Help for a Struggling Greek Campus

[sheldric]

Hello to all Greeks! Here's my dilema. I am a Phi Mu looking for help. Our college, Loras College, is very anti-Greek. We currently have 5 social Greeks on campus: Phi Mu, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Kappa Delta Rho (colony), and Phi Beta Sigma. Numbers of all of the organizations have significantly declined in recent years and we realize the need to get positive PR for Greek Life is a must. Does anyone have any ideas of events, PR, or the like that we could use? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Go Greek!

Michelle Alquist
Provisional Member Director
Phi Mu
Loras College
alquma@loras.edu

[PinkStar17]

Hey Im a Phi Mu sister from Miami.. im sorry that u are having problems with the whole greek system. For the "big picture" talk to the greek advisor on ur campus.. try to get them to schedule events that the whole campus can get involved in.. like greek week, or other smaller events.. try to get greek unity.. if u are all working together to get the whole campus inot greek life.. ull probrbaly have better success..
as far as getting more numbers within the chapter.. show off the pink and white!! start tables in the main student center where everyone is bound to see it!.. have girls come up and ask questions.. wear letters.. anything.. a table allows more girls to easily come up look at all the stuff on the table.. and feel more comfortable.. have posters with information about CMN, and project HOPE.. have other posters with pictures of the sisters and show off the amazing sisterhood u all have
if u have a main building where all the students hang out.. like a student union type of thing... put out colorful pink posters something that will catch attention.. "come meet the ladies of Phi Mu... for...." think of ideas.. like maybe a bannana split party,. where girls come make ice cream splits and learn more about Phi Mu. or another idea.. have a picnic where girls can come meet sisters, anything that would attract attention... start off small with a table.. have the girls sign up with numbers so u can call and tell them when the next event is..
about the other greek stuff.. people need to see the big picture before they will want to get involved.. any events like maybe a greek show.. where people coudl see the greeks.. or a table day,... where everyone has a table out..
u wont get anywhere unless u all work together.. that goes for the chapter as well as the whole greek community!

if u have any questions at all email me at MoonMyst17@aol.com
ill be more than happy to help! thats what sisters are for

LIOB
Elisa
Theta Gamma

[DGPhoney]

Hey Sheldric,
Maybe, all the orgs on your campus could do some group events together. Like one big community service event, so that they see that greek life isn't bad, and that u do good. Or try an event that is service related but helps your campus, before I transfered from my old school, all the greeks got together and cleaned up the fronts of the dorms, to make them more appealing , instead of cigarette butts everywhere, and after that cause we did service and helped out the school they looked at all of us in a different light. Also it's a good campus push for interestee's. Cause then everone see's the good side, and might be more interested. Hope that helps Good Luck to all of you out there.
DGPhoney~


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"Simply the Best, Delta Gamma Pi" http://everythingblack.websitenow.com/citron

[This message has been edited by DGPhoney (edited May 01, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by DGPhoney (edited May 01, 2001).]

[sheldric]

Thank you for the replies. Just to let you know, our Greek advisor is no help. She has told us several times that WE present our ideas, WE do the work, and if anything happens, she will not "go to bat" for us. So there is no help there. Several of the organizations have decided to band together and go without her, so thank you for your ideas. Any others?
Thanks again.
Go Greek!



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Michelle Alquist
Provisional Member Director
Phi Mu
Zeta Upsilon Chapter
Loras College

[IowaHawkeye]

Hi Michelle!
My fellow Iowan I'm a Delta Zeta at the University of Iowa, only about an hour and a half south of you, yah! I have TONS of friends at Loras, and as sad as it is to say, none of them participate in greek life there. I've gone and visited them a few times, and I never really felt the presence of greek life on campus - its a much different atmosphere than here and i can understand your concern! Delta Zeta is new here at Iowa - so we had a lot of work ahead of us in order to catch up with the other big name sororities on campus. About every two weeks we held informal rush parties - we had an ice cream social, a pumpkin carving party around halloween time, a christmas cookie decorating party, barbeque... and so on - all to get potential members to come see the house and meet the girls. Ads were always placed in the papers, fliers were everywhere, we were always encouraged to wear DZ apperal to get the name out, a both was set up in the student union, DZ has gotten totally involved on campus. We participate in everyone's philanthropic events, we volunteer at charity events. Do anything possible to get your name out there. The more people here about all the fabulous things youre doing the mor elikely they are to want to be a part of that! something like a greek week or greek games might work too - but get other groups, not just the fraternities and sororities involved. the more organizations represented, the more people there = more potential members. have a huge all greek barbeque now that the weather is nice and tell your friends/people from your hall/classes wherever that you have to bring at least 3 people with you - or your not allowed to attend If you want, you can e-mail me and i'll help you brainstorm some more! Heck, we're so close, i'll grab a bunch of sisters and we'll come up there and help you out
Nicole
Delta Zeta
Iota Chapter

[Katey Alpha Gam]

We had the same problem back in the day here at Eastern Mich Univ. Our former Dean of Students was COMMITTED to getting rid of greek life on campus. We didn't let it happen tho! Wear your letters with pride, do all you can to get the name out, do stuff with other chapters. It's all about GREEK RELATIONS, that is what we say a lot here. Without strong greek relations, you can't have a strong greek system and you will not get the numbers. Just do all you can and work your butt off to spread positive vibes. A good thing you can do is do philanthropies with the other chapters and make SURE the entire campus knows about it. Go to the media!! Two of our really helpful things when it comes to spreading the word about greek life are our picnic and info tables at the beginning of the year. The tables we have set up on the lawn outside of our lib arts building where every single freshman has at least one class and we put up a tent and tables underneath and all the chapters are represented and they have info about them, paddles, flags, composites, mascots, etc.. so that pl know that greeks are out there and what it's all about. Then, later on that week or the week after we have a greek BBQ. Which is really cool for us b/c we get to say hey to everyone we haven't seen all summer and we also all have tables there and ppl can eat free food and learn about greek life!! It's a BIG help!!! I hope this all helps you out!! GREEK RELATIONS BABY!!

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Katey, ZA chapter of AGD
"Could I have been anyone other than me?"-Dave Matthews

[33girl]

Get a hold of your alumni and ask for their help - whether it be participation in homecoming, alumni day, whatever. Ask them to write the college asking for more help from them going towards the Greek orgs.

Wear letters until you can't look at them anymore. Then wear them some more.

Submit articles to the campus paper showing all the positive and fun things Greek life does for you. Better yet, make sure there is a contingent of Greeks on the newspaper staff. If the staff is a very closed environment that you can't get into, buy their goodwill. Pool your resources among the 5 groups and have large ads (not just classifieds) in EVERY ISSUE to keep the presence of Greek life in the student body's face.

Shoot your Greek advisor. (No, I'm kidding.) Make sure each chapter has a faculty advisor and several alums who will "reason" with her and make her do her job.

I just checked out Loras's website and see that the locals were basically "forced" to go national. Is this still being met with resistance? If so, you may have to just hang in there until people who remember the locals have graduated. This is never an easy thing especially if the locals have been around a long time.

[This message has been edited by 33girl (edited May 01, 2001).]

[shadokat]

Along with all the great ideas that folks have given here, I HIGHLY recommend that any tension between the organizations be resolved immediately. A strong, united greek community is the only way to fight the administration.

[Tom Earp]

While I cannot speak of your campus, I know mine is a tuff Greek campus also with 5 Frat. and 4 Soro. which is @ 6 % of campus, it is amazing the number of people that come back to campus for Homecomin, Football games and each Greek Organizations functions.
If the Greek Orgs. DID not serve on committes, or have floats or house decareations, who would want to come and watch just high school bands and horses with riders on them?
I do not go back to my campus just because I Graduated from there but because of my Brothers and My House! My family is 27 miles E of there but I could care less if I did not have the reasons of LXA!
Most people do not realize but look at all the Greeks that run major companies, are people of importance in society. While I thought some of my Brothers were NUTSOIDS, a District Court Judge, State Leg., Mayor of a Subuarb of KC, VP with Chrysler, Col. of the USA, Capt.of the USN, Aide to a US Senator, Pres. of a Major Constrct. Co. in Denver, Head of Jr. College in Wash. St Head of the PE Dept of Pitt. St.U. Head of a Dept at Penn St. Not to count many Of MY immediate Brothers who own Bus. or are High Up in the Co. they work for.
Hell yes we partyed and raised hell but we had grades to back it up with.
Most of these do rightous college people have NO clues as to how much good the Greeks do for their campus.
If you do good get it on the news (charity events). How many none Greek Orgs. do you see on Highway Beutifacation signs?
We as Greeks have to stand up and let your campus know!
In The Wourds of OTW I AM A GREEK YES I AM) Well some what of a play on words, Thanx OTW!!!

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Tom Earp LX Z#1
Pittsburg State U. (Kansas)

[Lots-a-Heart]

First Tom Earp that was great!!

Next Sheldric, I know what you mean. Here on the Dalhousie campus we have 4 fraternities and three sororities, and do you think all seven organizations can get along? Nope and because of that the school does not support us, the Womens group is trying to ban us all and ALL of our numbers have declinded! My sorority has been throwing ideas around...have you tried any of these? Has anyone who could also give me feedback? We thought that a Greek Council might help and doing a "Greek Week" I would love to start both of these off in the fall...Sheldric I hope it all works out and I agree with all the brilliant people who wrote before me!

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Sarah
Sister Lots-a-Heart, #9
President, Iota Beta Chi Sorority
http://welcome.to/iotabetachi

[DGPhoney]

Thats sad that your advisor is acting like that, some people just feel differently about greek life. Also another good way, I am not sure if it's already been mentioned is when you do an event, make sure the whole campus knows, therefore people see you more and hear about you more,At my school word of mouth travels really far. So paint the school(not literally,lol) but use chalk if can, and bright posters, campus newspaper, campus newsletters, message boards on campus, everything u can possible think of always works
DGPhoney~


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"Simply the Best, Delta Gamma Pi"
http://everythingblack.websitenow.com/citron

[sheldric]

Thank you to all that have posted suggestions. As greek life on campus, we have already met and are now trying to accomplish several things. I will keep you all updated as to our events, we would love to see you there!
Again, thanks for the ideas.
Go greek!


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Michelle Alquist
Provisional Member Director
Phi Mu
Zeta Upsilon Chapter
Loras College