musical chairs

[Erik P Conard]

It seems like to me that in the past ten years or so, we all have
been playing musical chairs...one gets kicked off, another takes
the house, for a while, then one returns, uproots their renters,
but another house screws up leaving a candidate for the renters
again...and so on. In between times, the university obtains a
house or two, turning it in to another campus building or a gay
house or a scholarship house or what have you. At any rate, in
about five years we've lost 2-3 houses, had some move up at a
fast pace, having glommed onto a good house--but as soon as
they are replaced by the original owners, this so-called 'top chapter' heads downward and may fold or be a sub standard group once more. Many, Many schools are in this quagmire, not
just CU...but the houses we used to see at CU...many are no more greek-occupied. Risk management and lust apartments have hurt us as the old sleeping porch, 2 man rooms, etc. are rapidly disappearing. Will we go to lodges or places with just a
few living quarters + a meeting/party room...like a lodge of sorts?
Kansas State is unlike most in that they virtually all have good housing. But we can all point out, like Hoosier did, it is getting increasingly harder for all of us to reactivate or go on established
campuses where a few still hang on to their houses or they have
ridiculously-high quotas. This will kill us on growth on many of the
campuses, like most the southern biggies and oldies.
I have no answers and the undergrads help little...

[Tom Earp]

E, Your point is so well taken. With Your larger explanation to me, it is a lot more meaningful.

As You said, it is harder and harder for GLOs to try to expand or recolonize on Large Flag Ship Uns. Many Adms are either Heads in Sand or the GLOs on Campis have made it undesirable to keep expanding Greeks. Co. Un. seems to have a habit of booting Greeks off and buying their Houses which realy keeps many from coming back to be competitive with current Chapters. But then, whose fault is this.

As You emailed to me, the Schools that are building Greek Rows end up having more control over Greeks.

The prime example for many that dont know was Central Mo. State Un. Built a complex of one building that was an Octogon with a central dining area. What a fiasco. Still there and still despised.

Now, some are building Greek Courts but at what costs? If a Greek Organization loses membership as We all do and can, it becomes a money drag on the Chapter and they end up leaving maybe to never return.

Like Erik, I too wish I had the answer.

[hoosier]

All of the natl. officers and undergrads push to get chapters at the "prestige" schools (with big football programs at a minimum). Usually these chapters come at a high price of effort and funds.

And they require loads of support to remain above water. And long term survival is still in doubt.

All places are different, of course, but the Tekes at UGa are a good example. The group was started by two transfers from Ga Southern, who got some of the University's best together. The IFC and legendary Dean Tate opposed them, and that made them work harder.

After a few years, they were chartered with 60 or 70 men, and at that summer's Conclave they were named "most improved" chapter. They couldn't get a colonial mansion on the main drag, but they rented a small house on a good corner.

They continued to excel, and won 10 "Top Teke Chapter" awards in a row. After about nine of these awards, they creatively financed (the apprasier was someone's mother) one of the best looking mansions on Milledge Ave. budgeting 4-5-6 people per bedroom, and 3/4 of them going to summer school and paying summer rent. Unfortunately, I was one of 30 guarantors for the TKE House Fund loan.

When the chapter got into the mansion, they got content. They forgot to rush, and forgot how to rush. They destroyed part of the mansion, and thought no room should hold more than two (pref. one) persons. They refused to force members to live in, and I don't think more than five ever paid summer rent.

The chapter soon could not afford the house, although the social budget was never reduced.

There was a successful Buckwheat rebuilding, but when he left he took the tools and methods of rush with him.

Within two years, the chapter was defunct, and the house sold (fortunately for enough to protect the guarantors).

A long story, but one that people who want to grant new charters at big schools should know. I don't know what happened to the 10 "Top Teke Chapter" award plaques.

[Erik P Conard]

don't know whether it was Melchert or Buckwheat who said it, but
the chapter who gets the super-nice house often sits back on their haunches, fully well expecting a throng to pledge.
WRONG! They fall on their butts, the chapter is headed for the
marble orchard, and is generally dead within a few years and not
knowing what happened. With an active adviser, a regularly meeting board and stern warnings...and loving directing at each
chapter meeting, this CAN BE AVOIDED.
But bear in mind, with that move into the dream house, remember
you must put your best foot forward to welcome those new men
into TKE. Then you WILL be on your way to a TOP TEKE chapter.
Thus may it be.
Good post, Hoosier, not what we want to hear but true, true.