Quote:
Originally Posted by als463
AGDee, I was looking at the Syracuse University Greek Life page and it said that they would not even consider discussing expansion until the fall of 2009. I'm hoping they open for expansion because, while I'm not an AGD and they don't have that GLO at Penn State, I can say I would LOVE to see AGD back at their Alpha Chapter! Do you think AGD will try their best to go back to Syracuse?
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As a member of Syracuse greek life and Panhellenic, I know some of the details but not all. Recently, we voted to create an expansion committee, and will likely be voting on expansion during Fall 2009. Currently, the expansion committee is researching the pros and cons of expansion.
I am not a member of the expansion committee, but I am on Panhellenic, so here is what I can tell you.
Recruitment numbers have risen over the past few years. About five years ago, chapter total was 95 members when we counted fall total (we recalculate total each spring to allow for spring's new members), and this fall, it was 111. Spring total this year was about 150, rising from around 130 just a few years ago. However, while over 800 girls signed up for rush in the Spring of 2008 (when I rushed), just over 700 rushed around this year, which we chalked up to the economy. Quota in Spring 2008 was 48, and this year quota was 42. We placed around 560 girls last year out of around 850 (this is an estimate, I don't have the exact number in front of me right now), with a placement rate somewhere between 60 and 70 percent. This year, around 700 girls rushed, and we placed just under 500 girls, with a placement rate somewhere between 65 and 70 percent. My numbers are by no means exact, but take these as loose estimates.
So here are the pros and cons as I best know.
Pros
1. While less girls signed up for recruitment, the placement rate remained steady. All houses met quota with the exception of one house, though I cannot account for how many were initiated.
2. The chapters are getting to large for their houses. Smaller percentages of girls can live in their chapter houses than a few years ago, and I know my chapter's chapter room is stuffed, and we are not the only chapter to feel this way. There has also been a general complaint about the chapters being too big, and I've heard members complain that they feel lost among too many members. While Syracuse is a huge school, we are simply not set up for 200 member chapters. We don't have the resources, and while we are all lucky to have gorgeous houses, they are all on the smaller side and simply not big enough to house chapters as they grow at the rate they have grown in the past few years.
3. There is a sentiment that the excitement of a new chapter will stimulate interest in Greek Life, and will bring good PR to our community.
4. If we were to bring a house back, I would bet money that we would choose Alpha Gamma Delta (if not AGD I would say Chi Omega, but but that is a second by a long shot). If we were to bring AGD back, they would have a house and be on equal footing facilities wise with all the other chapters. Furthermore, there is alumni support in the area, as well as a strong national interest in bringing the Alpha chapter back. Thus, if we did vote to expand, we would have an interested sorority as a viable option.
Cons
1. The economy. We saw that Greek Life is not immune to the effects of this economic decline by any means. Less girls signed up for recruitment, and if the economy worsens, we may see more and more of a decline for Greek life. If the recruitment numbers continue to fall, we may not be able to support a new chapter.
2. Recently, Syracuse greek life has been met with a few risk management issues. The Panhellenic Council worries that the risk management issues, as well as subsequent negative PR that they have brought our community, may not provide a favorable environment for a new sorority.
3. Lastly, while we are growing, not all our chapters are at total. While there are a few chapters just one or two members under total (this is subject to change in the fall when we readjust total to accommodate for the graduation of the class of 2009), we do have one chapter that falls considerably under total and regularly holds a fall recruitment. Our worry is that while it is possible for a new chapter to give this chapter a leg up, it may further the struggles of this particular chapter.
This is as much as I can tell you. If anyone has more questions or questions that probe into issues that would not be in the best interests of myself or my campus to post on a public message board, feel free to PM me.
Lastly, the note on the greek page did apply to us, but I think it was more strongly directed to the IFC fraternities. We are up to about 18 fraternities, many of whom need considerable numbers, and time and time again there are men who wish to start up yet another chapter. But that is another issue for another day.
I hope my novel of a post helped.
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