/concerns brought up by others, as well as from HawaiiTKE. =)
There is virtually No Support from the school when it comes to greek life. Every once in a while, everyone will be surprised at something they allow the organizations to do in terms of advertising, using certain facilities, etc, but it always depends. Example: using the bbq pit behind the dorms for a recruitment event. Since it would be excluded to members and WOMEN pnm's only, they said we could not since it would single out the rest of those living in the dorms. Yet, other groups on campus are allowed to use the pit for their own events.
I think the reason that there is not a lot of support is because many people here in Hawaii, stay in Hawaii for school and don't know what Greek life is REALLY about. They don't understand it and probably think the stereotypes are all true & therefore don't want to support 'that.' Each fraternity and sorority strives to break that stereotype though because each one really wants improvement.
The newspaper on campus charges A LOT to print things. For the size of the Chapters at UH, it costs a little too much whereas it might not be as bad for "normal" Chapters at other schools. Each of the Chapters do try though and continuously look in to that option since everyone reads the paper, Ka Leo.
Facebook has been a means that most of the Chapters are using to reach out to new members as well.
As one person mentioned, the life style itself in Hawaii makes it hard to increase numbers. it is very laid back, 'do my own thing' and just party party party. One thing that my Chapter noticed over the years is that, the girls who were interested in Greek life because they grew up knowing about it, also expected a certain type of Greek environment and expected things to be done in certain ways. When they see that UH is totally different than most of other schools, they lose interest because it isn't the stereotypical Greek life they always hoped for. On the one hand, it isn't such a bad thing that they walk away; each group wants members that are willing to put in the effort to make things better and to be happy being a part of a group of individuals that love their fraternity/sorority regardless of how it is comparable to others.
Each group participates in recruitment in the fall and all but the two locals, also recruit in the spring (the locals have kind of like a year long new member period, fall to end of spring). What is great is that for the first week or two weeks of school, you can find the fraternities and sororities tabling at the Campus Center. You can walk around talk to each one and see the interaction between them as well; talking, laughing, encouraging, etc.
Greek Week is also a big time for all the Greeks because most of the events are done on campus, during normal class hours. Some of the events, get the whole campus involved too; this is not only in the hopes of spreading the word of Greek Life, but trying to increase school unity which is also kind of lacking at UH.
While I mentioned a few things that make it sound like UH Greek life is on track, and in some respects it is, there is still a lot that each group wants to have done. The problem is how to go about it. HOW do you get people INTERESTED, not just getting them knowing about the Greeks.
I think that the size of the Chapters is pretty good for each group but everyone wants them to be bigger. You can't help but want your group to be big and known all over!
And congrats to Alpha Gamma Delta, Delta Sigma Chapter (UH - Manoa) on their Initiation of 9 women this coming Saturday!!
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