Zeta Tau Alpha at Tulane

[nolagreek]

Mardi Gras fell between recruitment and the colonization start so that may have been a factor in the timing. There was a moritorium on COB for just over three weeks during the Zeta colonization period. Three weeks is the maximum specified in the NPC. Total is recalculated each semester as the average of all groups and total did go up because of the new members. I don't know if COB was a huge impact since all of the groups were within 5% of total in the fall and everyone took quota. My impression is that there were not many COB offered.

[amIblue?]

Here's an article from the school paper

http://www.thehullabaloo.com/news/ar...tml?TNNoMobile

[FSUZeta]

"Monsen said she did not understand why potential new recruits have already been cut from ZTA in the last week.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Monsen said. “The decision was made by nine women on ZTA’s executive board.”"

^That is how it is done.^ I wonder who she thought would make the decision?

And it does appear that I was mistaken, and that some bids were distributed.

Average chapter size of 236 and 150 bids makes it difficult for the colony (chapter) to catch up with the established groups.

[AZTheta]

^^^ You might not be mistaken, b/c in my experience, newspapers frequently get things wrong. The bottom line is that, like Chi Omega at another campus (name escapes me), Zeta Tau Alpha assessed the situation and determined that it was best not to go forward at this time.

That is a sizeable gap in membership size (150 v. 230+). Better to stop now than to struggle, struggle, struggle and eventually fail. A successful colony must come on at full strength, IMO, and continue at a very high energy level/pace.

[FSUZeta]

Originally Posted by nolagreek

When PhiMu was colonized in 2010, total was around 120. This was in the fall before recruitment. Tulane opened for expansion again in 2011 and selected ZTA and ADII for a stacked extension. Total was around 150 in the fall of 2011 and over 160 this past fall. Quota is has been been just below 70 for the past two years which brings total to over 200 after recruitment especially when quota additions are included. The issue is that PhiMu just brought more people into the system and did not really reduce total. Quota dipped for one year and then shot right back up to where it had been before. The large chapter sizes did not happen overnight but then it takes a while for the whole extension process. The percentage of women who are interested in being Greek has increased with extension.

I was looking for this, because it helps paint a more complete picture. If ZTA had colonized with 150 members, and average chapter size is 236 they are 86 members down, IF they retain all their colony members (which rarely happens). Trying to COB up to average chapter size is doable when you need 10 or so girls, but 86 is a difficult task, and you would not want to put the burden of continually holding COB events on your new colony.

The poster said that quota has been just below 70 for the past 2 years. Quota typically takes a small dip the formal recruitment after a colonization, so lets say that next years quota is 65. Providing the established chapters all pledged quota and ZTA pledged quota too, ZTA's membership numbers would still be significantly lower than the other chapters which would eventually be detrimental to the chapter. Unless Panhellenic allows ZTA to snap bid and they can snap bid up to the new average chapter size( which would be difficult to do), it will always be a catchup game for the chapter.

[amIblue?]

What I find almost incredible is the rapid growth rate in the last 3-4 years there. That's mind boggling. I almost wonder if they wouldn't have been more successful numbers wise if they had colonized in the fall. It may not have mattered, but it does seem as if the timing was challenging.

I giggled at the freshman's quote, too.

[nolagreek]

The 236 number quoted by the Hullabaloo was the size of the largest chapter - not total. Total was set at 220 this semester. However, that number includes seniors and will be smaller in the fall. I would be surprised if there were many seniors in the 150 committed to Zeta because they will be graduating in two months. Fall total will probably be somewhere around 170 - 180. The new colony would have been smaller but not by more than 50. Phi Mu colonized in the fall and it worked for them but required lots of support to colonize and then be ready for formal recruitment a few months later.

[AZTheta]

nolagreek, total is set after recruitment. It has nothing to do with departing seniors. You have no idea or way of knowing what total will be until recruitment is completed. For now, it's 220. And chapter size will dip in the fall, that is correct. But not total! The CPC has to vote to raise or lower total.

FSUZeta's points are all valid and stand on their own merits.

amIblue, FWIW, quota at AZ went from ~60 five years ago to 80-something this past fall (check irishpipes' thread) with most chapters taking quota plus. CRAZY.

[IndianaSigKap]

Originally Posted by nolagreek

The 236 number quoted by the Hullabaloo was the size of the largest chapter - not total. Total was set at 220 this semester. However, that number includes seniors and will be smaller in the fall. I would be surprised if there were many seniors in the 150 committed to Zeta because they will be graduating in two months. Fall total will probably be somewhere around 170 - 180. The new colony would have been smaller but not by more than 50. Phi Mu colonized in the fall and it worked for them but required lots of support to colonize and then be ready for formal recruitment a few months later.

That's what I was wondering. Most spring colonizations do not take graduating seniors, so ZTA wouldn't be losing an entire class like the other chapters would. If they retained even 140 of the colony they wouldn't have been that much smaller than the average chapter from the sound of it.

[AZTheta]

Case in point: two chapters at AZ are significantly below total and have been for several years. One chapter has closed and recolonized at least twice; they recruit/do COB virtually year around and have not yet been able to "catch up". It is exhausting to do multiple recruitment events, not to mention new member education programs, and multiple initiations in an academic year. No one wants that for a colony/new chapter.

ADPi recolonized with the full support of the other chapters on campus, started out at (then) total and has been able to make quota every year since recolonizing. I expect the same for AXO, who will recolonize this Fall.

Let me do the math again. Hypothetically speaking: ZTA has 140 next fall, all the other chapters have 170-180. That's a gap of 30-40 members. And with total at 220, they would have to successfully recruit 80 new members, while everyone else needs 40-50. That's HUGE. And a lot to put on a colony.

It's most difficult when total keeps getting raised, due to increased numbers of PNMs. The gap widens and doesn't decrease.

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

nolagreek, total is set after recruitm

amIblue, FWIW, quota at AZ went from ~60 five years ago to 80-something this past fall (check irishpipes' thread) with most chapters taking quota plus. CRAZY.

Wow!

[Gusteau]

I've been following this thread with quite a bit of interest. ZTA made a decision that was well within their rights and sovereignty as an organization. Discussion beyond that is really moot point.

Since discussion persists I will say that looking at these numbers it's plain to see that results were not conducive to having a competitive chapter. I won't make a judgement call on the party at fault for that. If you think 150 could have been competitive I don't believe you have an understanding of the inter/national perspective, or how things work at the headquarters level.

[LAblondeGPhi]

Originally Posted by AzTheta

nolagreek, total is set after recruitment. It has nothing to do with departing seniors. You have no idea or way of knowing what total will be until recruitment is completed. For now, it's 220. And chapter size will dip in the fall, that is correct. But not total! The CPC has to vote to raise or lower total.

Not to sound like I'm on nolagreek's side, because I'm not, but it looks like "At Tulane total is reset to the average chapter size each semester." Source.

That sounds like floating total to me, and would be affected both by number of recruits and average class size of departing seniors.

I don't agree with much of nolagreek's attitude, but I will say that she sounds somewhat knowledgeable about the situation. Hint to nolagreek: play nice and you'll get a better reception.

[amIblue?]

What a nightmare to reset total each semester!

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

What a nightmare to reset total each semester!

This is recommended now for campuses using RFM.