Alumna of a Local Looking to be Absorbed

[AnchorAlumna]

Just to put this out there...and I have no personal experience, but I did work a bit with a group that had been a local for about 20 years or so and became a Delta Gamma chapter.
Everything about the local was put away, except as history. Yes, the history of the chapter began with the history of the local, its names and traditions. But none of its traditions was carried over to the chapter, and nothing from their ritual migrated to the new chapter.
There was a bit of conflict about that during the early years, but as the former-local members graduated, the conflict died down.
The local's alumnae were welcomed as chapter alumnae, provided they participated in initiation. I believe most who were interested were initiated with the active members at installation, but some who could not make it were initiated later, and invitations to the local's alumnae to be initiated continued for a few years.
One of the biggest bones of contention were certain fairly harmless new member traditions that were considered hazing by NPC (or DG - not sure which) and absolutely forbidden. Again, as the "elder" members graduated or moved away, that was no longer an issue.
There was no problem as to the types of members sought, nor the principles followed, as these were almost identical.

If you do get to the point where Panhellenic is interviewing NPC groups, you should be able to ask these questions of the NPC representatives.

[carnation]

I know of some NPC groups who colonized from longtime locals who went through hell because the groups wanted to hang onto hazing traditions. These former locals didn't feel that what they were doing was hazing despite repeatedly being shown proof that under state law, it was. Some even continued the hazing sub rosa for years, hiding it from all except members.

This would be a major reason why many NPCs are reluctant to colonize from local groups.

[irishpipes]

I struggling to understand what dormant means here. You have new members and an advisor. Are you "re-colonizing" for lack of a better term? Or by dormant, do you just mean struggling?

[Xidelt]

I think by dormant the OP means they are trying to recruit enough members to be considered an active, registered student org by the University.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

Greekchatters who have experience with NPC colonizations, would a combined group like this be a plus or a red flag?

I think this depends on the campus. For someplace like Ole Miss, they really don't need it. For a place where the percentage of "always joiners" is miniscule and "maybe joiners" not too much larger, taking in women who have already shown a commitment to the Greek system AND been accepted by the college Greek community is a positive. I don't think it should always be assumed that local traditions = hazing, because I honestly don't think that is the case most of the time. But at the same time, an NPC shouldn't pull a bait and switch just to get a colony. Don't say "oh, we'll take all your current members no question, we'll AI all your alumnae and give them advisory roles, we'll let you keep your big/little tradition" - and then the colony director comes in and does NONE of that, tells them everything is XYZ from here on in. If that's the way it's going to be, be straight up with the group and let them talk it out and deal with it internally rather than causing a conflict like AA described. It's in a group being absorbed's best interest to get all this in writing - from the individual groups AND from Panhellenic.

And if it turns out that ABC is picking up colonies left and right because they're a little more open-minded about things than XYZ or PQR, well then, that's something for XYZ and PQR to think about.

[NYCAlumna]

Anchor Alumna - thanks for sharing your experience! We are fine with a new NM process. The plus side of being small is that the girls who are active are all pretty new, and have made changes to the process themselves (every semester we incorporate different things to make it more personal to the sisters and NMs.) So they aren't very attached to one way of doing things or another and would be excited to have the development for themselves as new members as well.

irishpipes - Sorry for the confusion. Xidelt is correct. We have never stopped functioning as a chapter on campus, but last fall the number of active sisters dropped below the required amount and so our chapter was given a "dormant" status. It's not a move to shut them down, but to give them more space to recruit and focus internally. They still attend Panhel and IGC meetings, and my actives are on as many committees as they can handle, but there aren't any repercussions if they can't make required meetings. Come next month, when we induct our new members, we will meet the required minimum and be an "active" chapter once more.

Originally Posted by 33girl

I think this depends on the campus. For someplace like Ole Miss, they really don't need it. For a place where the percentage of "always joiners" is miniscule and "maybe joiners" not too much larger, taking in women who have already shown a commitment to the Greek system AND been accepted by the college Greek community is a positive. I don't think it should always be assumed that local traditions = hazing, because I honestly don't think that is the case most of the time. But at the same time, an NPC shouldn't pull a bait and switch just to get a colony. Don't say "oh, we'll take all your current members no question, we'll AI all your alumnae and give them advisory roles, we'll let you keep your big/little tradition" - and then the colony director comes in and does NONE of that, tells them everything is XYZ from here on in. If that's the way it's going to be, be straight up with the group and let them talk it out and deal with it internally rather than causing a conflict like AA described. It's in a group being absorbed's best interest to get all this in writing - from the individual groups AND from Panhellenic.

And if it turns out that ABC is picking up colonies left and right because they're a little more open-minded about things than XYZ or PQR, well then, that's something for XYZ and PQR to think about.

Thank you, 33girl. These are our feelings, exactly. Combining with the other local doesn't work for us (we're too different and I really don't think they're interested in absorption no matter the cost to them.) And very good advice about making sure everyone knows where they stand before the colonization happens.

[pas]

Have you considered non-NPC sororities or are you looking at those exclusively? There are NYS sororities that might expand like Sigma Gamma Phi. Or maybe a national like Kappa Gamma Beta...or Beta Sigma Phi. Their rules are much different from the NPC and it might be easier. It's just something to think about.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by pas

Have you considered non-NPC sororities or are you looking at those exclusively? There are NYS sororities that might expand like Sigma Gamma Phi. Or maybe a national like Kappa Gamma Beta...or Beta Sigma Phi. Their rules are much different from the NPC and it might be easier. It's just something to think about.

It's Kappa Beta Gamma...and at many of the schools they're at they are a full member of the college Panhellenic, subject to the same rules re rushing and membership as the NPC groups. They certainly aren't the same type of group as Beta Sigma Phi.

[pas]

I meant that the sororities have different ways of entering a campus. I'm on a cell phone so I seem to misword things a lot. Sorry.

[pas]

Is there an update? I'm wonderinh how the process is going.

[MTSUGURL]

Originally Posted by pas

Have you considered non-NPC sororities or are you looking at those exclusively? There are NYS sororities that might expand like Sigma Gamma Phi. Or maybe a national like Kappa Gamma Beta...or Beta Sigma Phi. Their rules are much different from the NPC and it might be easier. It's just something to think about.

She specified NPC. If the goal is an NPC experience, going a route that might be "easier" just to accomplish "going national" doesn't meet that goal. I was a part of a local sorority and am an alumna of a national, non-NPC sorority. They are all their own breed, which I know you understand being a sister of SAI and D Phi E.