Panhellenic Rules on Expansion

Is it true that the only way Panhellenic and/or individual sororities will allow another sorority to be expanded to a school that all sororities have to be at total? and/or at total for a certain amount of time as well?

[ShaunaF01]

Not true - in a perfect world that would happen because the new sorority wouldn't be a threat to other organizations. I know however, on my campus, we have 4 nationals and we're looking to bring another national to our campus.

[trisigmaAtl]

I think that it depends on the individual campuses panhellenic. The college panhellenic has to vote to expand and they probably have their own guidelines and reasoning from place to place. I would think that if all chapters were a good bit under total and there was a struggling chapter or something, they probably wouldn't vote to expand. I don't really know that well, there are some experts around here though that will probably reply soon.

[AEPhiSierra]

most panhels vote to expand when they think there are enough PNM to support a new group. while their isn't an official rule that all the existing chapters must be at total in order to allow a new chapter to form you must admit it wouldn't make a lot of sense to allow a new chapter to form if the existing chapters are having trouble gaining enough members.

[SigkapAlumWSU]

It's been the talk on my campus for years about bringing back a national org that lost their charter in the 80's. The problem is that not all the groups are are total, and I don't think that anyone on my campus is willing to have expansion until numbers are a little higher.

[ShaunaF01]

however, you could also use expansion as a tool, which is what we're TRYING to do. all of our organizations have lower numbers (total is 55, our biggest chapter has 32) but our PNM numbers are also really low because of reputations that already exist among the chapters that are on campus, so our strategy is to bring in another national to gain more interest, so more people will go through formal and cob.

know what i mean?

[carnation]

I've known of Panhellenics to expand after working in vain to get one chapter up to snuff. You can only do so much, I suppose.

[WhiteDaisy128]

Yes, here at NCSU, we had 6 Panhellenic chapters and one just could not get up in numbers and they tried and tried for years. That chapter closed and DG was invited to colonize. Not sure why that one chapter wasn't having sucess, the girls were (are) very sweet. But DG recruited 85 girls right off the bat and quickly had their numbers in the 90's...after formal recruitment this year, we hope to be about even with the other groups...which average right now just at 100 members.

yea there is one sorority here on campus that never receives enough girls during rush and isn't at total ever. I won't go into details of the reason why they have this problem but it isn't really bad, just something they could most definately improve upon. PM me if you want to know. They are very sweet girls, just never at total or receive enough girls through recruitment.

For instance, our nm classes are typically around 30 and last recruitment they received 15. Prior to fall recruitment, when we had deferred rush, the nm classes were at 15, and they'd receive 7 or 8. It is so frustrating because they'd go out kicking and screaming if it was suggested we get another sorority or they were told to close. I understand the threat to close would make me want to fight it to the death, but who knows? A new sorority would make interest go up.

[aopinthesky]

>>>A new sorority would make interest go up<<<

A new sorority at a school with one chapter struggling will mean the certain death of that chapter. While I agree with Carnation, there is only so much you can do to "shore up" a chapter that can't ever get to total or make quota, campus Panhellenics better make sure they have done all they can before they let that chapter fold. You are only as strong as your weakest chapter, someone WILL take their (last) place when they go. You can be sure it won't be the new kid on the block, either.

[pinkyphimu]

ok, i am hijacking this thread...but....what kinds of things have you seen panhel do to help a struggling chapter? what worked and what didn't work?

[Tom Earp]

That is why I have a problem with PANHELL!

WAWA, well, the local Chapters do not have enuff members, whose faults is that??

Maybe the Campus is totally Anti-Greek as many!

Maybe the GDIs dont feel comfortable with the current Groups as act like jerks, or what ever!

Why not let the Chapters go on their own? Make or Break!!!

We lost ADTT, DR (Local) who had a chance to go PM9 They were stupid, and last was KD!

3 Soroitys on campus and 6 Fraternitys, BAH!

Since our Panhellenic still refuses to do snap bidding, the sorority that has had problems with numbers has to do COBing out the ying-yang. I mean I wish them the best.

BTW, I didn't start this thread to start any arguments on whether or not opening a new chapter of another sorority would be the death of the weaker sorority. Of course, it'd depend on the individual Greek community. My school has a strong Greek Life department. Actually, Greek Life is one of the strongest divisions of Student Life at my school. Whatever the situation your individual Greek Life is in would most definately influence your opinion of how a new sorority/fraternity would affect others.

I started this thread to ask a certain question about Panhellenic expansion, NOT to start an argument about it.

[Tom Earp]

WOW, little Missy, the WHOLE Greek System is as stong as the Total Greek System! If it is week, then all will be week!

Get the Point! The more the merrier!

If the Greek System is not Stong on Campus, ergo then the weak will perish, Dah, The Greeks!

If Pan Hell would get of their collective Butts, maybe, it will help grow!

Huh? From what I grasped from your post Mr. Earp, I think you might have missed the point of my post, but I have been known to be wrong.