New sorority on campus

[OPAGal]

Around homecoming time me and several other girls on my campus noticed the fact that we have way more fraternities on campus than sororities (Most of the fraternities didn't have partners for homecoming). The biggest reason for this is that some of the fraternities that had been kicked off campus for various reasons came back this semester.
So to make a long story short we contacted the Greek affairs office and asked them about an expansion. We even had a sorority that was interested. This was only to be shot down by being told that our campus wasn't open for expansion. If we want to bring a non NPC sorority on to campus that's fine, but not a NPC one. The reason they gave us was that two of the sororities we have on campus now are dangerously low in numbers due to the fact that they never pull in many girls during rush and aren't really a favorite on campus. My question is should we bring on a non NPC sorority or would it be taken seriously enough??? Also our campus doesn't except local sororities or fraternites.

[astroAPhi]

If you want another sorority for the sake of numbers, then adding one right now would probably not be a good idea since there are two that are low on numbers. That one new sorority could end up killing the other two, and then you'd be one less from where you started.

Of course, they keep telling us that a new sorority increases Recruitment numbers. Let's hope, since that's what we just did...

Why are these two sororities not very popular on campus?

[Tom Earp]

AstroPHI, has a very good point! Ask your self WHY! ? Investigate, why are the 2 Soroitys doing so badly!

If there is No Way to get a NPC on campus, start a Local, or go MCult. Maybe!

FIT Alum says Hi, JonoBN41. I was there for LXA Founders Day in Nov. if you remember!

[ZetaLuvBunny]

Maybe those two sororities had a lot of people go alum in the past few years? That has been known to bring down numbers on this campus sometimes- even for the fraternities, but it hasn't to my knowledge had a drastic effect.

Why doesn't your school double-up people for homecoming? Here we have twice as many fraternities as sororities, (14 fraternities, 7 sororities) yet each sorority has about twice as many members as each fraternity. So here we have two fraternities w/one sorority all paired up for homecoming. You'd think the fraternities wouldn't want to work together, but it's become tradition here so there's rarely a problem with that.

[33girl]

First off the reason that there are usually more fraternities than sororities is because they do not place the same focus on "equality" that the NPC groups do. If fraternity ABC has 20 members and XYZ has 100, as long as their nationals don't object NIC as a whole really doesn't care. Most campuses do pairings based on size - the fraternities would rather work with another group than not be paired at all.

I admire your Greek affairs not allowing another NPC group to come to the school. They obviously are looking at things like years of support to the campus and alumnae satisfaction, rather than allowing two groups to be scuttled because they aren't campus "favorites." A lot of people forget that a chapter isn't just the women who are there at the time, it's years worth of alumnae. Not only that, it's against NPC ideals to let a new group in when one is struggling, let alone two.

Has your group looked past the "status" of these two groups to things like their aim, motto, philanthropy? One of them may be interested in taking you all as a group. Starting a brand-new group is very, very difficult - not only that, depending on the group chosen, they may not choose all of you as colony members. Joining a current group in a block eliminates that.

Think about it - would you rather be known as the women who turned around a bad situation to the benefit of the system, or the women who hastened the deaths of two chapters and caused lots of hurt feelings in the Greek community?

[ilovemyglo]

To make a long story short, my sorority is one of the low number chapters. They havea round 65 members and house total is 95. The other chapter is XYZ and they have about the same numbers.
The reasons:

We had 30 people go alum four years ago and that dropped us dramatically for rush, then we had a third of our pledge class either quit school, get married or drop to below full time. That hurt a lot!!! Top it off with the fact that our chapter is about 10 years old and has few alumnae in the area and it makes it hard.
We have a new COB coordinator that has brought 15 girls in two months, so I believe they are coming back, besides that they totally redid rush and brought in new things (we had the same rush until two years ago for the entire time our chapter has been there). So that is what is happening there. Three years ago our chapter returned to rush with 26 women, so to get near 70 is tremendous!

XYZ recolonized in the early 90s and has never regained the momentum they once had. Internal conflict mixed with housing problems has plagued them for some time. I believe that they are finally getting things in order internally, however, they are losing their house that they currently rent and no property is available for sororities or fraternities. No one knows how this is going to affect them.

When I arrived at WKU in 1998 XYZ was almost gone, RST was lower than AGD, ABC was the same as AGD... but none were at or near house total. NOW ABC is one of the "strong" houses, RST has made quota twice, but has some problems retaining and AGD and XYZ are on the upswing.

Because of low numbers plaguing this two chapters for at least 4 years there is a bad perception of these two chapters. It is unfounded and combated constantly but the stigma remains. In another two years I believe it will be two other chapters, though. I am very angry at XYZ right now, though, because many of their chapter members are telling COB girls that my chapter will be closing- this is so far from the truth it sickens me and the lying and rumor mill tactic is cheap and dirty- not a good way to rush girls.

This campus' greek life is not cohesive. There are problems all the time. For instance rush infractions not being taken seriously and basically allowed (Rho Chis have told girls straight out what they are and not to go XYZ because they take anyone and nothing was done even when they admitted it!). There are problems with the way quota is set and honestly, the sororities don't really get along. It is really really really sad.

I am an alumna now and I hope that something can be rectified.

A new sorority is not what this campus needs. A swift kick in the A$$ is more like it. They need to have some greek unision but the only time that happens is when there is a death. I hate admitting all this, but it is the truth.
There are 12 fraternities now, but 4 of them have less than 20 members, 3 have over 60 and the rest fall everywhere in between. It is very strange.

[MoxieGrrl]

I agree with 33girl.....see if you can pledge one of the NPC groups as a whole. Greek groups have highs & lows....why not try to help one of these groups get on the upswing?

[dzandiloo]

A little off topic, but something I have wondered about for a while.... When I was an undergrad, I heard this fraternity-on-the-brink-of-oblivion-turned-successful story:
A bunch of guys from the same group of friends go to a college in Houston and want to pledge a fraternity, but aren't really stoked by any of the choices. They look at their options, and decide that starting a new fraternity is too high maintenance, but they definitely want something they can put their mark on and make successful. Long story short-the group (I think about 10 guys) decides to pursue the weakest house on campus-all get bids, and within 2 years, it is the biggest, strongest group on campus.

Far-fetched? Maybe--like I said, I don't know how credible that story is, and while I think something like that is entirely possible in the fraternity setting, I wonder why I've never heard the same scenario applied in a sorority setting? My point is-if you have a group of friends with the energy to start a new sororitty (a task that is daunting to say the least), why not take that energy to one of the existing/struggling groups? If your group of friends is quality, then that will be a HUGE step in the right direction. It won't be easy-but it's the faster track to getting national membership (if that's what you want). I'm sure one of those groups has qualities/ideals that are appealing--otherwise, they wouldn't be successful in other parts of the country, and you could someday take credit for turning things around.

Just a thought....

[shadokat]

OPA,

If you are unhappy with what the sororities on your campus currently offer, and you have a block of women who want to do this, I say you go into the weakest chapter, pledge, and turn it around. While I may get bashed for this, I know it works. On one campus where we are strong, another NPC was very weak. And then, an entire floor of sophomores pledged there, and in turn, their friends pledged, and so on. The sorority went from last to second place out of 10 in about 2 years, and it's the hard work and drive of that floor of sophomores who turned things around for that group.

As 33girl said, you may not get all of your women in on the first try, but if there are girls who don't get in during your initial push, you can always advocate for them once you're in, if that makes sense. BUT, adding a sorority to an already weaker campus isn't going to fix this problem. Once your four chapters are at total, THEN adding a new sorority is ideal. It'll happen, but it takes a long time.

Good luck!

[aopinthesky]

OPAGAL,
I agree with some of the other posters who suggested that you and your friends look into membership in one of the smaller houses. It sounds from what Ilovemyglo said that either of them would be more than happy to have some more dedicated, hardworking members. It also sounds like both of these struggling groups are getting their stuff together and in a short time will be forces to be reckoned with. I have often wondered what some detemined women with new ideas could do if they dedicated that energy to a struggling NPC. I am sure you could do a lot.

[Aphigal]

I know it works because we did the same thing on a campus where we were weaker!! It works!! Think about it!

[OPAGal]

It's so weird, ilovemyglo, that you posted because I was just thinking about you. As you know I'm also angry at XYZ house. They're the reason that no one is rushing. They're being pretty catty about things. To make a long story short the reason that some of the girls in my group didn't want to rush any of the NPC's is because they didn't want to be caught in the on going battle between XYZ and AGD. An example of that battle is this: I made plans to attend an AGD COB party last semester, but later didn't get to go because I had a major exam to study for. One of the girls from XYZ tried to rush me during class and when I told her that I was already looking at AGD she went on and on about how bad that AGD was.I of course already knew better because I know some of the AGD's and they've always been super nice to me. I guess she thought that by saying all that she was making them look better, but it did just the opposite.
We'd never really thought about rushing as a group though. That's really a great idea. It'd really help out the other sororities too. That's why I love this place you all have such great advise! ilovemyglo i have a question about that though. One of the girls that is really interested in joining is a transfer student from EKU. She's really a great girl and is dying to rush, but she's married. Is there any chance that she'd be able to get a bid?

[greeklawgirl]

OPA Gal, in answer to your question, Alpha Gam does not have any policy in place that prohibits a married woman from becoming a new member. If she has the time and the desire to become an AGD, her marital status shouldn't be a consideration!

[OPAGal]

Good! She'll be so glad to hear that, but not nearly as glad as I am.

[greeklawgirl]

I remember that we discussed the married/pregnant topic in the AGD forum once. For the details, here's the link:

Married AGDs?

There is even a post about the chapter you are asking about!