Ideas for Low numbers chapter

[OldRose]

I am looking for ideas/suggestions to help out the collegiate chapter that I was a member of. They are trying so hard to keep the chapter strong, but it is really hard to cope with low numbers. This year, the fall pledge class had 12 girls (quota on campus was 17) which was actually a huge improvement from the past 3 or 4 years, when they were picking up only 3 or 4 girls from formal rush, with an average quota of 15-20. Also, the low formal rush results were not because turnout for rush itself was particularly bad, it is just that some of the rushees would rather drop out than pledge our chapter.
They also do COB, they always have a spring class, though its never more than 5 or 6, and when they can, they do a winter and/or summer class (it's a year round quarter-based school)
Even with all this COBing, they have a hard time getting the numbers up. For years, the chapter hovered around 30-35 members. Now they are up to 40, this was with the semi-normal size fall class AND a winter class of 5. (Total on campus is 65, they have not been there since 1991)
It is really hard that on top of low numbers, they have to contend with fraternities and other sororities spreading rumors that the chapter is on the brink of being shut down (they've been saying that since I pledged in 1995, but I have yet to see it happen)
Then for a while there (about 4-6 years ago) there were a few members with questionable morals- and in Greek World, we know that translates into "The whole chapter is a barrel of Bad Apples" as far as the reputation fairie is concerned.
So anyway, are there any other DZ's out there that had low numbers and made a come-back to campus total. Any suggestions/Advice will be welcome.

Hi Old Rose,
I met some of your Drexel sisters back in 92-93 when I was a sister at Frostburg in MD. They were very nice..I am sure some of them were still there when you pledged

My chapter (last year) totally fell apart when a "ring leader" decided she didn't want to follow the rules of Delta Zeta, and took practically the entire chapter local. Only 8 sisters stayed behind..and slowly built it back up to almost Quota in under a year. They have a new member class of 21 after COBs and are stronger every day.

I think what made the difference was the help of alumnae coming back and re-training the girls on recruitment, helping rebuild the new member program, and being there to support them financially (somewhat) but we also attended recruitment events upon their invitation.

It's hard to pull a chapter out of a rut. The numbers really don't sound that bad that you gave. Some chapters will always be smaller, but if they are a closer bunch, it's not a bad thing.

Some panhellenic groups on campus will help other sororities too. When another campus sorority was having a hard time meeting quota, our chapter went it and helped out with ideas, decorations, we held events together, etc. Maybe if you ask, your Greek community will reach out to you?

Good luck, and welcome to the list!
Tracy

[OldRose]

Well, the chapter is lucky in that they are already getting tremendous alumnae support (financially AND with rush and other events) They also have other chapters come and help with formal rush... this really helps to "fill the room" during the parties so it doesn't look so empty. Another thing that has helped this year is that sororities finally have houses, preference parties were in the houses and I hear their decorating was very impressive.
We have tried getting help from the other NPC groups on campus, but it is very competitive, with only 4 on campus.
I have always had a theory that a lot of the rush problems over the years have been PR related. Rush is 3 weeks after freshmen arrive at school, they start asking guys around campus who they should pledge, and most of the guys suggest two certain sororities. A lot of them even say bad things about Delta Zeta. And I think it is not really because they have a bad opinion of us, but because they don't know us. It doesn't help though, when I was social chair, I was told point blank by certain fraternities that they would never have a social with us- that they only deal with the "top" sororities. It makes it very hard to improve the group's image, when people's way of thinking is so set in stone.

[dzsaigirl]

Well, we have never been the weak chapter on our campus, but there are two groups at my school that have struggled a lot in the past.

What seems to work the best is to make the most of what you have. You need to take the initiative to have every girl at every campus event. Games, greek week, other groups' philanthropies, etc. Go there with your letters on, bring signs, yell and cheer. Basically, do your best to make it impossible to get away from DZ's presence on campus.

Another thing that a weak sorority did on our campus is they made it their goal to win every single competition they could. Intramurals, Strut Your Stuff (like Greek Sing or All Sing, but with tons of dancing), etc. They would compete fiercly, but with the biggest smiles on their faces. You could really tell that they had great sisterhood. This really helped their chapter. They went from taking 2 girls in formal rush, to making quota the next year!

Another thing that most people don't have the guts to tell you (but I do) is that you need to make sure that your girls look their best at all times. They need to wear their letters. When they wear their letters or carry anything that identifies them (tote bag, etc.) they need to be neatly groomed! This means that they might not be able to roll out of bed, put on a DZ party shirt and go to class. Dress nicely, put a little makeup on, etc.

For a weaker chapter, COB is the saving grace. It is SOOOO hard to sell your sorority in formal rush when the room looks empty! But in COB, you can go bowling, have pizza, etc. Those things are more casual and make it way less noticible that you are small. You can get lots and lots of girls during COB and they in turn become your room full of sisters for fall rush, which results in bigger formal pledge classes, etc...

I hope that some of this has helped you!

In the flame,

dzsaigirl

Originally posted by dzsaigirl


Another thing that most people don't have the guts to tell you (but I do) is that you need to make sure that your girls look their best at all times. They need to wear their letters. When they wear their letters or carry anything that identifies them (tote bag, etc.) they need to be neatly groomed! This means that they might not be able to roll out of bed, put on a DZ party shirt and go to class. Dress nicely, put a little makeup on, etc.

That is a GREAT suggestion!! You are right, most people won't say it but sometimes I cringe when I see a sorority lady wearing her letters in flip flops and bed head at the mall or something. George Mason University is the closest campus with greek on it near me, so I see them all the time. It's doesn't surprise me that the head turners are ones that simply choose to care about how they look.

My chapter was given specific instructions about wearing letters or even shirts with DZ on it...ESPECIALLY the crest. Hair done, makeup on, clean sneaks, nice jeans. Most of us tried, but when we couldn't (8 a.m. class) we didn't wear anything with letters.

Badge attire is something that is commonly overlooked. I was at a DZ badge event with some collegians last fall, and their version of badge attire was khakis and a button down plaid shirt. Who let's them get away with it? Usually the CCD or alumnae that won't say anything.

Great idea about winning Greek week events, ect.
Tracy

[OldRose]

It is kind of funny that you guys mentioned the thing about "grooming" When I was still in school, we were sent a CCD who was a Penn state alumna (one of the stronger chapters in the nation, I beleive) She had some of the very same suggestions (look good, don't wear letters while looking sloppy, why look sloppy in the first place, go the school events, etc.) Even though this woman came across as a psycho at times, she had some great suggestions, and I usually agreed with her ideas, she had problems getting along with most girls in the chapter, so they made it a point to do the opposite of what she said. Well, needless to say, she went away.... but me and a few other people kept on reitterating some of her key points, so eventually people in the chapter got better at those things.
As far as some of your suggestions (Always wearing letters and cheering as loudly as possible at events) I don't think that would go over so well. Actually, that is what some of my sisters were DOING, and it scared a lot of potential members away. Our school has a more "sophistacated" (not sure if that's the way to put it) persona, if you go around showing a lot of "pep" and cheering at games, etc... people don't like it. Our school is a big engineering school, doesn't have a football team, so the typical "collegiate" atmosphere is lacking at times. Most students there are going to feel more comfortable at a wine and cheese social than at a sing-along.
When I was in the chapter, there were a handful of girls though, who's grooming and sense of fashion was just SCARY and I have to admit, I almost didn't pledge because of them- but then there was that handful of girls that were just so... COOL. That made me think, well, if they are in the sorority, it cant be all that bad. But unfortunatetly, most potential members are not going to try to see things that way.
One good thing I found out they are doing... as a cebtenial gift to the school, they are going to decorate a conference room in the new student center, which will be named the Delta Zeta conference room. Maybe that will get some of the members of student groups to see the chapter as a group that really contibutes to the school and to student life.