From colony to getting chartered - what happens if a sorority won't get chartered?

[33girl]

Nah, I think we agree on most things, but when we don't, we REALLY don't.

Like I said before, it sounds like this group just threw letters and ritual at the women and then expected them to do all the work. If every minute of her collegiate experience has been worrying about whether they'd get chartered with zero help from an HQ, that's not much fun.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Like I said before, it sounds like this group just threw letters and ritual at the women and then expected them to do all the work. If every minute of her collegiate experience has been worrying about whether they'd get chartered with zero help from an HQ, that's not much fun.

Is this really the case, though? As Titchou has said, I'm not sure we're getting the whole story. And I'm not sure that the OP has even implied that HQ left them high and dry.

She asked for help to recruit more members...

Originally Posted by ILove2BGreek

So, how could I be meeting them?

There are not that many PNMs who show up to our COB events .. and I'm pretty new so I'm not sure how to "reach" interested PNMs, I guess.

Originally Posted by ILove2BGreek

Our sorority has been a colony since May 2010 .. it just hasn't been chartered yet because we do not have that many members. By-laws, etc. is all done, it's just that we need to have more active members, I think.

.. and now she THINKS this is the reason the chapter MIGHT shut down next spring. Is this really the reason that the colony might not survive? Or are there others?

Has HQ assisted the chapter with recruitment? Has the chapter reached out to them?

And then...

Originally Posted by ILove2BGreek

Our colony will most likely shut down next year in Spring .. we need about 20 to 30 people to be able to stay on campus and I'm kinda not optimistic anymore. I am sad to say this but I have given up.

There is another sorority which will be coming to my campus soon as a colony and maybe I could join that other colony but my organization kind of binds me to life after I am initiated - and I was initiated a long while back.

Right now my options are to disaffiliate and not join any other organization and not be a part of my organization anymore ... or maybe - if I will be able to contct my national - be able to join that other colony. I really don't know what to do.

Be a part of my orgnaization until we shut down and be an alumni, disaffiliate and live in an apartment or something - or try to join another colony .. which is officially not really possible.

What should I do? How could I contact national and ask them to release me from my bonds? I really do feel betrayed. Betrayed and sad.

Originally Posted by ILove2BGreek

Is there really no way?

Because it seems that other sororities, other colonies - members there do seem to have the option to join another organization just like that.

And with my colony, with my organization - I was just initiated and then told that oops, we will probably have to shut down, sorry .. but at least you'll be an alumni.

This just seems super unfair to me.

..so.. she now just wants to drop the sorority altogether.

It seems to me she's not willing to put in the hard work that it takes to establish a chapter.


I definitely feel as though we're not getting the entire story.

[Mevara]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

AEPhi has had a colony at the University of Washington-Seattle for almost two years, and has various class initiation pictures on its web site. I don't know if that's the OP's chapter, but it's an example of a colony remaining a colony, with initiated members, for quite a while.

AEPhi also had a colony at UC Irvine for several years before they got their charter. As far as I know they were actually initiating their members before they got their charter.

[aephi alum]

As an AEPhi, I can confirm that AEPhi does indeed initiate colony members even if the colony hasn't been chartered yet. I was initiated while my chapter was still a colony. On my certificate, where the chapter designation would go, it reads "MIT Colony".

Anyway, to the OP: If you are in an NPC sorority and you've been fully initiated, you can never join another NPC sorority, but you will remain a life-long member of the sorority you are in - as an alumna. If you have NOT been initiated, you are free and clear to re-rush and possibly join a different sorority.

[33girl]

Honestly?

If the national hasn't given you enough help to get to total (or whatever they consider a significant number to charter) and is saying they would pull out AFTER women have initiated -and bound themselves for life - I would demand that they petition NPC (or whatever it is you have to do/whatever council you are affiliated with) to release you from your bonds so you can rush again. Not to mention, the host institution should rethink their relationship with the sorority.

This just absolutely isn't right.