Duke's Alpha Omicron Pi chapter to close

[AOIIalum]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

It is my sincere hope and prayer that the use of the new release figures will help avoid "the death spiral", and that we will see far fewer chapters have to close because of declining numbers.

Let's hope so.

Hopefully one of these days the campus panhellenics will realize that they are only as strong as their weakest chapter, which may or may not be the smallest.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by PANTHERTEKE

I don't mean to offend anyone, but why is it such a bad thing when an unsuccessful chapter closes?

Wouldn't you rather have a chapter of your GLO be shut down than be known as the worst chapter on campus that never meets quota, has a bad reputation, etc? (that question is obviously for sorority women)

I think it's a waste of time, money, and effort when these kind of chapters just linger on and on. It also isn't fair to the handful of individuals in a chapter like that who continuously strive to improve their chapter only to make little or no changes.

Many times, the women in those chapters DO NOT CARE that they're the smallest or don't have the biggest house or don't have the most mixers. They pledged for different reasons. It's their national HQ or the campus that is telling them that they suck. And if you hear that enough (and buy into it) it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

It amuses me that guys, who don't have quota or total or have to follow it, would go along with the "doesn't meet quota/total = bad chapter" fallacy.

Lots of chapters don't have big houses to maintain and there is no fucking reason to force them to be huge.

I could care less if a chapter is seen as "worst" on campus if the women are having a fun experience. I was going to add something else but I think I'll keep my mouth shut.

[TriDeltaSallie]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Many times, the women in those chapters DO NOT CARE that they're the smallest or don't have the biggest house or don't have the most mixers. They pledged for different reasons. It's their national HQ or the campus that is telling them that they suck. And if you hear that enough (and buy into it) it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

It amuses me that guys, who don't have quota or total or have to follow it, would go along with the "doesn't meet quota/total = bad chapter" fallacy.

Lots of chapters don't have big houses to maintain and there is no fucking reason to force them to be huge.

I could care less if a chapter is seen as "worst" on campus if the women are having a fun experience. I was going to add something else but I think I'll keep my mouth shut.

Ok, 33girl, now tell us how you really feel. LOL!

But you are right. I think one other complication can come from within the chapter itself when part of the chapter is perfectly happy with being smaller and "less popular" and another part isn't. As you said, some women join for friendship, leadership, etc. and the number and perceived quality of the mixers isn't a big deal to them. Then there are other women who feel the snubs acutely. It can make it challenging within the chapter itself.

Just my two cents.

[ForeverRoses]

^^^ 33Girl, I would agree with you for the most part. That's why I like the idea that the CHAPTER voted to close, rather than HQ coming in and telling them they are being closed because an executive board voted to close them.

[AOEforme]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoses

^^^ 33Girl, I would agree with you for the most part. That's why I like the idea that the CHAPTER voted to close, rather than HQ coming in and telling them they are being closed because an executive board voted to close them.

I agree: I'd prefer to decide with my sisters to close than someone telling me I had to.

And, just as a point of interest: My chapter has 18 actives and 6 NMs on a campus with a total of 120. And I wouldn't trade it for the world!

[33girl]

Originally Posted by TriDeltaSallie

I think one other complication can come from within the chapter itself when part of the chapter is perfectly happy with being smaller and "less popular" and another part isn't. As you said, some women join for friendship, leadership, etc. and the number and perceived quality of the mixers isn't a big deal to them. Then there are other women who feel the snubs acutely. It can make it challenging within the chapter itself.

True dat. But I think that there is a way for the women who are interested in being more "social" to nudge the rest of the chapter that way without making them feel like they're compromising their integrity. These are the women who joined because they truly loved the members of the chapter and whatever they do is to make the chapter better and the women's lives happier.

And then there are those who joined it as a "second choice" because they didn't get a bid to their first choice and will never stop pushing for XYZ to turn into ABC. News flash: YOU DIDN'T GET INTO ABC - YOU'RE NOT ABC MATERIAL, DEAL WITH IT. These people are just worried about what others think when they say "I'm an XYZ." We had a thread on here like that.

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...ad.php?t=76336

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by AOEforme

I agree: I'd prefer to decide with my sisters to close than someone telling me I had to.

And, just as a point of interest: My chapter has 18 actives and 6 NMs on a campus with a total of 120. And I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Agree for the most part. The only reason I think a HQ is justified in closing a chapter is if they are digging themselves deeper and deeper into debt (which certainly does not apply to all struggling chapters, since not all of them have a huge house to fill, and that is usually where a financial problem arises).

[sigmaceli]

I don't mean to offend anyone, but why is it such a bad thing when an unsuccessful chapter closes?

Wouldn't you rather have a chapter of your GLO be shut down than be known as the worst chapter on campus that never meets quota, has a bad reputation, etc? (that question is obviously for sorority women)

I think it's a waste of time, money, and effort when these kind of chapters just linger on and on. It also isn't fair to the handful of individuals in a chapter like that who continuously strive to improve their chapter only to make little or no changes.

Oddly enough, as an alumna of your campus, I feel I know which chapters you have formed this opinion on as being in that situation.

My experiences as a dedicated alumna serving my national organization would not have happened had it not been for the chapters that you deem "struggling," even if they were not my own (OMG, not Panhellenic spirit! lol). I am honored to have been a part of one of those chapters, and it made me want to give back to my own national organization. I don't know if I can immediately say the same for those who will not have had an experience as difficult and rewarding as the one I had over the past few years. I hope to see my chapter succeed and grow in the future, yes, but I am absolutely satisfied with the character and caliber of the women that I call my sisters. You may not be able to appreciate them, but they deserve a bit more respect than what they receive on that campus.

[PANTHERTEKE]

Originally Posted by sigmaceli

Oddly enough, as an alumna of your campus, I feel I know which chapters you have formed this opinion on as being in that situation.

My experiences as a dedicated alumna serving my national organization would not have happened had it not been for the chapters that you deem "struggling," even if they were not my own (OMG, not Panhellenic spirit! lol). I am honored to have been a part of one of those chapters, and it made me want to give back to my own national organization. I don't know if I can immediately say the same for those who will not have had an experience as difficult and rewarding as the one I had over the past few years. I hope to see my chapter succeed and grow in the future, yes, but I am absolutely satisfied with the character and caliber of the women that I call my sisters. You may not be able to appreciate them, but they deserve a bit more respect than what they receive on that campus.

Well if you feel my comments and opinion were generated by a specific group on campus, then I apologize. It wasn't formed because of 1 or 2 orgs at my school.

My main reasoning for how I feel is that I empathize with organizations that are struggling and have only a handful of people working toward the betterment of their chapter, since I know fraternity AND sorority members in this situation.

Which is what I meant when I said this:

I think it's a waste of time, money, and effort when these kind of chapters just linger on and on. It also isn't fair to the handful of individuals in a chapter like that who continuously strive to improve their chapter only to make little or no changes.

P.S.- If there wasn't "chapters that dont meet quota/total suck" stigma already established by SORORITY women, then fraternity men wouldn't fall into that "fallacy."

[33girl]

Originally Posted by PANTHERTEKE

P.S.- If there wasn't "chapters that dont meet quota/total suck" stigma already established by SORORITY women, then fraternity men wouldn't fall into that "fallacy."

Since when do men listen to everything women say? This would be a first.

[SWTXBelle]

I have a great deal of respect for those NPC groups who have smaller chapters on competitive campuses and allow them to handle recruitment and other chapter issues in a way that allows them to continue to thrive no matter what their numbers.

[sigmaceli]

You know, I do have to give PantherTeke some credit where it is due. He may not necessarily understand the mystical, albeit slightly crazy, ways of the NPC, and he still takes the time to enter the lion's den and try to understand where we're all coming from as members of NPC organizations. I appreciate it. Yay for interfraternalism!

On another note, I do want to extend my sympathies to the AOII chapter at Duke. They must be going through a really emotional, difficult time and I don't feel this thread has continued on that vein. If any of these women are on GC, I hope they realize that we're here for support.

[SWTXBelle]

Blink and you missed it!

[sigmaceli]

I may not be as familiar with GC lingo as well as others, but... what do you mean by that, SWTXBelle?

[SWTXBelle]

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