New to Greek Life, help appreciated!

[Omegaphibemidji]

This may not be the correct place to post this...but here goes! I've been a full brother in my local fraternity of Omega Phi for a semester now. We're smaller, and that's the problem. I currently hold Pledge Master, Rush Chairman, and Secretary positions, so that should tell you a little about how small we are. Anywhoo, my pledge master left before I got the position, and didn't get to pass on any wisdom. I know our basic ritual events, but I want to change a lot of things. My brothers fully support this, and even our alumni have said they want us to grow and change, not just stolidly stick to tradition. So. I need your help, my Panhellenic brethern (and sistern )! I'm looking for experiences you had pledging, running pledge, ideas you had, events you do that are exciting, anything! I'm just looking to brainstorm a bit, and breathe a little new life into our organization. Our last pledge class had 4 members, and only 3 stuck with it. We're surviving, but only just. Doesn't help the school is only about 5, 6,000 students. Any and all advice or stories are appreciated! And don't worry, I'm looking at all the other threads as well, and there are a lot of good stories to be had there, too!

[FSUZeta]

What is the average fraternity size at your school?

What is the average fraternity pledge class size at your school?

What is your fraternity's size?

When do you take new members?

How do you advertise or get the word out that you are looking for new members?

How does your fraternity get along with the other fraternities? with the sororities?

What sort of presence does your fraternity have on campus?

[Omegaphibemidji]

Our fraternity is 8 members, the other is about 15.

The average pledge class for us is about 4, the other about 10.

We take new members the beginning of fall and the beginning of spring.

We do word of mouth advertisement, banners, pamphlets, door decorations, even a local radio station sometimes.

We have a poor relationship with the other fraternity, some bad blood years back that was never resolved or something, it's never been fully explained, but things are starting to look up recently, we're doing more together. The one sorority has a decent relationship with us, sharing bigs and littles.

Our presence on campus isn't huge. My first semester I thought there was only one fraternity, and it wasn't the one I'm a part of now.

[FSUZeta]

I went to BSU's greek life website and hit the link to your webpage. Is there someone in your org. who could get some info. up on the page? Do you have a FB page? Those might increase awareness of your fraternity.

I really like your main philanthropy-bringing awareness to the plight of homeless in your town. I see that you do a 72 hour event in the freezing weather. Do you incorporate raising funds for the local shelter or soup kitchen into this event? Have you ever tried to involve other organizations on campus? You could challenge other orgs. (in a nice, friendly way) to a competition. Each org. might be required to pay an entrance fee, and then solicit $ donations from students. Penny jars maybe? Students could bet on which org. would be able to stay out the longest in the elements? Additionally you could make this a week long effort involving as many orgs. as you could get to participate. There might be a contest to see which org. could donate the most canned goods. There could also be a contest for the most creatively stacked canned goods-you could even have a theme.

I was trying to come up with other events that could piggyback off your phil. If your school has a movie theater, or theater performances, or sporting events, you might be able to get the school to allow your fraternity to ask for donations to the sporting event, theater or musical production or movie. For instance, at a certain basketball game, your college would agree that as part of the entrance fee, Omega Phi fraternity would be accepting donations of canned goods or blankets, or socks, gloves and hats. Is there a local TV station? You might try to get some TV coverage.

[Omegaphibemidji]

Yes, our president said he was going to do that, he must not have yet. I'll nudge him about it again. Yes, we do have an actual FB page here. That might not be a bad thing to try, the competition thing. But we're really the only ones focused on philanthropy, the rest are focused more on the social aspect, they don't really do much otherwise. And it USED to be a full week, I don't know why it changed, probably not wanting to stay out in the cold as long, is my guess. I do really like the asking donations at sporting events, that's a GREAT idea. Our campus has a TV station that we can get on, the sorority was interviewed a couple times there about various things.

We've gotten a couple radio stations to advertise for us about things like our Out In The Cold fundraiser and clothing drives, I'm more worried about our pledging events and rush activities. I was trying to think of fun things to get people excited about coming out to see how we're like, and I'm thinking staying out all night in the cold isn't a good one! haha

[FSUZeta]

Your week's worth of events would be different events all relating to homelessness. You could keep your 72 hour signature event as your own-brothers sitting outside in the snow for the 72 hours. I do have a question though-are you all just being out in the elements for the 72 hours or are you also raising funds at the same time? Especially if this event has been on campus for a while, you might need to tweek it so that the other students are interested in what you all are doing, rather than just saying-"there go those Omega Phis again." Do you all share information and statistics about homelessness?

Have some other events throughout the week that involve other campus orgs. It builds comradery between you and other campus orgs, and also helps get your name out-positive PR, and that in turn, might lead to some guys wanting to join. Could your chapter do a snow related event, where individuals could pay an enrollment fee and participate, (like a 5-k which you could hold in the early fall or late spring)such as a snow shoe race or cross country skiing (I'm sorry, I am from Florida)?

When I am talking about other campus orgs., I don't just mean the other greek orgs., but the student nurses organization, the native american organization, the young democrats and young republicans, student teachers assoc., church groups, etc. Any group that you can get to support and/or participate in your activities not only raises more money for the homeless, but gets your name out there, and what you need is name recognition.

There was a group at my children's college that made p-nut butter and jelly sandwiches and took the sandwiches and water bottles every Saturday morning downtown and distributed them to people living on the streets. Omega Phi could easily do this. You might work with a grocery store or Wal-Mart to see if they would support you by donating the bread, p-nut butter, jelly, and waters. You could team up with another org. to do this.

As to pledging, I will leave that for the GC boys. Since Greek life is not the be all and end all on your campus, you might want to make your orgs. pledgeship as easy as possible. You want members! I think that with the size of your chapter, your best recruiting is going to be thru friendships you already have. Invite guys you hang out with to go bowling, or shoot pool or to watch a sporting event. It could be one on one-the whole group doesn't have to be there. Network your friends and acquaintances. Formulate a plan with the other brothers as to how you all agree on inviting someone to join, and how they will be asked to join. Be low key.