Chapter Size

Harison27 · #1 12-07-2003, 03:46 PM

I must admit that this has been one of the hardest semesters that I have had to deal with in my fraternity. from 3 years ago having a 40 man chapter to last semester only having an 8 man chapter, I have been stressed out and worried like you wouldnt' believe.

However, on a good note, we put thru 7 guys this semester thru Ritual, practically doubling our chapter size and my goal is to double the 15 man chapter that we now have in the Spring to a 30 man chapter. With a new Rush Chair that is already working with me, we can accompish anything. So wish us luck!

I would like to Personally thank the Brothers from MoreHead State University who allowed us to come watch their Ritual one week before we had ours and then showed up to help us Conduct our own Ritual. That was perhaps one of the things that I can avidly say that makes me glad that I am a Brother of this Chapter because we not only support each other but our Brother Chaptes as well. Thanks!

With that in mind, keep me posted on any advice that anyone has for Rush events. Advice over the Summer was Awesome!

IN ZAX,

Harrison
High Alpha
ZZ Chapter of LXA

EM1843 · #2 12-07-2003, 04:08 PM

What chapter are you at? Good luck expanding your chapter. The UF chapter was a 140 man chapter during the 80s and early 90s. Following a membership review that number was cut in half. Many more brothers decided to leave the fraternity and at one point in 1999 18 men decided that they would fight for the fraternity they loved. Lambda Chi at uf was 37 men when I was initated in Fall 2001 and that included 10 AMs. Now in Fall 2003 we iniated 17 and have a chapter size of almost 60 and we're still growing. It can happen!

Good luck once again.

ZAX
EM1843

Harison27 · #3 12-07-2003, 11:04 PM

We are the Zeta Zeta Chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha and we are located at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. 15 and growing.

LCA AZ 1243 · #4 12-08-2003, 03:35 AM

I came into my chapter when there were 9 brothers. I was initiated with 5 others and today we have 27. It is great to go from the smallest chapters to one of the largest in a year but sometimes I wish I was back in a smaller chapter. Sure things are better now with more guys more things can get done and we can get our name out better, but many problems can arise from growing so fast.

One of things I urge you guys to look at is quality over quantity. Do not be so ready to take 15 guys because you want to grow when really only 8 or 9 should get bids. We were lucky to find so many great guys so we got both quality and quantity.

When I was an AM it was great to join a small chapter because of the impact I could have right off the bat plus the fact that everyone was so close with each other.

One of the problems that has happened to a small degree in my chapter is that tripling in size in a year has made it hard to get to know everyone so well.

I dont mean to be a downer and congratulations on all of your success but make sure you can handle growing so quickly

Harison27 · #5 12-08-2003, 03:48 AM

thanks for the advice. Trust me when I say that we will only accept quality. We have a pretty good system this semester and we shall see if it works next semester as well. of the 7 guys that we just accepted into the chapter, I will honestly say in my opinion only that the majority of them are keepers and only one possibly two will not commit, but we as a chapter voted on everyone and everyone has the chance to prove themselves. I may actually be suprised and the one(s) that I don't think will excel may prove to be the hardest workers in making us a better chapter. I've been proven wrong before and would gladly do so again.

Tom Earp · #6 12-08-2003, 07:43 PM

Harrison, I think each and everyone of us have been in a Near Collision Situation!

We all have been there and are trying to work out ways our out of it!

A remember of the Staff at Hdq is long gone and he was a Problem for many of us!

Hdq. now does not give up on small Zetas that the did under this person!

They are more willing to work with Zetas more so than before!

If the Zeta is showing something then they will stick by you!

Now the rub comes in, where do they have the ELCs Spend the Time and OUr Money!

So, do not never give of the Hope, they need to know as well as you do!

Ask for Help if needed! As a LXA, as you can see on another Post, You as A Brother Of LXA has a Hell of a lot to Promote to New Young Men!

We as LXA do Have a lot to say, Hey, We are LXA, This is what we stand for!

I for one am the Proudest Oldest LXA on this Site!

Harison27 · #7 12-11-2003, 05:24 PM

tks, we had a meeting the other day and there is not one person in my fraternity that is on a different page. we are working better as a team right now than most of my Marine Corps units did before I came to school. all you little chapters of 60 or 70 guys better watch out cause were a comin for ya!

EM1843 · #8 12-11-2003, 07:22 PM

A membership review is when INT or an alumni association goes through the members of a house and decides who stays and who goes. This usually happens when a chapter is having MAJOR risk management problems but hasn't gotten in trouble yet. As in is hazing it's AMs, alcohol and drugs are running the chapter, and finances are questionable, but the house doesn't want to close. It happens here everyonce in a while. All the brothers who are deemed too much of a hazard to the chapter are made alumni or expelled from the fraternity. This isn't a pretty process, but sometimes it saves a chapter in trouble.

Tom Earp · #9 12-12-2003, 05:51 PM

Matt, excellent points, but somewhat a sad commintary though .

Considering for what LXA stands for and what We trying to excell for, and what we stand for!

One of the most important parts of this is:

What I experienced at The Weekend at BN, I have become close to those many Brohters and Yourself by being together.

I Know Jono feels the same way after being with My LX Z Brothers for a weekend.

Not only that, the commaraderi that has been built up by just being on GC, says a lot!

How hard is it to explain to people who are not members of a Greek Organization the feeling of saying Hey, S Harmer, helped me rifinance My Property, Jason Lenox was one of the first Brothers I met off of LXA Digital. Jono Hren, who is a Great Brother and one of my closest friends, well along with all of the BN Brothers.

How about the Zetas that I have been to to just say High and meet them.

John Pierce, of LSU and the Alum Pryamid, or the many others! Paul Beach, who Jono and I had the Priveledge of being at His Initiation and His Whole Family of Legacys!

This is Our Legacy of LXA!

turbo00 · #10 01-22-2004, 08:16 PM

i just wanted to say that we have 32 members this semester. last semester, we had 42. we are also going to have less next semester b/c 9 are graduating.

we are going for quality more than quantity now and hopefully it will work out this semester.

Tom Earp · #11 01-24-2004, 04:12 PM

I may have posted this some other thread, but we are having membership problems also.

I had a Active in bad standing who emailed me professing his love for The Zeta and LXA but was not current with his dues. Ouch, it hurts all Brothers of The Zeta.

Well, We demolished our House in Aug last year. The Zeta Just feels that without a House they cannot really have a good rush!

I explained to Him that a House is great but in 1965, I was a 1 man Local with no house and members, also going against another group and only 1 would be allowed on campus at that time.

So while 99% of the Current Members have had a House, it was not always there.

Our situation was a heck of a lot harder than they have now. They Have LXA as a International to Name, a 3 lot corner across from Campus. A tradition of not giving up and being there for 38 years.

Sad but true, I never heard back from him!

As can be seen from these many posts, each Zeta goes through good times as well as bad. If it is bad, then that is the time for all of the Brothers to Band Together and Say "YES WE CAN" and do it.

I will throw this in, LXAAlum will be with The Brothers at U. No. Col. for their Re-Chartering This weekend!

lifesaver · #12 02-02-2004, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tom Earp
I may have posted this some other thread, but we are having membership problems also.

I had a Active in bad standing who emailed me professing his love for The Zeta and LXA but was not current with his dues. Ouch, it hurts all Brothers of The Zeta.

Well, We demolished our House in Aug last year. The Zeta Just feels that without a House they cannot really have a good rush!

I explained to Him that a House is great but in 1965, I was a 1 man Local with no house and members, also going against another group and only 1 would be allowed on campus at that time.

So while 99% of the Current Members have had a House, it was not always there.

Our situation was a heck of a lot harder than they have now. They Have LXA as a International to Name, a 3 lot corner across from Campus. A tradition of not giving up and being there for 38 years.

Sad but true, I never heard back from him!

As can be seen from these many posts, each Zeta goes through good times as well as bad. If it is bad, then that is the time for all of the Brothers to Band Together and Say "YES WE CAN" and do it.

I will throw this in, LXAAlum will be with The Brothers at U. No. Col. for their Re-Chartering This weekend!

Tom, we had a house and it woas bought out from underneath of us in 1995 and the chapter had its greatest successes after. Explain to them that while yes, the house is an advantage, its not why people join a chapter. People join people - not buildings. Also have them understqand that this is only temporary. and they need to bust ass in recruitment to tide the chapter over till you build the new house.

Tom Earp · #13 02-02-2004, 04:00 PM

Life and all of the Brothers, yep, I could not agree more, but trying to get them out of that mind set is like a brick wall. I ahve pointed out UT SA and FIT as examples. One who lost a house Building) and one who never had one.

What is sad about this Founders Day, is that the Candidate who was to be Intiated This Weekend Dropped out of the Chapter.

So now for the first time, they are going to do the Alum Initiation and I have been asked to be the Candidate. I told them, that I would be Honored and hope it goes off well. This is the first time that it has been done at LX Z! I guess I had better read it to see what is going on!

To old to do the goat again!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, as I told all of the Alums and Actives that I have emails for, this may be my last hoorah unless things get changed. This was pointed to Both Actives and Alums.

Think the worst and hope for the best right Andy!

I guess time will tell!