need more help about going national

[piomega]

Ok, I understand that in order to even THINK about starting a national we need to get other chapters in other colleges and states....but really, where do we go from there? Shouldn't there be a book on this or something? Anyway...if anyone has ANY information at all, please email or post it!
Thank you so much!

[ZChi4Life]

Hi Piomega
Welcome to GC!

Well we have talked about this before on our board many times. I would do a search of some of the past threads and see if you can find out the info you are looking for.

Just to maybe get you started, what other type of info are you looking for? Maybe if you could tell us specifically what you want to know, we could help you better

ZC4L

[ZTAMiami]

Definetely search but please clarify:

Do you want to establish your local as a national organization?
OR
Do you want a national organization to colonize you (as in join an existing organization)?

[piomega]

I've tried looking at previous threads, but it just seems people are reacting to what other people have said and no one is really addressing the issue. Our sorority wants to remain as we are, just going national, not becoming affiliated with another sorority.

[FuzzieAlum]

Let me ask - why does Pi Omega want to go national?

I ask this because going national is nearly impossible to do. That's why no one has written a book on it.

Of the sororities in the NPC, none were founded after 1917. In the NPHC, the last one was founded in 1922. There are a few national sororities that have arisen since then, but they have found special niches: They are Latina or Asian or multicultural, or they cater to engineering or agricultural students. Other new sororities reached a certain size - and then were absorbed into other groups.

So, what sort of sorority is Pi Omega? Do you act like an NPC org, or an NPHC org? If you do, you will find expansion very difficult until you are old and large enough to join either one of those groups, since rushees and campuses tend to focus their energies on the member groups. If you have an ethnic focus or a certain academic focus, you may find it easier, because you are generally looking at a smaller chapter size plus fewer barriers to entry (you may not need houses, for example).

Do you have something different, truly different to offer? What makes Pi Omega distinct from DG, or AXD, or Phi Mu? That's what the real question is. Because becoming a truly national sorority is going to be a long, hard road with an uncertain outcome, and it had best be worth it. Even some long-established national groups struggle to keep up.

You don't have to tell me the answer - but you'll have to tell a lot of people, including potential members, skeptical university administrators, and alums who are sick of working to keep the chapters afloat. You'll face down people who say, "What's wrong with the existing sororities? Why do we need a new one?"

But if this what your group truly wants to achieve - good luck. I'm not rooting against you, just hoping you know what you're getting into.

[ZChi4Life]

FuzzieAlum brought up some good points about the things Pi Omega should consider about going national. It IS a truly long road and it's not the easiest thing to accomplish.

Just an FYI though, the last NPHC org was established in 1963 (Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc).

And while becoming a National org is quite hard, it's NOT impossible. Perhaps it is impossible to become national and be apart of the NPC at this point in time (I'm assuming this is what you were talking about FuzzieAlum). But I think if a group of women have a goal to become a national sorority and are serious about accomplishing it, it can become a reality.

Pi Omega- My sorority is enduring the journey of becoming national, so if you have any specific questions, feel free to PM or email me and maybe I can help you out. I'm the National President for my sorority, as well as a Founder of a chapter.

[piomega]

I've tried to find out what other sororities really stand for.....but so far I've just found a few and those aren't always quite what our sorority stands for. As far as I know, and I have a VERY limited knowledge of this, and if I am wrong, PLLLLLEEEEEAAAAASSSSEEEE tell me and maybe we can look into joining another sorority, but I haven't found a group that really has the Christian background our sorority wants to offer to others. If there are national sororites out there that have the strong Christian background, please write me so I can find out more about those sororites and see if we would like to become affliated with your group. Because the school is a strict Southern Baptist college, this would be a must. Thank you so much for responding, this has given me a lot to present before my group.

Oh yes, and how old does our sorority need to be for it to make it easier? This may not be old at all, I really don't know much about all of this, but I'm pretty sure our sorority was started around the time the school was founded, which was in 1906.

[PsychTau]

Ahhh, see. That gives a little more insight. Now your getting into more of what KIND of national sorority you want. Keep defining that, because as Fuzzie said, you'll have to defend it to a lot of people.

I'm going to say that I have much less knowledge of "going national" than others do (and I politely defer to them if I've made a mistake ). However, I have known several people who have attended a private, religion-based university (actually several of them). In all of their cases, the campuses did not want national groups (NPC, NIC, and the like) on their campus, probably because these national groups were not specifically "religious" and weren't exactly under the campus' control (remember, my explanation came from students and not the admin.). HOWEVER, these campuses allow student "clubs" to form and from what I've seen, act as fraternities/sororities. WHY the campuses don't want these groups to at least ban together and become regional, I don't know (other than they may be on a campus of a different religion). **By the way, all of this info came from Arkansas campuses. That could make a BIG difference in the explanation.**

Now, if the above made any sense at all, you could possibly have a great selling point to becoming a national Christian based sorority. One of the first hurdles is doing some research on other religious schools and asking them WHY they don't allow/want nationals on that campus. Start with your school. . . Do they have nationals? Why or why not? If you get really ambitious, you can probably talk to Fellowship of Christian Athletes and see how they managed to spread across the land. (Seems like one day they weren't there, the next day they were!!) It all goes back to one question, though: *What do you have to offer that all these other groups don't?*

By the way, can you post your purpose/mission/symphony for us? Any info that you normally give the public (like Chi O's symphony, AST's creed, etc). Other than me just being curious , that might help us point you in the right direction.
Good Luck, and let us know what's up!

[piomega]

Hmm....all I know right now for the public to know is the motto, colors, mascot, flower, and a brief statement that was in our rush catalog expaining Pi Omega...oh and by the way, I was WAY wrong with the time Pi Omega was started, it was actually, in 1986....sorry, I must have misunderstood one of the senior members when she explained it to me....The statement is as follows: "As one of the first social clubs established in 1986, Pi Omega encourages young women in the area of Christian growth, school spirit, and community service while creating life-long memories based on friendship and common values." I would give the website if anyone wanted to find out more, but unfortunately it's being modified at this time. That's all I really know for the public to know, I've just been given the job of researching what could go into this for our sorority to become a national one. We feel that with our values there could possibly be a large amount of colleges and universities that would want the same type of sorority, especially the small Christian-based ones.

I will be talking with the director of Student Affairs to be finding out why we don't have national groups, other than the fact that most groups may not have the specific requirements our school would want. I'll be sure to post that if that seems to be a large player in why. Oh and for the record, I'm so clueless in this whole thing, what are NPC, NIC, NPHC and what are the differences between them?

[Kevin]

I seem to recall there being some Christian national organizations using Greek letters at my school. They're out there. PM me to remind me and I'll try to get you the name of the organization. If there's a national structure already set up you may consider affiliation.

They do not compete at all with the NPC/NIC groups on campus. In fact I've only heard of them a few times. But they're out there and used to meet around the same time as us.

[Luis]

Their are 2 great Christian-focus national sororities:
Phi Beta Chi with 11 chapters/colonies
Alpha Delta Chi with 8 chapters/colonies

Unfortunately, since the sororities do not have 12 chapters yet, they are not eligible for NPC associate membership. If you would like to contact them, please PM me and I can send you a contact name and email.

Edited to add:
Phi Beta Chi national web site: www.phibetachi.org
Alpha Delta Chi's national web site is being updated, but a good chapter web site: www.alphadeltachi.net

[violets]

Well, of course nothing is impossible, but Fuzzie Alum is absolutely correct in letting you get perhaps a glimpse of the work ahead!

I suggest some serious reading asap:

www.npcwomen.org
This is the site for the National Panhellenic Council, the governing body for 26 National, Social sororities. There are links to the national sites of all 26 organizations, I suggest you take a look at each and every one. Especially if they offer a thorough history page.
http://www.nphchq.org/
This is the site for The National Pan-Hellenic Council, the governing body for the "Divine Nine," or the nine, national, Historically Black Sororities and Fraternities. Their histories are fascinating as are all the descriptions of the major work they have done in all areas of service.
http://www.nicindy.org/
This is the North American Inter-Fraternity Conference site. This is the organizations that serves 66 national, social fraternities. Excellent reading here as well.

None of these sites will provide you with the "blue print for going National" in addition, no one here can provide you that in a single post either. The sites above will provide you with a starting point from which to do some basic research. It just seems that you might want to start your research into the possiblity of national expansion by seeing what fraternal organizations are already existing and thriving on college campuses today.
A google.com search for Christian based sororities will lead you to a number of local sororities that are structured like yours. It might be a good idea to contact some of these groups of like- minded women and ask them if they have ever considered expansion.
Another thing, I assume this desire to expand comes from not only the collegiate sisters, but an alumnae base who feel that there is a need for such a sisterhood on college campuses everywhere? An Alumnae group who are passionately dedicated to this project and can commit their time, resources and finances will be essential. If such an alumnae base does not exist for you yet, I would begin there by contacting them and letting them know of your plan.
Good luck with your research and with your goals,
Greek Love,
violets

[Kevin]

A Christian Social group may have a very unique challenge in going national. It has come to my attention that on at least two Christian College Campuses in my area NATIONAL GLO's are forbidden. They do have local groups that are essentially controlled through their respective student life offices.

Part of your research should definitely include what specific steps you'd have to take in establishing on campuses that would have you (one of your best markets will be Christian universities).

[DeltaUpsilon97]

Now my sorority is NPC,

Maybe I just am unaware, but I've never heard of KKI before and they're not listed as an NPC sorority? Explain please.....

Thanks!
Amanda

[FuzzieAlum]

Now my sorority is NPC, but there are actually almost as many non-NPC sororities as there are NPC ones. And while some are much new, several of them have almost as many chapters as our bigger NPC ssters and some of them have MORE cdhapters than the smaller NPC groups.

Aside from the NPHC sororities (which are just about as old as the NPC groups), I'm not aware of any primarily collegiate, primarly social sororities with at least as many chapters as the NPC groups. Some of the NALFO and multicultural groups are quickly growing and may soon catch up, but they're not there yet. ASK, Phi Sigma Rho, Kappa Beta Gamma, none of these groups have more than half as many chapters as the smallest NPC groups, and they are the biggest "independent" collegiate sororities I can think of.

Groups like ESA and Beta Sigma Phi have a whole lot of chapters, but collegiates only make up a tiny percentage of their members. Other groups like SA and SAI bill themselves as "professional" sororities (whether individual chapters function in that capacity or not).

So I'm wondering what these groups are that I don't know about?