What can be done to help smaller GLO's?

[irishpipes]

FYI, for Duquesne, the NPCs on campus are:
Delta Zeta (1969)
Alpha Phi (1970)
ZTA (1970)
Alpha Gamma Delta (1971)
Alpha Sigma Tau (1971)
Gamma Phi Beta (1995)
Sigma Sigma Sigma used to have a chapter there.

[Little E]

Originally posted by Denise_DPhiE
Three groups were invited to present. Out of courtesy and the desire to not get into a "GO ABC" I am not listing which three.

I know we had a thread on not discussing extention on the forums so we don't influence the campus' decision. I think it would be good to keep that in mind, so I totally ditto the idea of keeping it private.

I think extention is great, but I really do not think that this is the only way that NPC can help struggling GLOs. As we've talked about extention, we've said here that alumane bases, real estate and financial bases are just as important as an open campus. How can NPC groups who are doing well, help in these areas? You just can't expand without other ducks in a row...

[33girl]

Originally posted by Little E
I think extention is great, but I really do not think that this is the only way that NPC can help struggling GLOs. As we've talked about extention, we've said here that alumane bases, real estate and financial bases are just as important as an open campus. How can NPC groups who are doing well, help in these areas? You just can't expand without other ducks in a row...

I don't think other groups can help with alum support. Your group needs to look within itself and see why alums are or are not supportive and be realistic. It's easy to say "people are so busy nowadays and this generation doesn't want to do anything" but that's a copout. If your level of alumnae participation plummeted after you (totally random & silly example) changed the national mascot from a cow to a duck, well then, maybe the alums didn't want that and you should have explored it further before you unilaterally did it.

Making sure alums do not feel disenfranchised increases support, which increases donations and the amount of alums enthused about their sorority, which makes everything better.

[honeychile]

Originally posted by irishpipes
FYI, for Duquesne, the NPCs on campus are:
Delta Zeta (1969)
Alpha Phi (1970)
ZTA (1970)
Alpha Gamma Delta (1971)
Alpha Sigma Tau (1971)
Gamma Phi Beta (1995)
Sigma Sigma Sigma used to have a chapter there.

As much as I bleed azure blue & white, I would really like to see Theta Phi Alpha there. They're based on Roman Catholism, and it would be great to see them expand (assuming, of course, that they presented)!

[33girl]

Originally posted by honeychile
As much as I bleed azure blue & white, I would really like to see Theta Phi Alpha there. They're based on Roman Catholism, and it would be great to see them expand (assuming, of course, that they presented)!

Apparently the sorority that wants to go national is Jewish based, so if that's still the case I would say TPA is out.

ETA can we move the expansion posts into a new thread? We are getting away from the original topic.

[honeychile]

Originally posted by 33girl
Apparently the sorority that wants to go national is Jewish based, so if that's still the case I would say TPA is out.

ETA can we move the expansion posts into a new thread? We are getting away from the original topic.

OOPS! So goes my theory!

[AEPhiSierra]

Originally posted by honeychile
As much as I bleed azure blue & white, I would really like to see Theta Phi Alpha there. They're based on Roman Catholism, and it would be great to see them expand (assuming, of course, that they presented)!

I get the impression that while Theta Phi Alpha has Roman Catholic roots they have really moved away from them (not saying this is a good or bad thing, just saying.) I have never really heard references to them embracing their Catholic roots the same way, say AEPhi or SDT does their Jewish roots.

[Little E]

Originally posted by 33girl
I don't think other groups can help with alum support. Your group needs to look within itself and see why alums are or are not supportive and be realistic. It's easy to say "people are so busy nowadays and this generation doesn't want to do anything" but that's a copout. If your level of alumnae participation plummeted after you (totally random & silly example) changed the national mascot from a cow to a duck, well then, maybe the alums didn't want that and you should have explored it further before you unilaterally did it.

Making sure alums do not feel disenfranchised increases support, which increases donations and the amount of alums enthused about their sorority, which makes everything better.

I wouldn’t expect a group rebuild another alumnae base, it would be inappropriate. What I’m saying is that (for example) alumnae support is integral to having a strong organization. I think we can learn from each other about how we transition collegiate members into alumnae. Some of the medium to smaller orgs are great at keeping alumnae members involved, that is what I think we need help other orgs replicate. How do we find ways to keep sorority participation if they are the only alumna in 60 miles?

I think that these types of ideas are beneficial to share across the board, none of us can say we don’t need more alumnae support.

I really feel like expansion is great, but not the key to long term survival.

ditto on moving the expansion convo...

[honeychile]

Originally posted by Little E
ditto on moving the expansion convo...

I'm all for that!

Back to helping the smaller sororities, isn't that what both the Collegiate and Alumnae Panhellenics should be doing, also - improving the options? Let's face it - I was ready to be gung ho for TPA at Duquesne because of their religion, not knowing that the focus group was primarily Jewish! And as an aside, TPA was very strict about being Roman Catholic when I went through Rush.

I can understand that the sororities must speak up first, and say that they would like to expand, as for all I know, there's a GLO or two that wants to stay small(er). But Panhellenics are all about trying to spread the wealth - or at least, they should be!

[irishpipes]

Originally posted by AEPhiSierra
I get the impression that while Theta Phi Alpha has Roman Catholic roots they have really moved away from them (not saying this is a good or bad thing, just saying.) I have never really heard references to them embracing their Catholic roots the same way, say AEPhi or SDT does their Jewish roots.

This is interesting, too, because the NPCs with historical ties to a specific religion are some of the smaller GLOs we are discussing. At Illinois, we had 3 "Jewish" sororities - DPhiE, SDT, and AEPhi. Now, Illinois has a fairly large Jewish student population (considering it is in the midwest in a rural area) and that is largely because the Chicago area has a substantial Jewish population. When I was there, SDT was very well established and my perception was that it was kind of the top Jewish house. DPhiE was also considered a Jewish sorority, and they ended up closing. AEPhi seemed to move away from labeling itself as a Jewish sorority on campus, and their numbers really went up. It seemed that 1 Jewish sorority on campus could do really well, but 3 was just too many, even with a good-sized Jewish student population. The inevitable happened in that 1 closed and 1 ceased to be "Jewish."

In some ways, I think it is sad what happened, because I think it would be cool to have the bond of religion with your sisters, or at least many of them. I think maybe part of the heritage of AEPhi was lost when it went "secular" for lack of a better word. On the other hand, maybe it was a sacrifice for the greater good.

I am Catholic, and part of me is with Honeychile that it would be great for TPA to really get a stronghold at Catholic schools since that is their heritage. It is sort of sad that they are moving away from that, but maybe like AEPhi at Illinois, it is what they had to do to survive.

[honeychile]

Originally posted by 33girl
Making sure alums do not feel disenfranchised increases support, which increases donations and the amount of alums enthused about their sorority, which makes everything better.

Signature worthy advice!

To take it a step further, alumnae who are enthusiastic about their sorority are more apt to help out other sororities.

[ms_gwyn]

I for one (being late to the discussion) would LOVE to see Tri Sigma back in SoCal .

[scotty K]

My piont was and is, that there are some GLOs that seem to do better in some areas. We have seen that Phi Sig is big in the northeast. I am sorry that you all think that I was inacurate. I wanted to express the piont that some GLOs, men and women do better in some areas. I used the Commonwealth of Kentucky as an example. I defined a narrow section for study. Think about why some GLOs are more populus in some regions rather than others?

[irishpipes]

I hate to flame a newcomer, but your first post didn't really come across to me like your lastest one did.

Originally posted by scotty K
I have noticed that some GLOs cannot seem to keep a chapter up and running is some states. For example, Zeta Tau Alpha has closed all three of the chapters that were opened in the Commonwelath of KY, dating from the 1920's forward. Alpha Xi Delta has had to close it's two chapters in KY due to low numbers. Alpha Xi closed the Xi chapter on the campus of UK.

I think probably naming names here was a little unnecessary. It isn't as if those are the only groups who deal with this. My own group has 3 inactive chapters in Kentucky.

Originally posted by scotty K
On the other hand, Alpha Gam, Pike, Sig Ep, Chi O, and KD seem to grow all over.

Every GLO has strong chapters and struggling ones. It's great that you have a positive image of these 5, but basing this conclusion on what you see in Kentucky is sort of silly. (I know in my state, if you asked someone what 5 are strong all over, it wouldn't be the same 5.)

Again, sorry to flame.

[33girl]

Originally posted by scotty K
My piont was and is, that there are some GLOs that seem to do better in some areas. We have seen that Phi Sig is big in the northeast. I am sorry that you all think that I was inacurate. I wanted to express the piont that some GLOs, men and women do better in some areas. I used the Commonwealth of Kentucky as an example. I defined a narrow section for study. Think about why some GLOs are more populus in some regions rather than others?

That's true. But you ruined any credibility you had when you said certain groups seemed to "grow all over." Looking at this board for 2 seconds would have told you the groups you chose aren't necessarily doing that (again, nothing against them, just that they are not constantly opening and never closing chapters).

And take your example of ZTA "not being able to keep a chapter open." The three chapters in Kentucky closed in 1977, 1982 and 1992. Two of them had been open since the 1920's! I hardly call an existence of 70 years "not being able to keep a chapter open."

Please research your facts before you spout off about something you know very little about and insult other Greek organizations.