2014/2015 Colonies/Expansions/Charters/Closures

[quatrefoiled]

Originally Posted by IHeartUGA

Alpha Gamma Delta presented at Kansas State today!

Does anyone know who else is presenting?

[Shellfish]

More on the AXO situation at Penn: http://www.thedp.com/article/2015/04...members-resign

As an aside, way too much use by the article's writer of "national chapter" and "national branch." How can they not see the obvious oxymoron of those expressions?

[ComradesTrue]

Sigma Nu, Pi Kappa Alpha, Chi Psi and Phi Kappa Tau presented at TCU earlier this semester. IFC will vote to decide which fraternity will colonize, and that group will recruit next year.

I know that typically this isn't how the men's group expand, but how common is this system of presenting to IFC becoming? I am guessing that TCU took this systematic approach because the university owns the fraternity houses and to get a house you need campus recognition.

Sigma Nu has had a local/TCU presence before, but they were off campus and never attained official recognition by the university. The had a off campus house, parties, etc., but could not participate in any official campus events. I'm not exactly sure when they shut down, but I think it was in the range of 10-15 years ago. The other 3 have never been at TCU before.

http://www.tcu360.com/news/2015/04/3...ty-come-campus

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by ComradesTrue

Sigma Nu, Pi Kappa Alpha, Chi Psi and Phi Kappa Tau presented at TCU earlier this semester. IFC will vote to decide which fraternity will colonize, and that group will recruit next year.

I know that typically this isn't how the men's group expand, but how common is this system of presenting to IFC becoming? I am guessing that TCU took this systematic approach because the university owns the fraternity houses and to get a house you need campus recognition.

Sigma Nu has had a local/TCU presence before, but they were off campus and never attained official recognition by the university. The had a off campus house, parties, etc., but could not participate in any official campus events. I'm not exactly sure when they shut down, but I think it was in the range of 10-15 years ago. The other 3 have never been at TCU before.

http://www.tcu360.com/news/2015/04/3...ty-come-campus

You are correct. In previous times, fraternities colonized by:

-contacting the university and asking permission to come on campus and start a group from the ground up, or

-a group of guys would get together, form either an interest group or a local fraternity and then ask permission from the university to contact a group(s) to see who would be interested in absorbing them.

In the last 6-7 years, the Offices of Greek Life and the campus IFCs have taken more of a control on who's coming to campus by asking for presentations. Sometimes one group, sometimes several. I actually like the idea, because IMO it gives the new group a better chance of success. However, there are a couple of groups that are going to campuses whether they have permission or not. If you want an example, pm me and I will send you a link to a big thread about a group that went without permission to a campus.

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by Shellfish

More on the AXO situation at Penn: http://www.thedp.com/article/2015/04...members-resign

Sounds like a case of AXO saying "don't let the door hit you on the way out."

[clemsongirl]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

Sounds like a case of AXO saying "don't let the door hit you on the way out."

I wonder if the new chapter, assuming their colonization is successful, will be placed under the same sanctions the current chapter was facing? Since it sounds like very few of the members of the original chapter are sticking around it doesn't seem fair to penalize a new chapter that way. I feel bad for the girls who wanted to stick it out and stay with AXO.

[Sciencewoman]

My guess is that that the remaining members will be given a clean slate to work with. AXO nationals and the OFSL appear to be collaborating and it sounds like AXO will keep the university-owned house. If the OFSL is smart, they'll give the remaining members the best chance to successfully rebuild the officially recognized AXO chapter with compliant new members. Reading between the lines, if local alumnae are willing to move in to fill the house, the alumnae are not in support of the breakaways; they want to see the official chapter continue. I think the few remaining members are likely the compliant "on board" types. Sanctions won't help the official chapter rebuild and flourish.

[33girl]

I'm REALLY confused by this:

Sisters have been told that they cannot revoke the chapter’s charter with the University unless they have a unanimous vote. Because a few members have expressed interest in remaining in the chapter, the rest of the members have to officially deactivate in order to lose their individual affiliation with the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.

How can they vote to close the AXO chapter if they disaffiliate from AXO?

This sounds like the university is trying to placate the alumnae and saying "we took these steps to make sure you still have a charter and a home to come back to." They're not thinking about the girls who are going to have to build this chapter back up. Again, the success of this plan depends on how the chapter was thought of by the Greek and campus community at large.

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

My guess is that that the remaining members will be given a clean slate to work with. AXO nationals and the OFSL appear to be collaborating and it sounds like AXO will keep the university-owned house. If the OFSL is smart, they'll give the remaining members the best chance to successfully rebuild the officially recognized AXO chapter with compliant new members. Reading between the lines, if local alumnae are willing to move in to fill the house, the alumnae are not in support of the breakaways; they want to see the official chapter continue. I think the few remaining members are likely the compliant "on board" types. Sanctions won't help the official chapter rebuild and flourish.

Unless they're plants and faking their compliancy.

Regarding the alumnae moving in, it's a possibility that "local alumnae" includes alumnae from other AXO chapters who don't have a dog in the fight and are happy just to find decent housing in Philly.

Also, IMO, no way should AXO HQ have gone back on their decision and said "well even if you didn't show up, you can stay a member." Makes them look weak and gives ex-members too much time to formulate a plan as I mentioned above.

[HONKY660]

According to an article in the Captain's Log, Christopher Newport University's student paper, CNU plans to introduce three new fraternities to campus within the next five years. The incoming fraternities are Pi Kappa Alpha, Lambda Chi Alpha and Phi Gamma Delta. The fraternities will give presentations in order to secure a time to begin the colonization process.

http://www.thecaptainslog.org/2015/n...ties-rush-cnu/

[pinksequins]

33, as to your first question, I think the situation instead is because 100 percent did not vote to revoke, the charter remains so 90 percent are resigning. It's not resignation first. As to another point, AXO is/was hugely popular at Penn. There are different ways to rebuild a chapter with a small core of retained members.

[ebdelt]

Originally Posted by ComradesTrue

Sigma Nu, Pi Kappa Alpha, Chi Psi and Phi Kappa Tau presented at TCU earlier this semester. IFC will vote to decide which fraternity will colonize, and that group will recruit next year.

I know that typically this isn't how the men's group expand, but how common is this system of presenting to IFC becoming? I am guessing that TCU took this systematic approach because the university owns the fraternity houses and to get a house you need campus recognition.

Sigma Nu has had a local/TCU presence before, but they were off campus and never attained official recognition by the university. The had a off campus house, parties, etc., but could not participate in any official campus events. I'm not exactly sure when they shut down, but I think it was in the range of 10-15 years ago. The other 3 have never been at TCU before.

http://www.tcu360.com/news/2015/04/3...ty-come-campus

As others have said, IFC fraternity presentations have become pretty commonplace. Still some universities, especially large state universities, will allow most fraternities to attempt their own colonizations on a consistent basis. At schools where new fraternities have not existed for a while, the school will generally go the presentation route. At the end of the day it's really up to the administration, Greek office, and IFC to decide.

Your account of Simga Nu's history at TCU is accurate I believe. Sigma Nu is the only inactive fraternity at TCU, so bringing them on would make TCU 12/12 on active fraternities dating back to when the university allowed Greek life in 1955. I'm curious to see how this plays out. The new chapter will very likely be provided housing in the new Greek village so that's a good start for whoever is chosen.

[LaneSig]

Some good news.

Delta Upsilon has been invited to recharter at Northwestern University(IL).

It has been announced that the following schools are open for expansion:

University of Central Missouri - last expansion 1991
University of Puget Sound(WA) - last expansion 1966

[exlurker]

Phi Delta Theta has suspended its chapter at Washburn U (KS). Sexually explicit e-mails have been discovered, allegedly, and both Washburn and Phi Delt are investigating.
NBC, the Topeka paper, and a Washburn paper report:

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/...-texts-n342801

http://cjonline.com/news/2015-04-16/...g-investigated

http://www.washburnreview.org/news/a...847c86e76.html

Edited to add: a copy of Phi Delta Theta's press release:

http://media.graytvinc.com/documents...rn+4-16-15.pdf

[joliebelle]

Gamma Phi Beta has been selected to colonize at Ohio University in Fall 2015!

[tinydancer]

Great news for us!