A "Nu" Story

[Old_Row]

Originally Posted by misscherrypie

there is a community college in town,which has a large population. That's where Sophie is a student. I'm not sure of the demographics there, but assume a larger population of non traditional students.

The weird thing is that our other student members are traditional students and are all 21 and under.

The others are a recent graduate who is also in her very early twenties, Sophie who is slightly younger than I and Michelle who is even older than I....but only by a few years.

International did send a list of our registered local legacies (contact info was out of date for them....hello hours on the telephone) , a list of locally registered members at large, and a short list of women who are interested in joining Beta Sigma Phi to use in efforts to meet additional potential members. We are using these lists, and hopefully...some good will come out of them.

I'd like to contact our city council and get some feedback from them.

Maybe I am just dumb, but I can't figure out what kind of group you are trying to be there. You say you want to be recognized as a student Greek organization but almost half your current members aren't even students at your school. I think you are trying to be too many things and that lack of focus is part of why you are having trouble attracting members?

I also think it is starting to sound like you are not speaking very nicely about your national organization here in public and blaming them. Sorry but it doesn't look very professional to me.

Why would the city council care? What does it have to do with city affairs? That's a little dramatic I think.

[Xidelt]

City council in BSP is actually a local governing unit for chapters in a geographic area. It's not a city council in the sense that you are thinking, like a mayor, etc. Maybe do a little research before you criticize.

[misscherrypie]

Reno has a Beta Sigma Phi City Council.

[Old_Row]

Originally Posted by Xidelt

City council in BSP is actually a local governing unit for chapters in a geographic area. It's not a city council in the sense that you are thinking, like a mayor, etc. Maybe do a little research before you criticize.

While I am certainly sorry for the misunderstanding, I don't understand why in the world you would think anyone would even think to research a common use term like that? It would have been clear if she put BSP City Council but she didn't. I think you should worry a little more about the way one of your members is portraying your organization to the outside world than one outside person's misunderstanding of an inside term being thrown around in a very public place by someone who has shown a bit of a knack for drama in the past. Maybe these internal issues should be handled in private? I'd certainly be upset if a sister were complaining about my sorority in public like this.

[adpiucf]

Originally Posted by Old_Row

Why would the city council care? What does it have to do with city affairs? That's a little dramatic I think.

Originally Posted by Xidelt

City council in BSP is actually a local governing unit for chapters in a geographic area. It's not a city council in the sense that you are thinking, like a mayor, etc. Maybe do a little research before you criticize.

This entire process has been extremely confusing for more than one GC member to understand. Read through the comments and see. The colonizing process, the recruitment efforts, the bidding process, etc. It's all been quite convoluted, and I'm not sure if it is BSP's lack of foundation for chartering at a college or the OP's lack of guidance for chartering or simply OP trying to turn BSP into the equivalent of an NPC. We're not hip to your group's terminology any more than we would be to army lingo or another NPC's internal names for things.

I don't think Old_Row said anything most of us weren't thinking. Seriously, no one is going to start researching every sorority's internal governance council's names. People need to be clear when they are posting, or they open themselves up to questions and criticism. I had no idea what an "FV" or "Friendly Venture" was until it was clarified, and I'm certainly not going to waste my time researching it. People are trying to help here with suggestions to help OP promote her organization. That we are certainly capable of doing. If your members aren't happy with your internal policies, take it off Greek Chat. You're not doing BSP any favors here and I would certainly never criticize my sorority so publicly.

[Xidelt]

If I'm not clear on something, I take two seconds to google it. It takes as much effort as it does to criticize. @Oldrow, I'm not a member of Beta Sigma Phi.

[misscherrypie]

I should have been more clear.

My frustration (misplaced, by the way) is that my organization is NOT a Collegiate Social Sorority and in my selfishness, I wanted to create a Beta Sigma Phi chapter that worked as such. I had no business accusing our international of being unsupportive, when they are in no way equipped to deal with what we were trying to do....because its not that kind of organization.

That is my fault.....and not my organizations issue. I'd delete what I said...but I don't think that's possible. I was cruel and insensitive.

[Old_Row]

Originally Posted by Xidelt

If I'm not clear on something, I take two seconds to google it. It takes as much effort as it does to criticize. @Oldrow, I'm not a member of Beta Sigma Phi.

I didn't have any reason to think I wasn't clear on it.

[adpiucf]

I agree. Most people would think that referring to the "city council" is a local city government, and not a sorority governing board. Kudos to anyone who picked up on being otherwise. I'm actually not being sarcastic.

[adpiucf]

Originally Posted by misscherrypie

I should have been more clear.

My frustration (misplaced, by the way) is that my organization is NOT a Collegiate Social Sorority and in my selfishness, I wanted to create a Beta Sigma Phi chapter that worked as such. I had no business accusing our international of being unsupportive, when they are in no way equipped to deal with what we were trying to do....because its not that kind of organization.

That is my fault.....and not my organizations issue. I'd delete what I said...but I don't think that's possible. I was cruel and insensitive.

You could delete the thread. That's one option. I think you have the right attitude. I'm really sorry Greek Life hasn't worked out the way you wanted it to on your campus. You are very determined, and you've worked really hard. Keep up with BSP off campus, utilize social media, advertise to other community women's groups/women's church groups/student groups at the community college, etc., and maybe see what's available on your campus where you can make your mark in a student organization there. Please don't let all these recruiting efforts and chartering efforts take away from the big picture: you're there to do well academically and graduate. Good luck!

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by misscherrypie

That was the first interested PNM. I was trying not to cry over the scrapbooks….seeing my sisters and what they did together so long ago really touched my heart and kindled an even deeper love for Beta Sigma Phi

Originally Posted by misscherrypie

The knowledge that we would soon be sisters, for the rest of our lives....joined to the chain of BSPhi sisters<snop>made we want to cry.

Originally Posted by misscherrypie

We did have a deadline. It was last Friday.
The bid extended to Michelle was the equivalent of a snap bid.

Originally Posted by misscherrypie

All of our sisters have shown their commitment to the organization, exemplify our ideals and are fiercely proud of being a Beta Sigma Phi, and forever loyal to our sisters. If we simply welcomed any and all women who desired to go Greek, then...what would our sisterhood mean?
<snip>

Friendships are one thing....but my sisters astound me daily and I treasure them more and more as time goes on.

Originally Posted by misscherrypie

The fact that Beta Sigma Phi International offers almost no guidance to those charting new chapters, other than sending the needed documents to fill out and send back to international is something that I know annoys the snot out of Beta Sigma Phi members in general. It's a major gripe among us Beta Sigma Phis across the planet and one that I personally think that International ignores.

Originally Posted by adpiucf

This isn't intended to sound harsh, but here are the facts. You haven't been a BSP for very long, so I think you're being a bit dramatic about your loyalty and love for the organization. I'm not saying you don't love it or you're not dedicated to it, but you've only been a member for a few months and you've been pretty much on your own with a few friends who have agreed to join or who are excited to join. If, out of 80 interests, 33 women who were offered bids declined (except one who's on board in name only until her schedule improves?), that should tell you that there isn't that kind of demand on your campus for this group. You're also trying to shoehorn a community sorority into your vision of an NPC, and clearly the infrastructure is not there and that is not BSP's intent.

I agree. I think it's time to stop trying to make "Fetch" happen and either accept the organization for what it is (and isn't), and/or move on to other pastures.

[erica812]

I did feel a little uncomfortable with how our organization was being portrayed. That's why I jumped in to clarify, but I think misscherrypie's feelings are normal. And she was just letting her thougths roll. I don't fault that.

Sister, your apology was very gracious.

I didn't realize Reno had a City Council. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!!!!! In a major metropolitan area, a City Council is going to have great events. They probably have a very formal Founder's Day event. They are likely to have a Valentine Ball. When I FV'd back in 2002, we didn't "join" the City Council, but we did attend their Founder's Day. It was SO inspiring to see the older sisters, and we made many positive contacts that way. You can learn so much.

You're going to have to decide what you really want, and I think even the BSP sisters who have volunteered to help you can see that BSP might never meet your expectations. That's okay. If you decide not to worry about campus recognition and just love the BSP experience, then you can relax about recruiting for a bit. As long as you have sent in your forms for seven founding sisters, you can move forward. Conduct your pledge ritual per International's design (it's lovely!), and then as you are developing your sisterhood and doing your pledge training, you can be gaining new members as you go.

ALL of my FV members came from word-of-mouth. We did do a table once, and we did not gain members that way. We were on a college campus, but we didn't try to affiliate with the university. We tried hard to never look like we were trying to compete with the campus Greeks, and I think it worked to our advantage.

I truly wish you the best, sister.

[AZTheta]

Originally Posted by misscherrypie

I should have been more clear.

My frustration (misplaced, by the way) is that my organization is NOT a Collegiate Social Sorority and in my selfishness, I wanted to create a Beta Sigma Phi chapter that worked as such. I had no business accusing our international of being unsupportive, when they are in no way equipped to deal with what we were trying to do....because its not that kind of organization.

That is my fault.....and not my organizations issue. I'd delete what I said...but I don't think that's possible. I was cruel and insensitive.

Was a little surprised that this thread has been going on for so long.

misscherrypie, the bolded says it all, and those are your words (which others have also thought and written). In another thread, it was suggested that you step away from the entire sorority issue for a while (paraphrasing, folks). I think that would be a positive step and would give you some perspective on what this is really about.

ETA: still confused, are you actually initiated? and do you have a chapter charter?

[misscherrypie]

Yes, I am initiated. Our charter is on the way. ( international in all likelihood has received our paperwork by now.)

We've resolved to have me step back for a bit....as in the words of Grace: "Just let things happen." I believe that we have a very capable and strong chapter as it stands today and we're going down the road of Beta Sigma Phi together....which by definition, will be an interesting journey.

I'll keep everyone posted once we have had the opportunity to hash things out.

[DubaiSis]

Here's what can happen in big projects like this. One person gets the ball rolling. Does ALL the work for months, takes everything way too seriously, and burns out, quite possibly dropping out completely. Stop yourself now before it gets to that point. Hand the reins over to someone else, let them use the help that is there (this "city council" seems like a great idea), just be a member, and then maybe figure out how you can get back into the swing in 6 months or so. Otherwise I can picture the embarrassing blow up that happens in a public place (THAT was a good night) or the leader just quits out of frustration and loses a bunch of friends in the process.