Starting Greek Life

gborofitz · #1 03-02-2001, 03:41 AM

Hello everyone, I am writing this to ask for your help. I am presently attending a small, private 4 year college which is entertaining the idea of starting Greek Life on its campus. I am trying to find information regarding what steps should be taken in order to make this process the most productive.
Also, if anyone out there has gone through the process of starting Greek Life on a college campus, I would like to hear from you as well. I appreciate all the help that I may get and thank you in advance. If you would like to contact me regarding this issue, feel free to email me. FITZ83@hotmail.com Thanks.

sigmagrrl · #2 03-02-2001, 08:17 AM

I would suggest contacting NIC, NPC, and NPHC and ask them to present to the campus. How do you want to proceed? Come up with an action plan. Do you want to start several chapters at once? I would feel overwhelmed by the process myself. I was a member of a local that went National. As a local, we petitioned several NPC sororites, some came and presented to us, we chose Sigma Sigma Sigma. It's a mutual selection process that is so exciting and I would love to offer any help I can. Would you be starting with locals and then going national? I believe Valparaiso University was a school to have a big NPC turnover. Many of their locals picked which NPC sorority they would become. Maybe someone there has some advice. Can you tell how much I love Greek Affairs!

AOX81 · #3 03-02-2001, 09:34 AM

Are you looking to start a local and stay local or are you looking to start local and eventually go national??

Hootie · #4 03-02-2001, 01:09 PM

A few years ago our Student Government was entertaining the idea of having a Vice President added to the executive council. What they did was research other schools in our area that were of the same size and similar to our student government.
So, what I'm saying is this...
Locate a few schools close to your university that have greek life. Make sure these schools are similar to yours (private, 4 year university, maybe similar in size). Arrange a visit for you and maybe some of the faculty to meet with these schools. Discuss the process and if they are happy/unhappy they chose greek life to be included on their campus. Ask them what steps they took and if they could change something, what would it be and why?
I think that should help!
Good Luck!
Hootie

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What do you get when you cross and Alpha Omicron Pi and a Sigma Phi Epsilon? A beautiful Chi Omega!!!

welwyn · #5 03-02-2001, 04:12 PM

Because of student interest, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi established a greek system from scratch in 1998, with 3 fraternities and 3 sororities (there were no locals before). I helped with the colonization, so I might be able to answer some of your questions, but you should probably contact their Greek Life Office: http://www.tamucc.edu/~studact/greeks_life.htm
I believe the colonization has been very successful, and hopefully they can provide you with some helpful guidance. Good luck!

Tom Earp · #6 03-02-2001, 04:38 PM

While I started a local at Pittsburg State U. there were other Nationals and one small National going up against us and only one would be allowed on campus. I contacted many of the "OLD LINE" Fraternitys and was turned down. The TKE advisor told to contact LXA and I did. We were colonized at the end of the school year, which I think may be a record. Since then I have never looked back and am still active in my Fraternity. This is after 35 Years. Being a LXA and a Greek was one of the most meaningfull things in my life and still is. We as Greeks take a lot of heat, but for not the Greeks on campi, where would many things be today!!

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

gborofitz · #7 03-02-2001, 11:36 PM

In answer to some of the responses, I am a member of a group of 30 young men that could be considered as a local fraternity right now. However, with no official Greek Life system on my campus, we can't officially be classified or known as a local. However, we are interested in eventually becoming a national fraternity, as soon as the college has decided whether Greek Life is right for the school and how to go about starting it. If there is anyone out there that has gone through the process of starting a Greek Life
system from scratch, it would be great to hear from you. Thanks to all of you that have already replied to my previous message. Once again, thanks.