Central Connecticut Colony

phisigduchesscv · #1 09-30-2002, 02:48 AM

HI There,

Just wanted to see if any one has word about our Central Connecticut University Colony. At Convention this year they thought they might be installed in October and I just wanted to see if anyone had heard anything about that.

Carolyn

MooseGirl · #2 09-30-2002, 10:55 PM

Nope, haven't heard anything....
I'm anxious to find out too!

AngelPhiSig · #3 10-01-2002, 12:47 AM

Do we have any other colonies?!

phisig4eva · #4 10-01-2002, 01:00 AM

*sigh*
i dont think we have any new colonies.... i'm SO frustrated because i want so desperately to share phi sig with other schools and girls around the country, but so many universities are so "traditional" and only want "established" (aka PRESTIGIOUS) sororities to colonize...

it's not fair, because how are we supposed to become "established" (and PRESTIGIOUS) if we don't have the opportunity to grow outside of our safety zone? (the northeast). i want to expand south and west and midwest. i want chapters at BIG schools so we can get our name out!! we have the small schools covered, WHY can't we colonize at someplace bigger??

sorry to vent. i just get so frustrated. i wish i knew what we were doing wrong.

MooseGirl · #5 10-01-2002, 10:18 AM

Hey, don`t think that way!! We`re not doing anything wrong...we have just as many chapters as some of the more known orgs.
I agree that it would be nice to have a Phi Sig at a big school, but like you pointed out, it`s them keeping us out...not our fault!

It is frustrating hearing about others colonizations...like the DZ thread...Why couldn`t it be us? I want more colonies too!!!

AngelPhiSig · #6 10-01-2002, 07:43 PM

Some things to remember:

WE were the FIRST national sorority at UCLA

Our GAMMA chapter was at NYU

phisig4eva · #7 10-01-2002, 10:58 PM

no, you guys are right -- i dont mean to be overly negative. if we could REactivate all of our single and beta-letter chapters, we'd be QUITE the powerhouse, because we did have chapters at some amazing schools.

but that still doesn't help the fact that for whatever reason they all closed down, and it doesn't help that OTHER GLO's get to colonize there. and it's frustrating because our expansion/colonization program is pretty good, and professional, etc. we just don't have the name recognition or "alumnae support" to be invited to colonize at those places.

i dont think we're doing anything wrong at all. i just want to start doing everything RIGHT. does that make sense?

i know there's probably a lot more to expansion than a puny little collegiate like me can possibly understand. *sigh*. i just wish we could have more of a chance to shine.

Glitter650 · #8 10-02-2002, 01:53 AM

I hear ya PHi Sig 4 eva !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOTALLY !!! THERE HAS got to be enough Alumnae support in the SO cal area to re establish at least UCLA or USC chapters... I mean seriously there were chapters there in the past.... SOMEBODY WAS IN THEM.. they have Iota Gamma which has alumnae, they have Chapman down in ORange... Bakersfield that could come help there are quite a few chapters down there that could help in whatever capacity would be needed... so I definitely DON"T GET IT.. plus... Umm.. about the whole prestegious thing that differs by campus in my mind... because what one campus considers prestigious doesn't mean another school is going to think that org is prestigious ? I mean Alpha Phi is fairly well known out here in the west ... but like in the south they have hardly any chapters... so that is all in the eye of the beholder... but you're right it would be great to get our name out there are some competetive southern schools like vanderbilt and Ole Miss.... although like you said... they probably have a lot more thinking and reasoning that goes into where the colonies go than we can imagine just kinda looking in... but why don't they share with us so we can help ya know ??

AngelPhiSig · #9 10-03-2002, 12:21 AM

Alison's Life Goals:

1- to be Grand Archon

2- to re-establish greeks in the CUNY system and out A and AA chapters at Hunter and Lehman

3- to have something at Hunter that says we were founded there!

MooseGirl · #10 10-03-2002, 12:33 AM

Hey Ali I'll support you all the way to supreme council! as long as you're there for me when it's my turn

!!!

I'm sure if we raised money Hunter would let ud put a plaque up or something...maybe plant a tree?!

Jen

phisigduchesscv · #11 10-03-2002, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Glitter650
I hear ya PHi Sig 4 eva !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOTALLY !!! THERE HAS got to be enough Alumnae support in the SO cal area to re establish at least UCLA or USC chapters... I mean seriously there were chapters there in the past.... SOMEBODY WAS IN THEM.. they have Iota Gamma which has alumnae, they have Chapman down in ORange... Bakersfield that could come help there are quite a few chapters down there that could help in whatever capacity would be needed... so I definitely DON"T GET IT.. plus... Umm.. about the whole prestegious thing that differs by campus in my mind... because what one campus considers prestigious doesn't mean another school is going to think that org is prestigious ? I mean Alpha Phi is fairly well known out here in the west ... but like in the south they have hardly any chapters... so that is all in the eye of the beholder... but you're right it would be great to get our name out there are some competetive southern schools like vanderbilt and Ole Miss.... although like you said... they probably have a lot more thinking and reasoning that goes into where the colonies go than we can imagine just kinda looking in... but why don't they share with us so we can help ya know ??

Hey we out here are working on USC. Supposedly they have been open to expansion the last few years and put notice out to NPC but something happens each year and no one comes in (I think it may be SC's Panhellenic stopping it). Being so new Iota Gamma doesn't have that many alum yet but I do know there are a lot of Older Alum from SC and UCLA around here that probably would love to see USC and UCLA recolonized if we can just get in. I mean if I remember correctly, Janine Jacobs Goldberg lives out here in L.A. and I assume she'd love to see those two schools colonized.

If you read the rush threads it doesn't look like it is easy to get into schools. If a school with established panhellenic wants to expand they notify NPC who notifies the 26 member sororities. From there they do some sort of presentation, the school narrows it down, and then another presentation is done. Hopefully with the email from Sandy Grossman about Expansion Committees (and all the other ones) maybe we'll finally start expanding.

greeklawgirl · #12 10-03-2002, 02:32 AM

Hi ladies, I'm sorry to crash your boards, but maybe I can offer a little insight on expansion. I was PH President when San Francisco State opened to expansion, and I've also been involved in the colonization process for Alpha Gam at Chapman. (The Phi Sigs at Chapman have been totally great and supportive of us, BTW!)

When a school with an established Panhellenic is thinking about expansion, all the sororities already on campus must unanimously approve starting the process. They notify NPC's Extension Committee, who notifies each of the 26 NPC sororities of the extension opportunity.

From there, NPCs that are interested in starting a colony will send the college Panhellenic an information packet on themselves. For example, 11 NPCs sent Chapman info packets.

Here's where things get interesting. If the College Panhellenic is looking for a chapter to start *from scratch*, they will pick which sororities will be invited to make a presentation from those who have submitted an info packet. If there is a local group looking to colonize, the College Panhellenic will usually take the local's preferences into account. Back to my Chapman example, the College Panhellenic chose 4 NPCs to make a presentation.

From there, each of the NPCs chosen will make a presentation to the Panhellenic and/or local group. The College Panhellenic then votes for who they will extend an invitation to. After the invite is extended, the sorority's Grand Council will vote on whether to accept the invitation or not.

So...to make a long story short, phisigduchesscv is right: its not easy to expand. There's quite a few hoops to jump through, and believe me when I tell you all that *there is a method to the madness.* I am sure that your Grand Council has a very specific long-term-extension-plan that they are implementing. No NPC sorority colonizes willy-nilly.

Anyway, good luck to you in your expansion efforts. It's great to see sorority life expanding, no matter which sorority it is!

SapphireSphinx9 · #13 10-03-2002, 04:10 PM

Iota Gamma and Zeta Alpha are really close to the USC and UCLA areas.

I would really LOVE to expand there!!! If I had to drive up there every single day for ten years, I would.

I know it's really hard to expand (like GreekLawGirl was explaining) but what I don't understand is why we can't recolonize chapters? I mean we have sooo many chapters that have been closed for whatever reason... So if we were already at that school, then why would it be so hard to get back in?

What I've noticed is that a lot of schools here in Southern Cali are bringing in more of the "non-traditional" sororities. I donno if that's the case Back East, or not... But it's frustrating the NPC expansions at these schools because those sororities don't want "traditional" or "main stream" sororities on campus.

Well, if anyone from the Expansion Committee wants to know... Hey, I'm here, and willing to help out anyway I can!

PSLAM~Beth

phisig4eva · #14 10-03-2002, 06:02 PM

sometimes i feel like (and this could sound completely ridiculous) there should be, i dont know... quotas on the number of chapters that a national has in a region. like, for NPC to set a ceiling somehow, taking into account chapter size and school size, etc., so that the "established" sororities in a region don't always one-up the smaller and more non-powerhouse sororities. give us a chance, you know?! i mean, if xyz has a chapter at EVERY major university on the west coast except one or two... shouldn't the sororities that have only a few chapters on the west coast have more of an opportunity? sorry to keep posting on this, you guys know i have some serious feelings on expansion.

i feel like those chapters at USC and UCLA closed within the last 20 years or so... there should be plenty of alumnae support left, although i could be wrong. hopefully we can figure out a way to get back in there - that would be OUTSTANDING!

beth, i feel ya - expansion committee, if you're out there -- we're ready, willing, and able!

ps. what did you mean by non-traditional? just curious.

binks · #15 10-12-2002, 05:31 PM

A few years ago Phi Sigma was thinking/trying to expanded to UVA, but something happen. I think since UVA has a strong old traditional greek system, it is hard for newer greeks to come there. I know that Two sororities that tried to expanded there ldidnt' make it after 3 years.