What can be done to help smaller GLO's?

[DPhiEAngel]

What can be done to help the smaller NPC sororities colonize at schools and become well known?

As a member of a smaller NPC sorority, I am frustrated when no one has ever heard of us before along with the fact that we aren't at that many schools where greek life is huge.

I am happy when any sorority starts a new colony, but I would especially love to see the smaller NPC sororities start more colonies, especially at larger schools. However, being smaller also means smaller financial resources to do this.

Anyone have some thoughts?

[FuzzieAlum]

There are several things a GLO needs to expand:

1) A good reputation that will get its foot in the door for expansions. Locals need to have heard good things about it; the school's Panhel needs to know it has a strong national reputation. Is the chapter doing a good job of keeping existing chapters open? Is it a leader in policy and planning?

2) Alums in the expansion area to help new chapters out. This is where organizations that are strong in one region but not in another can have problems. You want to expand to Wyoming, but you've never had a chapter there or in Montana or the Dakotas. Can a new chapter really get the support it needs, fiscally and in advice and time?

3) Money, sad but true. Some schools, like Justamom has written, have enormous financial barriers to entry - a chapter needs to come in with a multi-million dollar chapter house. But even in the cheapest scenario, the national spends time and money to send consultants, money on parties, a loan for the house - and local alums chip in, too.

Depending on which difficulty a GLO is facing, it can approach things differently. If its reputation is weak, it's time for nationals to come forward with a strong vision; to first bolster existing chapters; to update its web page; etc. If it is regionally weak, it can do a couple of things. Let's say it only has chapters east of the Mississippi. It can creep gradually west, taking advantage of nearby alums to spread its influence. Or it could leap into a major city like LA which is going to have lots alums due its sheer size. If money is the problem, it may be time for a capital campaign, or to add alumnae dues. (Or, it could push for recruiting rich girls - j/k!)

Some of these problems are self-perpetuating. Let's say ABC and DEF both have ten chapters, but ABC is at schools where average size is 50, and DEF is at schools where average size is 150. Guess which one will have more alums and more money (and a more famous rep) after ten years. So in most cases DEF will have the advantage. However, if Small College has an expansion opportunity, it might actually pick ABC, presuming it knows that niche better than DEF.

Most of this is more easily said then done, of course. Cranky old leaders may not want to modernize their org. Poorer alums just can't give as much financially. And you can't export your alums to a different region as if they were corn or something!

You could ask the smaller orgs to stick together, but would that really happen? I doubt it.

[33girl]

All the smaller orgs need to form an alliance - not "against" the larger stronger groups, but to go into schools as a "package deal" so they aren't the one person walking in to the school dance alone.

And NPC needs to help the smaller groups out. We joined 50 years ago and are still feeling the effects. So many of our chapters died out because of double memberships - and I have a feeling the general NPC thought was "so sad too bad." Sorry to sound so bitchy, but sometimes I think we and the other AES members would have been better off staying as we were.

[Kevin]

By saying "going in as a package deal" do you mean several groups at once? I'm not sure how well schools are set up for rapid expansion like that.

Chapter houses and such are also not necessary ingredients for survival. Many campuses will provide you with facilities to use during recruitment and for meetings.

[33girl]

If a school is looking to start Greek life, transition locals to nationals, or needs 2-3 groups at once, the smaller groups could come in and say "if you choose (example) the ASA, AST and TPA combo platter, not only will the sororities be supported by their own nationals, they will work together as a cohesive unit."

Plus as far as Big 10 type schools, if 2 sororities went in together with the INTENTION of being smaller groups, it could be positive, for the groups and the school. Not everyone wants to be in a group with 200 people, yet even a smaller chapter at a bigger school could be larger than some of these groups' average chapters.

I hope this makes sense, somewhat

[texas*princess]

I think that is a great idea 33girl.

I also agree with FuzzieAlum when she said it is also good to establish chapters at not only big schools, but smaller schools as well.

In all honesty, I haven't even heard of some of the NPC sororities (big and small) until I started coming here to GC, and I have found that they are all excellent organizations that colligate women should all have the opportunity to become part of them.

[DPhiEAngel]

Who are the smaller NPC groups? I'm sure DPhiE is one of them, along with SDT, ASA, AST, TPA maybe?

Why is it that certain groups are almost at every single college in every state, while some NPC groups are struggling to survive? Could it have to do with the smaller groups entering the NPC relatively late compared to the other groups?

I am just curious.

Out here in the Pacific NW, where DPhiE is mostly unheard of, I am constantly reminding people that I meet that we are not a local, but rather a national NPC sorority.

[MTSUGURL]

Some of my friends and I last year tried to go to Greek Life about bringing another NPC sorority here. (We need one - not even half of the girls that went through recruitment this year got bids.) We liked some of the ones that were smaller. Unfortunately, we were told there wasn't a need and they wouldn't bring in another one for several years. I would love to see Theta Phi Alpha or DPhiE come in.

[FuzzieAlum]

I'm sure time has something to do with it, but then again Chi O is pretty young and is very, very strong. (And if we're looking at age, I'd look at the date it went national, not when it was founded - if a group stayed local for 50 years that doesn't help it much come expansion time.)

For several groups, I think I know why they're smaller, and it has nothing to do with their intrinsic worthiness:
-The AES sororities lost a lot of members when they joined NPC
-Theta Phi Alpha was limited to Catholic women for many years; SDT and AEPhi to Jewish women. By the time they became open they had catching up to do in terms of expansion.

Other groups, who knows. For example, AXD and Phi Sig have about the same number of chapters. AXD has done better in regards to spreading around the country, and why, who knows? But then again AXD is still relatively small, so why is that?

I think strength has something to do with how carefully groups expanded in the past. Did they overextend themselves? Did they have a plan for starting chapters all over the country?

For example, I look at AXD (I know it best after all), and many of our dormant chapters - esp. the Alpha XXX chapters - are at the kind of big schools that draw in the numbers. What happened that those chapters ended up not working out for us?

I do think there is one factor here, and it just occurred to me, so I haven't rigorously tested it. Sororities are biggest and most competitive in the South. Think of the sororities that you know are strongest, biggest, most respected, and they're all successful in the South. Again, look at AXD - yes, we have southern chapters, but they're not our oldest, and we didn't even merit a mention in "The Southern Belle Primer." For some reason, the south sets sorority fashion.

OK, that's one theory. Feel free to debunk it!

[texas*princess]

Originally posted by DPhiEAngel
Who are the smaller NPC groups? I'm sure DPhiE is one of them, along with SDT, ASA, AST, TPA maybe?

Why is it that certain groups are almost at every single college in every state, while some NPC groups are struggling to survive? Could it have to do with the smaller groups entering the NPC relatively late compared to the other groups?

I am just curious.

Out here in the Pacific NW, where DPhiE is mostly unheard of, I am constantly reminding people that I meet that we are not a local, but rather a national NPC sorority.

DPhiEAngel, this has nothing to do with why smaller NPC sororities are having more trouble than larger ones, but in all honesty, I had not heard of DphiE, Alpha Sigma Tau, or even Theta Phi Alpha until they were scheduled to make appearences at my first school. None of the other NPC sororities wanted to even present their organizations to the school (while I am sure they all had their reasons, one might have been because of the lack of support for the greek system there) After hearing about them, all the local greek women on campus did much research on the organizations via the web, etc.

I thought all the groups were very extraordinary and wished they had all been on our campus before hand, and am very glad DphiE & TPA chose to colonize there

I have heard from friends back home that are now TPA colony members that their experience is so awesome, and the women who are [future] colony members of DphiE are soooooo proud and happy to have found a 'home' with Delta Phi Epsilon

Delta Phi Epsilon and Theta Phi Alpha (whether they are "small" or not) are doing an *amazing* job at rebuilding the Greek Life there at TAMU-K, and I think that in itself will open the doors for future efforts to expand.

[fire1977]

I think that 33girl and a few fellow GCers had a conversation about this. Mainly, I really think that some of the sororities are very selective about where they go, and that is why they have done so well. Granted you could miss out on some great girls at a specific university but in the same sense is that school going to be able to provide the support, have the enrollment numbers that will keep the chapter active, are there alumnae willing to assist in the area, etc.

Also, like I said in our forum, while small schools are nice the bigger ones help boost the reputation by turning out more alumnae. We don't have many chapters at big schools and I do believe that it is difficult for our International organization to assist those at both the bigger and smaller schools at the same time. The things that fly for the other three chapters I advise wouldn't at the fourth, I think at convention this year it was the first time that they broke them down into groups according to things like commuter schools, etc. for chapters with similar areas could get ideas that may work at their campus.

I think on a whole that we need more alumnae support and the reputation and expansion would follow. If I had to pick a NPC sorority I would look for that as the deciding factor as that is the most fluctuating.

Just my 2 cents!

[madmax]

Originally posted by DPhiEAngel
What can be done to help the smaller NPC sororities colonize at schools and become well known?

As a member of a smaller NPC sorority, I am frustrated when no one has ever heard of us before along with the fact that we aren't at that many schools where greek life is huge.

I am happy when any sorority starts a new colony, but I would especially love to see the smaller NPC sororities start more colonies, especially at larger schools. However, being smaller also means smaller financial resources to do this.

Anyone have some thoughts?

I don't think there is going to be too much expansion in the future. At some schools the demand isn't there. According to info on the rush threads, there are many GLOs that are having a tough time recruiting. Some groups didn't get any pledges this semester.

If the school does have the demand like at a Big 10 school and there are a few hundred girls that go unmatched then you hit the next hurdles. Housing and money. At some places the homes cost over a million bucks. So if you want to compete with the existing groups you are going to have competitive housing.

A hundred years ago if a national wanted to expand it probably wasnt that tough because there was a ton of demand and not a lot of competition. Now its just the opposite.

Would it be possible to target local groups that already have members, $$, and a house?

[Glitter650]

I FELL YOUR PAIN DPHIe ANGEL !!!!
I was a camp counselor this summer and A LOT of people working with me were greek (I met quite a few Kappas, Pi Phis and Alpha PHis, as well as a Delta Gamma and a Delta Zeta) NONE of them, even though these girls had come from all over the country had heard of Phi Sigma Sigma. It makes you sad because you love it so much and no one else has even heard of your org !!!
I mean if you go the Phi Sig website you'll see there is a HUGE Area w/ no chapters in the middle of the country we have LOTS of chapters in the northeast esp. Penn. and NJ) and a farily good handful here in Cali... but NONE in the south (except for a few in the southern part of the east coast in Florida and georgia.. and a very few a bit further north on the coast in Maryland) and NONE in the midwest !!
I think Phi Sig is a GREAT organization that would be a great addition to any campus... we have a great new member program, national offers MANY MANY scholarships to its members, We dont' haze, they offer jobs and such to alumni, We seem to have a good reputation on the campuses we ARE at, and even though there may not be a lot of alumni in some areas which would make it harder to expand... I KNOW that there are girls out there who, although there are a good long drive away would make the sacrifice and go help with any colonization process if national would ask them. ( I know quite a few people in my chapter in San Fran. would GLADLY take a road trip to LA and help in whatever way we could in the process)
I mean... when I read Corina's thread I immediately wrote to national and told them the situation and told them what great spirit Corina had and about the situation at UC Santa Cruz, and because San Fran is only like 1 hour away from Santa Cruz, we totally could've helped in the colonization process and everything, there's no houses at UCSC, so therefore not a HUGE financial barrier, but they weren't interested.... DON"T GET IT !!!
I mean I know all orgs. can't be as big or well known as some, but it does make you frustrated whenever you talk to someone and they're like "Oh we don't have Phi Sigs at my school"
== Sigh == I guess I'll just have to wait until I'm alum and join the Supreme council as director of expansion until I can make my dream of Phi Sig taking over and being at every campus in America come true

[texas*princess]

Keep those colonies going ladies! They will make *excellent* alumni bases for future colonization and growth !

[AngelPhiSig]

Originally posted by DPhiEAngel
Who are the smaller NPC groups? I'm sure DPhiE is one of them, along with SDT, ASA, AST, TPA maybe?


.

*cough*PHI SIGMA SIGMA*cough*

we are mainly found in the North East, Florida, California and Canada...

I have definately been asked if its a local... BY ANOTHER NPC person!

I think it should be every NPC sorority girl's job to at least RECOGNIZE the other 25!

When I was the "pledge mom" for my chapter I would make signs for the bathroom walls featuring info about the other NPC orgs, and I had the new members look over the other orgs... learning is FUN! (or maybe Im just a big dork!)