Wow, all of this expansions so far is overwhelming!! :) On a separate note, Alpha Delta Pi has just been invited to colonize at Sacred Heart University in Spring of 2013.

TSteven,
I'm not sure how it is done now, but many years ago at UK, sororities colonized in pairs. DG and Pi Phi, came on campus together in 1962. In fact DG is holding their 50th anniversary weekend next month, and I can't wait to see my sisters again!!
A couple of years later, Gamma Phi Beta and Alpha Chi Omega colonized the same year. Sadly both have closed. Evidently the late 60's were not a good time for expanding Greek life.

I pledged in the late 70's and this was how our colonization was explained to me. Back then you could see the outline of AXO on what is now the Sigma Pi house.

Kappa Alpha Theta and Alpha Phi colonized at Penn in 1987-88, but both were taking on locals that had been in existence for a couple of years; the interest in sororities had way exceeded the size of the Panhellenic at the time. They've both flourished since then.

Had the opportunity to watch the Phi Mu presentation at CSUN. It was a great presentation with local alumnae as well as collegiates from Fresno State in attendance. Their presenters included their national President as well as their Executive Vice President.

Panhel will vote between Phi Mu and Gamma Phi Beta next week.

I totally forgot about the two chapter colonizations in 1962 and then again in 1966 at UK. :o Also, Delta Delta Delta and Delta Zeta both colonized at UK in 1923. However, I don’t know if the colonizations happened in the same semester or just happened in the same calendar year - i.e. one in the spring, one in the fall.

What I am more curious about is how this type of colonization recruitment is held.

Would you (or anyone else) happen to know how it was held at UK (or at another school)? Did both groups hold recruitment events at the same time but independent of each other? Or was there more of an organized recruitment between the two? Either by the Campus Panhellenic of the two groups jointly. Kind of like a mini formal recruitment for lack of a better way of putting it.

Now that you remind me, I do remember that the Sigma Pi house had been the Alpha Chi Omega house. I always wondered if Alpha Chi Omega’s and Gamma Phi Beta’s house locations didn’t hurt them as well? Both houses seemed (relatively speaking) pretty far away from Sorority Circle, nor were they near any other GLOs.

So you are going to be back to Lexington in March? And during March Madness! Y'all will have so much fun! Have a great time and go by Two Keys for me. :D

Go Cats!

Words cannot express how EXCITED I am to have our Delta Rho chapter back!

Gamma Phi Beta and Sigma Kappa both colonized at Bama in 1988. UA has a long history of same-year colonizations before that, if you look at IrishPipes' recruitment-info threads.

Around 1971, Greek life started when local sororities and fraternities went national. There were 5 sororities to begin with but I am not sure if all 5 were locals.

Sigma Chi Omega became Alpha Gamma Delta. (Or it was Sigma Something Omega.(

I believe there are plans for the new groups at UA to participate in the first round of formal recruitment then have interviews, etc after FR ends. But, nothing has been announced yet.

Others presenting at Kennesaw State in addition to Alpha Gamma Delta are Zeta Tau Alpha and Kappa Delta.

Presentations start March 13th and wind up the 19th.

*** hopefully this is correct - I asked KSU sources.

That might not have been a good situation for both groups. Gamma Phi Beta seems to still have a strong chapter at Bama and Sigma Kappa at Bama is listed as dormant (I think since 95?).

But I'd be interested to know if Bama in 88 was as ridiculously underserved as Arkansas is now. They could literally put 4 chapters at total without blinking. Yes, one will undoubtedly be the more highly preferred by the colony rushees (who knows which?), but there's no reason to think they won't both survive perfectly well.

I think there is a new way to handle this that maybe hasn't been done before that will allow the rushees to consider the 2 new chapters without having to drop out of rush first. I don't know what that method IS, but I bet there's a better way out there.

I don't think anyone has quite had the situation U. Ark. has right now with 100 person pledge classes.

I know that historically the problem chapters that struggled at U. Ark and Bama has always been housing and house location. It not only had to be a huge beautiful house, but certain locations were considered much more desirable and that affected PNM perception. You also had girls that would drop out of recruitment altogether or transfer to another school if they did not get in to the house they wanted.

The most fair way to have them start off on equal footing might be to have them go ahead and participate in formal recruitment? Bring in collegians or alumnae for first round open house and invite everyone to philanthropy day. Have a presentation and discussion about philanthropy and the national organization history instead of meeting girls for that round. Then bring girls from a nearby chapter for prefs? Girls would then have to decide on pref night whether they would prefer to take the risk on a new chapter or another house?

I really think this is how all expansions should be done. Although with one minor change about inviting everyone, just because they are a colony doesn't mean they have/should invite all the PNMs. I also think if they were to do it this way the colony would not be restricted to quota.

I believe that a new org could loose out on many wonderful members just because PNMs have to drop out of formal to rush a colony.