Why is this happening?!?!

FAB*SpiceySpice · #1 05-05-2003, 09:31 PM

Ok so tonight at chapter our panhel rep brought up an issue that they want us to vote on. There is a chapter on our campus (I'll call them XYZ) struggling with membership and if they do not have 100 members by next December and 65 girls living in the house their charter is gone. Now our greek system here at Mizzou is HUGE but unfortunately it's also very competitive and cutthroat. This house is asking if anyone would mind if they brought in other members from different chapters to help with fall recruitment so they wouldn't have to double or triple rush girls. This isn't against ANY rules but they were just giving the 13 other houses a heads up, which I think is the classy thing to do. My chapter sees no problem with this AT ALL, we don't want them to lose their charter, b/c we know how much our sisterhood means to us so it must be similar for them and I can't imagine losing my chapter. Now the problem is though bigger houses out of the 14 that have like 200 or 240 members are OPPOSED to this and are saying that they're going to tell PNM's in the fall that some of the women rushing them at XYZ aren't members here. Who cares? They're still XYZ sisters! I don't understand why the chapters that aren't even COMPETING with this chapter are being so cold and hurtful about this. It really discourages me and makes me sad to be part of this greek system. Does anyone have any similar stories, or ideas about anything that can be done? I don't think anything can and that makes me very sad.

AlphaXiGirl · #2 05-05-2003, 09:49 PM

I think your attitude truly shows the panhellenic spirit!

I cannot understand why successful chapters would not want to do everything in their power to help the smaller chapters - especially when it means (literally) the life or death of a chapter. And in this case, the larger chapters are not being asked to do anything except be supportive.

You are absolutely correct - the chapter did not have to give anyone a heads up that they were going to be doing this. I do think it is classy that they did. And I think that you are classy to be so supportive.

Tom Earp · #3 05-05-2003, 10:32 PM

FAB, I commend you for your statement!!

Dont the Greeks at Ole Mizzu know that the weekest link is still important!

I know LXA was taken off of Campus, but they are recolonizing again!!

Just when in the hell are Greeks going to come to the realization that it is US against the rest of the campus?

Just what the hell is wrong with Greeks Helping Greeks!

It is a sad commentary when a 65 member Group is threatened to be taken off of Campus!

OUlioness01 · #4 05-05-2003, 10:47 PM

Fab i'm glad you're standing up for this chapter. The reasons small but good chapters fail are many, but one of the most important is that they don't get much, if any, backing from the rest of the greek community. Continue to fight for these women to retain their charter. I know how hard it is to have to close due to low membership and I would never wish that on anyone else EVER.

KissASinfonian · #5 05-05-2003, 10:52 PM

I think your spirit is amazing because a couple of years a go....I belonged to a chapter much like this and if it hadn't been for help from other houses we would've never made it. HANG IN THERE....You'll be rewarded. Let's here it for Panhel's MVP!!!

-MLK

lauralaylin · #6 05-05-2003, 11:13 PM

If there is nothing in the rules saying they can't do it, then does the vote even matter? Are there rules saying that the members from the other school can't talk to the pnm's or anything like that? I've never heard anyone having a problem with it before, but maybe that's because the only ones I know about had always been kept more of a secret.

texas*princess · #7 05-05-2003, 11:28 PM

FAB, I think you and your chapter should be proud they show what panhellenic spirit is all about!

If there is nothing in the rules that opposes it, why would the bigger (240 members

) chapters have a problem with it?

33girl · #8 05-05-2003, 11:31 PM

Honestly - how can those other chapters be so heartless and cruel!!

All I can say is, karma bites you in the ass eventually - if that is how you treat the weakest among you, sooner or later it will come back to you tenfold. If the other chapters bring it up, t will just make them look bitchy to rushees, imo.

Laura, I think that the "vote" is more of a courtesy to the other chapters so they know this is happening (in case XYZ's national prez or something pops up, for example) because whether this sort of thing is permitted should already be in the bylaws. If it's not mentioned, they can't shut the barn door after the horse is out. As previously stated, giving the other chapters a heads up is the nice and classy thing to do. It's sad when you have to be sorry that you were nice to someone.

sugar and spice · #9 05-05-2003, 11:38 PM

It's my understanding that the XYZ members from the other school would have to be distinguished from the Mizzou XYZs anyway. Like, their name tags would have to make note of the fact that they're from another chapter. So it's not like it would be this massive deception anyway.

I do kind of see where the objections are coming from in that I don't think it would be fair to have PNMs think that all the XYZs are from Mizzou, and then after the PNMs have accepted their bids, half the XYZs pack up and leave for their college. But as long as it's made clear that some of the XYZs aren't from your school, I don't think there should be any problem with it.

Does anybody know the official rules on this kind of situation?

texas*princess · #10 05-05-2003, 11:38 PM

FAB, was this already voted on?

I also agree with 33girl when she said if the bigger chapters bring it up during recruitment to the PNM's they are going to come across as very mean.

AOII_LB93 · #11 05-05-2003, 11:43 PM

Fab,
I wish you went to my school and were on pahellenic there...we are having that problem, but instead of helping other houses do ours the disservice of talking crap during rush and telling PNMs that they shouldn't join our house because it's going to close. With more members like you in a greek system smaller chapters have a chance. Thank you for sticking up for the smaller chapter. Thank you, from my heart.

sherbertlemons · #12 05-05-2003, 11:45 PM

Wow, that scenario is so sad.

How far away are they from their hundred? Do you have any idea of the general consensus of the chapters on campus? Perhaps if they are a minority, they could somehow be shamed into silence by the other chapters? (IMHO, they should be ashamed that they are even thinking of doing that! What a horrible thing to do, kicking a chapter when its down!)

*fervently gives thanks for her wonderful campus and Panhellenic*

PsychTau · #13 05-06-2003, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by FAB*SpiceySpice
Does anyone have any similar stories, or ideas about anything that can be done? I don't think anything can and that makes me very sad.

Every member of every sorority should write a 5 page paper about the meaning of the Panhellenic Creed.

Seriously, though. . .I just don't understand. I have a hard time believing that this chapter will wow everyone so much that EVERY PNM will suicide that sorority and leave the 13 other houses with ZERO new members. What's the point of being a national sorority if you can't take advantage of it's resources? It burns me up to no end to see this. There are PLENTY of women to go around. The more we believe that, the more secure we will be in our sorority, the more confident we will be, and more women will be drawn to us and into Greek life.

Isn't that what we want?

33girl · #14 05-06-2003, 01:13 AM

You know, the more I think about this, the more I want to kick the butts of these chickie-babes who obviously know nothing about sisterhood, maturity, or Greek unity.

I wish that the women in the chapters that are protesting could hear from some of THEIR sisters who were in a chapter that struggled and/or eventually closed, and have them explain how painful it is.

FAB*SpiceySpice · #15 05-06-2003, 02:07 AM

Whoever said the vote doesn't really matter was right it doesn't, XYZ just did a proposal to give a heads up to all other greek houses. Even if these big houses vote against it I know they'll do it anyway b/c when they come back in the fall they will only have 55 members, that is if NONE of their current members leave besides graduating seniors and my campus seems to have a problem with retention anyway! So quota is usually like 65ish, so they're going to have to meet that to retain their charter and last year 7 of the 14 houses didn't make quota at first, but most of us snap bidded/COB'd up to quota so hopefully they will be able to do that! They were never going to try to pass off their visiting sisters as Mizzou sisters, they have a small presentation prepared for 9 party day to let the PNM's know what was going on. Last year we had over 1000 girls going through rush so on the first day we had parties of at least 85 or 90!

I fully support them and I hope they get everything worked out ok, one of the nicest girls I first met when I got to college is an exec member of XYZ and I know how much her chapter means to her and it would be horrible if they lost their charter.

I hope things work out for them!

Edited to add: AXWoah...clean out your PM box, I tried to send you a message but it says your box is full!