Fraternity Expansion

[lonnboe]

I've been working as Director of Expansion for about a year as a volunteer and am starting this thread to hopefully get some ideas, connect with other people working in the same area, and just start to understand the Greek community a little better.

I'm curious to see what criteria other Greek orgs have for campuses and groups to get things started.

[PSK480]

on our national webiste http://www.phisigmakappa.org I think they have the email address for our director of expansion. I'm sure he'd be willing to give you ideas and be a connection in the field. We actually just lost one of our D.O.E.'s because he's going back to grad school. But, the current D.O.E. is named David Jones.

[Tom Earp]

Welcome to GC!

You could not have come to a better place for interative Greek Relations!

It is unfortuniate that it does not happen on Campi!

But, We do on here the best We Can!

It seems that the problem is the competiton among Chapters about who is getting how many instead fo working together!

We as Greek Social Orgs on most Campi are in teh Minority.

If We as NIC, PHN, PHNC were on our toes, there would not be a need for all of the MCL, Latino, Asian, ETC groups.

But, there seems to be a need isnt there?

__________________________________________________ __


Never Tell Me I Cannot, As I Will!

[Kevin]

lonnboe, great to hear ya'll are looking to expand. My father's a Skull, Omicron chapter I think (Oklahoma U).

I was a charter member of my chapter. Sigma Nu expands two ways: through affiliation (an existing organization that fits the national organization's requirments) and through creating entirely new colonies.

I'm not sure how the national director of expansion looks for potential locations to start new chapters. It seems that they have been going to schools where they get a tip that there is an excellent potential for expansion (like my school, the University of Central Oklahoma [which ya'll might want to look into]), or places there are obvious opportunities like UCF (we started a colony there last year).

Pre-existing organizations (mostly locals) can petition our national organization for permission to become a colony. Once granted, both types of groups are on essentially the same path.

I'm not sure what the specific criteria are for colonies. They are probably as much qualitative as quantitative.

[phigamucsb]

These are the requirements for Phi Gamma Delta:

Criteria:
1.Strong local graduate support
2. Healthy greek system
3. Administration that supports the greek system

Expectations of a colony(four points of the diamond shall be accomplished within four semesters of operation)
1.Membership (largest on campus)
2.Academics (highest fraternity GPA on campus)
3.Community service and campus involvement
-one sponsered philanthropic project per semester
-each member performs at least 15 hours of community service
-each member belongs to at least one campus organization
-colony is competitive in intermural sports
4.Long term stability finances
-fraternity housing
-$15,000 to fund chartering weekend
-debt free operations

While I admit these all seem overwhelming they are usually all accomplished. The one expectations that is sometimes not met is largest membership on campus, but that is very difficult to meet as a colony.

[lonnboe]

These requirements are fairly high compared to other's I've seen. $15,000 seems extreme, especially for smaller schools with smaller Greek systems. With this amount being so high, there mucs be qualifications for consideration of the campus too. Do a lot of other fraternities turn groups at small schools away?

I can understand some of the concept behind this idea, but coming from a small school myself, I'm not sure I agree it. If PKS wouldn't have let smaller schools bring our chapter on, I would have never been a Skull. I'd hate to turn down another school and deprive another student of the same experiences.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by lonnboe
These requirements are fairly high compared to other's I've seen. $15,000 seems extreme, especially for smaller schools with smaller Greek systems. With this amount being so high, there mucs be qualifications for consideration of the campus too. Do a lot of other fraternities turn groups at small schools away?

I can understand some of the concept behind this idea, but coming from a small school myself, I'm not sure I agree it. If PKS wouldn't have let smaller schools bring our chapter on, I would have never been a Skull. I'd hate to turn down another school and deprive another student of the same experiences.

$15,000 is actually pretty accurate as to what a good chartering weekend costs for a group of 35-40. When my colony chartered I was treasurer. In the month of our chartering, $11,000 went in and out of our bank account.

Looking at FIJI's requirements, ours were similar. Intramurals weren't as big a deal (we're still half the size of one group on campus and others have 20 more than we do, however, we are above campus average) -- hard to be competitive when other fraternities have enough members to field 3 teams to your one

You might be best served by setting different expectations for different groups.

[lonnboe]

I would agree with looking at different groups in different ways, but you still have to have a base set of criteria, like GPA minimum or a critical mass of initial members.

I took the amount of $15000 the wrong way. I thought the majority of that goes to the headquarters and didn't consider the chatering ceremony costs. I'm also wondering about colonization criteria, not full membership criteria for a group.

How do other fraternities handle insurance and dues with new colony members? I understand that newly chartered members are responsible for these payments, but what about new colonies?

[Kevin]

In Sigma Nu, as a colony, we did not pay national dues, fees or insurance. Legally speaking, we were only petitioning the main body for membership, we were not actually members. However, fraternity literature (like our LEAD program) was provided to us free of charge as was attendance to national events.

In my chapter's case, we had to reach a number above campus average as far as membership, have an excellent collective GPA (we missed #1 by a few hundredths of a point the semester before we petitioned) and just generally show ourselves worthy of belonging.

We submitted a petition that detailed every single aspect of our chapter in great detail. It was approved by both our High Council and later by all of the other active chapters of Sigma Nu.

[Tom Earp]

As KTsnake said, there are certain Criteria that have to be met as a colony to attain Full Status.

As I was a Local back when, I did not know what all of the inroads were. But being a full fledged Brother. I had certain obligations to the International Fraternity.

1. Memebership quotas.

2. GPA.

3. Members in school positions and functions.

4. Participation of events and charity functions.

If you read the thread about ZTA at Un. Ks. this might give you a better idea.

It seems a lot depends on the Campi that you are trying to expand to. LXA, is using a two pronged attack, recolonization and seeking new schools.

[lonnboe]

Originally posted by Tom Earp
As KTsnake said, there are certain Criteria that have to be met as a colony to attain Full Status.

As I was a Local back when, I did not know what all of the inroads were. But being a full fledged Brother. I had certain obligations to the International Fraternity.


It seems a lot depends on the Campi that you are trying to expand to. LXA, is using a two pronged attack, recolonization and seeking new schools.

This seems to be more geared towards chartering a new chapter. I'm more interested in pre-colonization criteria. Do you have something set in place for this?

[Kevin]

Lonboe, I only know that Sigma Nu goes to places where it feals a chapter has the opportunity to be successful. We recolonize at schools where the alums of a given chapter express an interest in helping.

We also have started several new chapters in recent years at the University of Central Oklahoma, Stephen F. Austin University, Longwood College and Lynchburg College. We currently have colonies (not recharters) at UCF and LSU - Shreveport.

As far as I know, there are no set criteria. They just found these places to be excellent opportunities to start new chapters. It could be that there is an upward trend in Greek Life, an alumni group that wants a chapter there or any number of factors.

A great starting point for you might be to look at colleges where colonies of other groups have had recent success.

[lonnboe]

Originally posted by ktsnake
Lonboe, I only know that Sigma Nu goes to places where it feals a chapter has the opportunity to be successful. We recolonize at schools where the alums of a given chapter express an interest in helping.

We also have started several new chapters in recent years at the University of Central Oklahoma, Stephen F. Austin University, Longwood College and Lynchburg College. We currently have colonies (not recharters) at UCF and LSU - Shreveport.

As far as I know, there are no set criteria. They just found these places to be excellent opportunities to start new chapters. It could be that there is an upward trend in Greek Life, an alumni group that wants a chapter there or any number of factors.

A great starting point for you might be to look at colleges where colonies of other groups have had recent success.

Thanks ktsnake, it's really helpfull go get a perspective from other organizations.

[DeltAlum]

Lonnboe,

Good luck. Like others, I would guide you to www.delts.org rather than try to explain the stuff myself.

Or, you can contact nick.prihoda@delts.net directly.

[Tom Earp]

Are You talking about colonization or local affiliation?

There is a difference.

If you are a local, you still have to follow certain guide lines and criteria just as a colonization does. Refer to thread above.

Please PM me so I can understand more of which you are speaking of!

Am I missing something here!