Need help organizing my sorority

[GammaDelt]

delete

[33girl]

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

My sorority, Gamma Delta Pi, is a local, underground sorority.

http://theithacan.org/am/publish/new...f_campus.shtml

If there's an article in the campus paper, you're not "underground." You are simply not recognized by the college.

[OPhiAGinger]

GammaDelta,

According to the article in the school paper, your sorority used to have housing on campus. What are the school guidelines that led to GDP moving off campus in 1992? Did they have anything to do with drinking? The school paper makes a major point out of the fact that GDP allows alcohol at their functions, which makes me think that the fraternities that are still on campus don't.

I don't want to over simplify, but if the dry GLOs get campus recognition and campus housing (and presumably are thriving) maybe you should rethink your alcohol policy. Would you sisterhood be the same if you took alcohol out of the equation?

[KSUViolet06]

*I'm sure it's probably easier said than done, but it would probably be a good idea to move towards going "dry." If students associate you with partying and drinking, they probably aren't going to want to join that badly. Reason: They can do that with their friends without paying dues! They don't need GDP to drink.

*Get your meetings organized I suggest having your secretary or president type up an agenda for every meeting that outlines what will be discussed. Anyone who wants to speak NEEDS to be on this agenda. There sohuld also BE NO SIDE CONVERSATIONS. No one should be speaking unless they're on the agenda or they have a question and have been addressed by proper procedure. Stick to the agenda and use parliamentary procedure to keep things on track. We used this in my sorority and meetings were rarely ever longer than an hour.

[GammaDelt]

we could go dry and try to get ourselves school sponsoring like the other school sponsored "Greek life" but those frats aren't real Greek life. They're more like clubs - there's a one week pledge period and no ritual or anything, plus they're all co-ed. there are no parties, and all events are school regulated things like donuts and pizza - they aren't real greek life.

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

they aren't real greek life.

Define "real" Greek Life...?

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

we could go dry and try to get ourselves school sponsoring like the other school sponsored "Greek life" but those frats aren't real Greek life. They're more like clubs - there's a one week pledge period and no ritual or anything, plus they're all co-ed. there are no parties, and all events are school regulated things like donuts and pizza - they aren't real greek life.

So you're saying (and you know for a fact), that the groups on your campus have no ritual and only have meetings once a week, and don't have any other events? That's pretty hard to believe.

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

So you're saying (and you know for a fact), that the groups on your campus have no ritual and only have meetings once a week, and don't have any other events? That's pretty hard to believe.

Ahhh...gotta love pretend Greeks!

[GammaDelt]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

So you're saying (and you know for a fact), that the groups on your campus have no ritual and only have meetings once a week, and don't have any other events? That's pretty hard to believe.

yeah thats what I'm saying. they have social events regulated by the school, and they have an advisor that oversees everything. Gamma Delta Pi does not want to become that - we want to keep our traditions, be allowed to socially drink, and not have administration down out throats. these groups are music fraternities - like clubs.

[GammaDelt]

Originally Posted by OTW

Define "real" Greek Life...?

real greek life as in not being a club. not having administration monitoring all your activities with a critical eye. being allowed to socialize with alcohol. being student led and student run with no adviser.

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

real greek life as in not being a club. not having administration monitoring all your activities with a critical eye. being allowed to socialize with alcohol. being student led and student run with no adviser.

Well I guess my Greek life experience wasn't "real" then.

My chapter followed rules set down by the school, had strict policies regarding alcohol (dry rush; alcohol allowed at events with a 3rd party vendor) and we had advisors up the wazoo when it came to finance, scholarship, recruitment, and operations. It was because of these advisors that helped keep us functioning and afloat. The advise. They do not govern.

I'm going to be frank here and say that your perceptions of Greek life are very way out there and ridiculous. It's a possibility that your current situation may get worse if you really think y'all can do it all by yourselves.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

My sorority, Gamma Delta Pi, is a local, unrecognized sorority. All greek life was shut down in the 80s because two pledges died. We have a constitution and a pledge handbook, but other than that we're pretty unorganized. Meetings are a free for all, and nobody ever wants to stick to the traditions laid out in the constitution and pledgebook. We need a lot of help. Our numbers are dwindling, (we're down to 12) so we need better ideas for rush next year, all the seniors are leaving, so we're losing our house (they live in an apartment).
Any ideas on a) how to run meetings in a more organized way,
b) how to draw new members in without a house
c) how to have rush without a house
d) how to rewrite a constitution
Please help!

Originally Posted by GammaDelt

real greek life as in not being a club. not having administration monitoring all your activities with a critical eye. being allowed to socialize with alcohol. being student led and student run with no adviser.

How's that workin' for ya?

Here you are pleading for help and advice... advice... adv-ISER! *gasp* What do you know? Maybe they exist in every SUCCESSFUL greek sorority for a reason!

[OPhiAGinger]

Sorry. We aren't trying to gang up on you, but it's clear that there is a definite need for change in your group if you want to survive. I know you've been going it alone for more than 15 years, but almost every sorority across the country (social and multicultural and service and religious and what-not) are most successful when they align with the campus and work within the guidelines of the administration.

This does not mean you can't enjoy a beer or glass of wine or even that nasty trash can punch that was popular when I was an undergrad. It just means that you don't do that as part of a sorority event... at least, if that's what the campus rules dictate.

[GammaDelt]

Look, I'm not trying to offend anyone.
Gamma Delta Pi has existed for over 30 years, and it just the past 2 that we've been struggling with organization, not the past 15 since we've been unaffiliated with the school. I'm not saying anyone's Greek experience is any more real than anyone else's. All I'm trying to say is that the type of Greek life my school affiliates itself with is not the same experience the sisters of GDPi want. We just want to remain the same, without affiliating ourselves with the school. I'm just looking for advice on how to draw new sisters in without having a house, and how to best uphold our traditions.

[KSUViolet06]

It is going to be very difficult for you to uphold your traditions and draw in new members. Girls who join sororities at your school are all looking for a certain experience. If what you're offering is drastically different from that, girls are going to be hesitant to join.

You have to alter your experience a little. Am I saying GIVE UP everything you guys do? Not at all. But you need to be offering a comparable experience. At your school, that may mean no drinking at official sorority events and letting the school monitor your events. To put it bluntly, if you want your sorority to thrive, you may have to make those changes.