Alumna of a Local Looking to be Absorbed
 

Hello my fellow Greeks! I have read through all of the colonizing posts but have seen little about the process of a local sorority being absorbed by a national organization, so I am starting this post in hopes of being able to best help my chapter through this process.

I am the alumnae advisor of a VERY small local sorority that has been dormant for a few semesters on our campus. The girls we crossed last semester are incredibly dedicated to reviving our chapter, but our campus has become increasingly unsupportive of local growth. When I rushed, Greek life was a fraction of the size it is now, and locals out numbered the nationals. Since then, some very well known nationals have come to campus, some locals have been booted, and others absorbed. Mine is one of the last few, and we're hanging on by a thread. Seeing the writing on the wall, my girls made the hard choice to initiate the process of being absorbed and I am committed to helping them in every way I can. Our other alumnae have been informed, and were (shockingly) overwhelmingly supportive, considering the fact that this was a very unpopular subject when I was in school. In fact, some of our more active founding sisters have even stepped forward to say they support it. (We were founded 26 years ago by 28 women who broke off from their fraternity's sisterhood.)

But we are facing some unique challenges. Because of our dormant status and small size (4 active sisters) we don't have many current ties in the greek community. Their IGC advisor (same person it was when I was there) has even told them that it will be entirely up to Panhel who absorbs them. I know for a fact that according to the Green Book a local sorority is permitted, once the exploratory committee votes yes on expansion, to seek out and contact NPC sororities on their own. Is it because of our dormant status and small size that we are being told this? Are they allowed to do this, or do we have rights?

It is a priority for us that all of our alumnae are able to be initiated if they choose it, that we be able to incorporate the history of our local sorority into the chapter's new member process, and that we stay committed to recruiting diverse women of every race, creed, class, etc.

So in addition to the questions I've already asked, what are your experiences with "going national?" Which orgs were great, which ones not so much. How did the national treat the history of your local and how well did they work with you on respecting your legacy and traditions? We are willing to accept the new letters, symbols, meaning, history etc of a new organization, but we want to make sure it continues to be made up of women who will respect our past and our values.

All my thanks in advance,
NYCAlumna

QFP.

You only have to post your question once...

I can't fully answer your question but I would think your dormant status would be the issue. I'm having trouble picturing the scenario where your input/desires would have any impact on the expansion process.

Having built-in alumnae support would be great, particularly for a sorority expanding into a new region for them, but without an active collegiate chapter I just don't know why or how they would work to maintain the history of a group that has nothing to do with them.

I would ask to be part of the process, but I wouldn't expect a positive result. If you can get active again on campus, grow your numbers and ABSOLUTELY no hazing, then maybe in a year or two you can try again. You may find an easier time recruiting if you say you are hoping to get absorbed by an NPC.

oh, I replied to the other thread. I just wanted to know where - oh, nevermind.

Here's what the manual of information (AKA the green book) says - note that the policy from 2007 states that the proper authority shall make the final decision on who to invite

Local Sororities
• Policy (2007), When issuing an invitation to an NPC member group to colonize on a campus for the purpose of
allowing NPC affiliation for a local sorority or interest group, the proper authority shall make the final determination as to which NPC member group is invited to colonize, giving due consideration to the preference of the local sorority or interest group.
• Policy (2003), NPC member groups must inform interest groups, local groups or individuals that formal permission
to pursue extension must be obtained from the proper authority as defined in the Unanimous Agreements,
Agreement on Extension, and that until such permission has been granted, members of NPC fraternities may have
no further contact with the interest group, local group or individuals.
• Each College Panhellenic should have established criteria to be attained in order for a local sorority to become a
member of Panhellenic and have the criteria in the Panhellenic bylaws.
• At such time as the local sorority has qualified for membership, the Panhellenic may consider opening the campus
for extension.
• Policy (1994), That no NPC member group or individual member of an NPC member group may initiate contact
with the members of a local sorority or interest group involved in the affiliation process.

I thought that her local was still at Georgia and that she AIed into DPhiE.

Sorry guys, I have no idea why my question posted twice. I think it's because the site logged me out.

Here's my source. On the last page: http://www.npcwomen.org/resources/pd...teps%201-3.pdf

"Once a College Panhellenic opens for extension, upon the approval of the College Panhellenic, a local sorority may petition the NPC fraternity of its preference or participate in a formal extension process conducted by the Panhellenic and make a selection from the NPC member groups presenting." (Emphasis mine.)

As for it being worthwhile to a national to colonize a local, it was done two years ago with an organization mine was close with, but they were a bit bigger and an active chapter in the community. The org liked it because unlike the other groups that came in cold, they didn't step on as many toes, and the girls in the org knew their way around the system already. My sorority is struggling, but we have been around longer than any of the nationals on campus. Greek life is about respecting tradition, and I think panhel respects our years of service, it's just a matter of continuing them in a way that will be better for us and the community. My girls are on every committee, working their butts off to have a say and a place on campus, but they are dormant because there's only 4 of them, and it's impossible for them to do everything required of active sororities. We still have a seat at the table and a vote on many things at Panhel, but locals just aren't the future of our campus anymore.

I was just wondering if there was anyone here who has gone through this transition successfully and had some helpful advice to offer.

PS - Thank you, AZ-AlphaXi!

I figured it went without saying that first, we are awaiting the decision of the exploratory committee about expanding for the purposes of local absorption. The panhel pres likes our chapter, and I have a good relationship with the IGC advisor, so we are hoping for a positive result. We know that the Greek advisors would prefer to have us go on to be successful as a national than fail as a local, especially after so many years on campus. For looks, if nothing else.

EDITED - We have been a member of Panhel on campus since it formed there about 10 years ago.

I know nothing of this process. I just wanted to wish you and your sorority good luck!

Is your college Panhellenic open for expansion? That's the key phrase in the section you quoted. Have they determined there is a need for another sorority on campus?

I think you will find the the "proper authority" is going to be Panhellenic in this case. There are many different ways to approach the situation, and depending on the campus, it has been handled different ways. Some groups have chosen their National Orgs, some groups have gotten to put in a say in the matter but not the final say. (You can search GC and find threads discussing this, including one where a group didnt like the group that was picked for them. :rolleyes: ) In the end, the National organization is not required to take every member of the local as an active member of their new colony. Your chapter is basically closed. It's not going to provide a national with a framework with which to start a successful national chapter. A national will have to come in and start a colonization from the ground up. It is a little different in the case of the other locals that were open and functional when absorbed. Your sorority may unfortunately have run it's coarse. I'm sorry. Approach the Greek adviser and ask for a seat at the table, but honestly, I don't think you have a case to demand much. If you play your cards right, you may be able to arrange for the national to consider the colonization as an absorption of your local which may result in an offer of alum initiation for your alums. With only 4 current actives, I think that's a stretch.

Here I am! Carnation is correct. My local is still active at Georgia. I AIed into Delta Phi Epsilon. Everyone else is correct about "going national." NPC orgs can't have contact with you, so it's futile to contact them. Only your campus panhellenic can decide if the campus is open for extension. Then you are free to work with them on being in touch with national groups. Since you are dormant and small in numbers right now, my suggestion would be to stay involved with the committees and panhellenic. Focus on growing your numbers. "Going national" is not the solution to your challenges right now. But I think you are off to a great start by being a contributing member to your panhellenic right now.

You are better off looking at non-NPC groups, IMO.