GLOs 'struggling' at San Marcos

[hoosier]

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006..._442_10_06.txt

SAN MARCOS ---- Members of the two fraternities and two sororities at Cal State San Marcos say the friendships they have forged in these groups play a crucial role in making their college experience a well-rounded one.
The students also say that they view membership in fraternities and sororities as one of the only ways to cultivate a thriving social life on a campus where virtually all the students commute.

But despite these benefits, membership in such groups at the university has flattened at roughly 200 students in recent years, even as overall enrollment has grown beyond 7,500.

[Coramoor]

Either the members aren't doing enough to promote greek life or the school is not doing enough.

WVU has taken a slight (very slight) interest in promoting Greek life this year. A 'meet the greeks' program was done at the beginning of the Fall semester and number wise both fraternities and sororities had a huge % increase in students rushing. I think that if WVU takes a few more initatives and improves upon what they have done already the greek system could flourish here again.

[polarpi]

I can't speak for how the GLOs and/or the school is promoting Greek Life, yet from my (limited) experience with the campus, it is a commuter campus where many people come for class, then leave to go back to their apartments or go to work.

Now, the fact that it is seen as a commuter campus could help the GLOs grow (for those students looking for a way to feel as if they belong), yet many people (that I've talked to) are focused on the fact of completing their coursework and getting out of there. It probably doesn't help that some students actually have to take some classes at the local community college, because there's not enough room in the classes on campus.

[Coramoor]

Do they have houses there?

I'd figure that greek housing would be a benefit b/c people could live right on campus rather than commuting.

One reason I never moved out of my house is because the location can't be beat. I don't have to drive to classes, to bars, nor drive back home drunk. I can walk everywhere.

[hoosier]

At GA State, a commuter school with a great Sigma Nu as the dean, in the past each GLO had a room in the student ctr. Between/before/after classes members could go to the room to meet/socialize.

Each GLO could decorate their room, and some raised and spent a lot of $$.

They had a very successful GLO system on a computer campus.

Now they have some dorms (built for the Olympics) so I don't know what's up - and the SN dean is gone.

[KatieKate1244]

I live on a mainly commuter campus, and while the fraternities have houses, the sororities don't. We do have a wing set aside in the dorms for office space. We meet in ours; I think most of the other groups use theirs for storage. I also tried to get my sisters interested in a suite or hall in one of the dorms, but I didn't get much interest in it.

yet many people (that I've talked to) are focused on the fact of completing their coursework and getting out of there

This describes my campus perfectly. Not many people willing stay after class is over to socialize. It's like pulling teeth to get them to come back to campus for events, however, most people are commuting about 30-40 minutes one way, so I kinda can't blame them.

[Tom Earp]

Not saying Posters are wrong, but many of The Schools are considered Go Home Schools for students.

The next queastion is why?

My School in SE Ks, is close to many Students Homes, the most Major City is Kansas City=two hours away, but when I go down for meetings on Sats. I see many PSU tags on cars going both ways. I do not know if all just students of course. But, if there is no reason for them to stay for what ever reason, say sports, or social then what should they do?

Give them a reason for staying. What is the Feeling of The Adm. That has a lot to do with it. If they profess Greeks, what are they doing to promote Us.?

How about Schools that I know:

William-Jewell, UMKC, Un. Ks, Ks. State, CMoSU, NWMoSU, PSU, Emporia State Un, Un. Mo., Rockhurst Un.

These are just a few in and close to the KC Area, within two hours or less.

But, they all have from what I hear from My Chapters have a great social life and Well rounded Chapters.

[polarpi]

Originally posted by Coramoor
Do they have houses there?

I couldn't find any information on the organizations (I only found a list of Student Organizations, and the GLOs listed there were AXO and AXiD for the women, and SAE for the men), but it was interesting to look at the breakdown of enrollment for the Fall 2005 semester (found at http://www.csusm.edu/newsmedia/backg...stu-enroll.htm). Less than 50% (actually, 43.7%) of the students are 22 years of age or younger, which perhaps would be another "reason" for the lower numbers of students going Greek?

The campus is still building many of the campus buildings - the library was just completed within the past few years, their dorms (or what I *think* were their dorms) were still being built as of Spring 2004 - or so I think I remember . I also found a history of the university (http://www.csusm.edu/newsmedia/background/history.htm) - it didn't become a "full" four-year institution until 1995, so the development and growth is an ongoing process.

Having grown up in San Diego county, I never really knew anything about CSUSM until about my junior year of high school (1996/1997), and of my friends that have gone there/are going there now, many of them never lived on campus and I don't think were really into campus activities. Now, maybe that was a personal choice, but I can't speak from the perspective of being a student there and deciding whether or not to join a Greek organization.

[axidgl]

Here is the site for our chapter there, Theta Rho. http://www.csusmaxid.com/