help saving our chapter

[phisigsigchic]

Alright I need every single phi sig have to help me out here. I was told by one of my sisters that if we do not rush 40-80 girls this semester, national is going to take our chapter away from us. I do want to still be in a national sorority and have our chapter and keep our house. Anyway, so far its not a total emergency problem is we have MAJOR competitiion with all the other sororities on campus. We are the smallest ones and it always seems that girls are going ZTA or Gamm Phi Beta (they are the biggest competition). Now, I know we can do it especially since I will be recruiting like a mad woman. But does anyone have any ideas on what we can do to recruit so many girls throughout the year? We have 3 chances throughout the year to recruit. Fall informal rush, formal rush (in the spring semester I believe) and then another informal rush late in the spring. Throughout informal rushes, we hold a lot of COB's. So any ideas of activities, advertising, how to get girls interested are welcome. I was also thinking of hitting up the freshman when they move in this year. even though they can't rush until spring semester, I could get them to start hanging out and liking us so they will go Greek and we will be their number 1 choice come rush time. LITP!!!

[SapphireSweetie]

I'm sorry hon.... Okay... let's break this down... check out some other ideas in the Informal Rush Ideas Thread and incorporate some of those. Your idea on hitting on the freshies is a really good idea!! Don't forget about sophmores tho, as you know that some of them put off rushing for a year so they can get a feel first b4 jumping into the mix.

Based on the situation... you will have to do one thing... CONSTANTLY COB... have PNMs talking to sisters all the time, make sure that conversation skills are ON POINT!! Believe me, a lot of mistakes can be made in this department. Also, remember to constantly rep PHI SIG as in- be ladylike, be elegant (as in outfits are ON POINT). You have to remember that as much as you are looking at the PNMs, the PNMs are looking at you, so what you project is that they are going to classify the sorority.

Here's an idea... see if National will provide you with a recruitment advisor. With the new reflections program that coming out, they should or should have sent you an MOC advisor just to discuss the new, so they might as well send you a MRC advisor too. Hit me up on ShortyRi7 and we can discuss more.

LIOB,
Marie

[PhiSigCoco]

You might want to double check with CO about this too! Last year we were on discipilany status for low numbers... but we had dropped down to 1 member. All they told us was that we HAD to get and maintain 10 sisters. It seems extremely that they would force your numbers to be so high!! Double check with your advisor and DCP.

I am starting to think that national has something against us all...

[PenguinTrax]

Originally posted by phisigsigchic
Honestly, I feel like telling national, you want us to have more girls then prepare us better!

This is EXACTLY what you should say - to your advisors, to your regional officers, etc. ASK for help. Don't just take their ultimatums and then worry about how to follow through. Ask for a traveling consultant to work with your chapter. ASK for contact information for chapters that turned their membership numbers around (so you can get ideas from them).

Yes, your HQ is strict, but they really are trying to look out for your chapter's best interest. USE them to your best advantage - pick their brains, their experience, etc. Don't feel as if your chapter is in it alone. If they don't offer the assistance - ASK for it and don't take no for an answer.

[PhiSigCoco]

Unfortunately, our consultants aren't always the best thing for the chapter. We had one who caused serious problems and left us to fix it as well as the other stuff we already were dealing with. Asking isn't the issue, they just aren't helpful. Beyond that, they ARE pushing numbers only. Although reflections is supposedly about quality... they are just looking for the numbers.

Chic - I agree with you. The webpage has been "under construction" for eternity, pins/badges are always late, dedlines are given only a day or two before they are due, and I am always on the defensive with them.

But that is just how I feel after being Archon for a year and dealing with them.

[MooseGirl]

I empathize with you. it's hard getting numbers. and i know they have different expectations of each chapter...they are fine that our chapter has been hovering around 10 members...although they'd love to see us at 25. A few years ago they shut down a chapter that had around 30 sisters (so i heard) because they were not competitive on campus...like every other group had around 100 members.

Stick to the Vision. make friends in your classes and invite them out, not necessarily to an info meeting. if you're having a sisterhood, ask a friend, or philanthropy or fundraiser. My chapter has even decided that informal meetings can be used as recruitment tools. Get girls interested and then see what happens.

do keep quality in mind, because if you go for numbers you'll just end up with a lot of disaffiliations or unenthusiastic members.

Do ask for help...maybe not everyone is good at giving advice, but some ppl are....my advisor is awesome, but sometimes we feel she is on national's side on certain issues. If you're unhappy with your consultant demand a second visit. We did the first year i was in(actually I was a new member when the first consultant came) the chapter was quite unhappy with her performance so we received a second visit from a different consultant.

invite alum out when possible...i know my chapter doesn't always do that bcuz some alum seem to give more negative criticism than constructive advice, but there's always some that help out.

I really don't know what else to say but be positive, even about National. others can read what we are writing here. just think, some groups PAY their national personnel, ours are volunteering their time.
[btw, my friend spoke to Laura W of CO and she mentioned how she just got finished paper work from 1997!(CO had some bad office workers, but now they have Laura!)]

also, find out which sister is good at sweet-talking...that'll help speed things up.

[phisigduchesscv]

We are also on probation for numbers but our total is 40 women not quota for our chapter. Double check with your DCP about the numbers. Your delegate to convention may have misread the numbers, in fact your delegate should have some letter with the exact steps needed to follow to bring up numbers and what those numbers truly are.
As for recruitment, start talking to freshman now rather then ignoring them until Spring semester. Let them see how great Phi Sig is so that when they go through recruitment they will really want to join Phi Sig. Does your campus have a rule about recruiting freshman only in the spring or is it a chapter requirement. We're able to recruit Freshman the first term and that will help us.
Also, if you have grad students at your school consider talking to them as well. You may only pick up a couple more women that way but they will be quality women. I am a grad student and was Archon last year. Another grad student is our Sapphire Ball chair this year.
As for chapter consultants, CO has it on hold this year as they decide on how best to revamp the program so no chapter consultant visits. Talk to your advisor, if shes not helping go to your DCP, RCD, whomever you need to. Call CO they have been great for us - Lisa Daly and Laura Wegle (not sure of spelling) do all they can to help out chapters.
Do you have chapters near you that you can ask to come out and support you at recruitment events (and you can return the favor). We went out and supported Theta Upsilon and they drove the 1 1/2 hrs to support us later on and it was a big help. Plus it shows the sisterhood among all Phi Sigs.
Good luck
Carolyn

[idigphisig]

well, to start - dont be too hard on our nationals. they are trying to do what they can to improve phi sig as a national organization, but unfortunetly we don't have the resources available or the advantages that come with being around as long as some other GLOs (ie kkg, tri delt, chi o, etc). we had some issues with them during our colonization process, but when push comes to shove, as a national organization we're still learning - and still making mistakes. they are trying to do what they can to increase numbers (and chapter strength) across the board - i know that sometimes the preparation isn't the best, but things are improving (for example, Vision). i know they can be a little... strict about numbers and quota but it IS important to have strong chapters.

that's not to say i think its cool that you guys have to come up with 40 new members or else they pull the charter - that might be a little extreme. however, i know you can do it - all the ideas on here are great. ALWAYS recruit, ALWAYS advertise. one of the chapters on our campus was having some trouble with numbers also, and i remember that after rush, they went CRAZY with COBs- bordering on shameless, but it worked. they would call girls who went through and dropped or didnt get a bid, they would call friends of those girls - and they would call A LOT. they had dinners, ice skating parties, movie nights etc. getting the girls in the door is the hardest part - once they're in, i'm sure they'll realize how great you guys are.

and i also think its a good idea to hang out with phi sigs from other campuses, preferrably where there is a strong chapter. and preferrably in a situation where they can meet PNMs. not just recruitment, but in general - parties, bars, social situations where you can get the phi sig name out in a different kind of way. i know when i went through rush, i based a lot of my opinions on houses on girls i had met throughout the year - and i'm not talking about in class.

also, i dont know what the general feeling is on this, but maybe keep an open mind about upper classmen (like juniors and maybe seniors). sometimes there are good girls out there who just for whatever reason missed their chance or didnt get a bid - whatever. as an upperclassman now, i know i have a bunch of friends who are always saying they wished they went through rush or joined a house - girls who make excellent sisters. although i know it's not the most prestigious thing to pledge juniors and seniors. just something to think about.

i know you guys can do it. how far is rutgers from syracuse? i'd be game for a road trip...

[idigphisig]

ps i hate our webpage too. WHY WON'T THEY FIX IT?!? i know there are CHAPTER webpages 3000000 times better than our national site. isn't there anything anyone can do?

[phisigsigchic]

Idigphisig - RU is pretty far away from syracuse. wow i almost went there. I was way into journalism when I went into college and syracuse is very well known for its journalism. But then I realized how much it snowed over there (I HATE snow...I am such a summer person ) so I knew it wasn't for me. Plus it was so far away and as much as my parents annoyed me, I knew I wanted to be near enough to visit when I wanted. Thats why RU was a great choice for me. Now, I am a Spanish major anyway (yea also realized I didn't like the journalism thing). Alright enough about my complicated life...LOL. But we would love to have ya come down and visit if you could make the trip.

[AngelPhiSig]

Ladies:

I first want to inform you that C.O. will do EVERYTHING within its power to keep a chapter from closing. They do not just go around yanking charters like people think. Even if a chapter is caught hazing, they dont get their charter yanked... they are helped.

Second - like someone else said: COB like CRAZY! Get the Phi Sig name out by helping on campus - always wear letters - HOLD DOORS FOR PEOPLE! It works when people see Phi Sigs doing good things! Be nice! Get involved in orgs that freshmen go to - like a university activites board, things dealing with dorms, THE BAND - if you have one - it has been one of our greatest recruiting tools! WEAR LETTERS!

Remember that sisterhoods and philantrhopies are the same as open bids to our nationals, invite women to these! *check your schools policy*

Are the other sororities cut-throat?

If you have a fraternity that youre close to, maybe have some of the brothers talk up Phi Sig to girls who come to parties.

These are just some ideas I have!!!

LITP GOOD LUCK!
Alison

PS:
Again, dont be too hard on nationals, they are doing the best they can right now - and almost all of the positions are volunteer!

[Hootie]

My chapter never had this problem and didn't COB so I don't know how valid my ideas are, however here they be:

1) PR is key. Get your name on campus big time. We're talking set aside days of the week where all the sisters wear their letters for example. Get a website, get some flyers and broadcast your ideals and that website for further information. Seek out the media on campus. Make sure they cover your fundraisers, take out a small ad...anything!

2) WORD OF MOUTH! Get the sisters to make friends with their classmates and spread the word about COB. I know not everyone will feel comfortable approaching random girls but perhaps they could start out conversations like, "Hi, I'm Angel and I'm a Phi Sigma Sigma. I don't know if you've considered joining a sorority, but here's our flyer and we'd love to see you at one of our events." I'm sure you're already used to that, but if every sister tells three girls in their classes that's some big time word of mouth going on!

3) Get some of the fraternity boys to help you out. I know we would help the Pikes on my campus by wearing their shirts. Maybe they could do you a favor by talking to some of their friend's girlfriends or girls at their parties. Just a though!

4) Use your new members. Those girls are fresh and excited and ready to tell everyone they're a Phi Sigma Sigma. They'll make friends easily, so maybe their persuasion will help them get you more numbers!

Hope those ideas help. Like I said, my chapter never had to COB so I don't know how helpful they are.

BEST OF LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hootie

[idigphisig]

hootie-

awesome advice and i'm glad you "invaded our boards" -- always nice to be able to share ideas no matter what group we're from.

now, if only we knew how to get to the point where we never had to COB... ah, maybe someday...

[Hootie]

I actually think it's sorta neat that chapters get to COB people. I always thought it'd be fun to do!
Best as always~
Hootie