Idea's For VERY Small Chapters

[AXiDTrish]

Can anyone offer advice???

I advise at a small, technical school that has less than 700 women on it. There are two sororities each with under 10 people.....yes, 10! I actually think there are 14 girls total. Panhellenic is not yet organized and recruiting is difficult. The chapter I advise is enthusiastic and the advisors (not sure of the chapter members) for the other are as well. We all know that we must build the numbers to be successful....the problem is the CAMPUS!

We have tried many things: info sessions, COR's, one-on-one's, campus philanthropy events, open cookouts, etc. I have chalked it up to underdeveloped PR. Can anyone offer ANY advice whatsoever on how to build these chapters????

Thanks ahead of time!!!!!!

[RUASTgrrl]

My chapter used to be a local waaay back in the 40s and 50s, and some of the old secretary logs are laying around. I remember one thing they did, that I always thought would be cooler for a smaller campus, is that they recieved a list of all the Freshman women, each sister got a list of names, and it was their "job" to meet these women, invite them to events, and generally become friends with them. I always thought that was so cute, granted it was the 40s but you could maybe do something similar. Good luck!

[AEPhiSierra]

I come from a chapter that after initiating our fall pledges is at 20 girls. For us I find the best thing to do is approach people individually, girls your sisters know from classes and other campus activities. Plus with only 14 Panhel members a lot of people probably don't know your campus has greek life. Have your sisters wear letters as often as possible, try to advertise in the school paper or see if you can even get someone to write a feature on Greek Life (I know ours has a free event calendar) and try to have sisters to get involved with the larger campus activities. We also try to advertise on my campus with palm cards and we put them everywhere from the cafeteria to the ladies rooms (it might sound a bit tasteless but its the one place you know every woman on campus eventually goes).

[Little E]

I would suggest that the two groups REALLY need to work together on this one. I ditto the point of wearing letters, and even non-letter-go-greek shirts. Maybe instead of pushing to get panhell organized, get the rush chairs to work together, and pair up groups. Panhell being fully organized may only burn the women out. I mean, you figure that most of the chapter is in exec, then asking them to take on these other positions.

Do a lot of positive events on campus. If the philanthropy can be done in the middle of a quad, do it there. Try and support brining fun events to campus. And really have the women get involved in other groups.

I would also try a search, I know there are threads about similar situations on here.

[AXiDTrish]

There are no real plans for a Panhellenic right now, we are just members of the current InterGreek Council. There is a wee bit of animosity because one group is an old, established group and the other is a new chapter, so getting the two to work together has been a little challenging.

Other thoughts????

[Little E]

Are both groups NPC? or are they local? some other affiliation?

I'm just curious why the campus expanded when the older group was so small.

[Erik P Conard]

it is hard for me to understand why groups retain their charter
when their numbers go below the requirements FOR a charter.
I'd be a real embarrassment to be, say, under 30 when it takes
that many to even get a charter.
And, operating a house is totally out of the question.
HOWEVER...consider this:
This is where locals might thrive. But as a national, this group is
a drag, cost ineffective, regardless of sisterhood or brotherhood,
where is the pride, the due diligence?
It is not a sin to be a small chapter but it is unconscionable to remain one....perhaps you should go local...

[AXiDTrish]

Both groups are NPC. The campus has a history of large chapters, but one left and due to zero healthy competition, the remaining shrank. The school is trying to market themselves to women and they have a pro-Greek administration so I think this made sense to them. There is definitely the potential out there. There are plenty of women to have chapters of 20-30, it's just a matter of getting them in the door of both groups.

[AXiDTrish]

The larger group is the newly installed. There is no number requirement to get a charter, at least for my sorority. Truthfully, in my opinion, the addition of a new group is saving the other NPC group....slowly, I will admit. Neither sororities nor fraternities have houses, just offices in the student center. The pride is there, the desire is there...it's just a matter of recruiting using the right PR and tactics, I believe.

No offense, but going local is NOT an option.....

[33girl]

Originally posted by Erik P Conard
it is hard for me to understand why groups retain their charter
when their numbers go below the requirements FOR a charter.
I'd be a real embarrassment to be, say, under 30 when it takes
that many to even get a charter.
And, operating a house is totally out of the question.
HOWEVER...consider this:
This is where locals might thrive. But as a national, this group is
a drag, cost ineffective, regardless of sisterhood or brotherhood,
where is the pride, the due diligence?
It is not a sin to be a small chapter but it is unconscionable to remain one....perhaps you should go local...

It's not "cost ineffective" if there are no housing costs. It doesn't sound like they are asking their national (either chapter) to continually send consultants or other support - they are taking the initiative to do it on their own. If the women are still having fun and not feeling pressured or burnt out, and are still running the chapter in an effective manner, who cares how many members there are?

There is no magic number for brotherhood or sisterhood.

[WCUgirl]

Originally posted by Erik P Conard
it is hard for me to understand why groups retain their charter
when their numbers go below the requirements FOR a charter.
I'd be a real embarrassment to be, say, under 30 when it takes
that many to even get a charter.
And, operating a house is totally out of the question.
HOWEVER...consider this:
This is where locals might thrive. But as a national, this group is
a drag, cost ineffective, regardless of sisterhood or brotherhood,
where is the pride, the due diligence?
It is not a sin to be a small chapter but it is unconscionable to remain one....perhaps you should go local...

What is it they say about those who live in glass houses?

Anyways, back to the topic at hand...

What about getting the Panhellenic (I know it's non-existent, but I'm using the term generally) to send out advertisements for Greek life to incoming freshmen women during the summer. Also, what about ice cream socials, pajama parties, movie nights, "The OC" nights, roller skating parties, etc. When each NPC's Founder's Day rolls around, throw birthday parties for each other and invite the campus women. Make most of your social events open to spark more of an interest. They need to see a Greek presence and see the benefits of going Greek before they'll be convinced to go Greek.

[shadokat]

Like someone else said, unless your groups are willing to work together, they probably won't be as successful. Have them talk out their differences in an open forum, and then put them aside and work together. If both groups are NPC, then by rule, there should be a Panhellenic Council.

[Erik P Conard]

If your group has no size requirements for a charter, then they
are essentially saying "each in his/her own way."
Most national/international groups do have a minimum number or
a sliding scale, numerically, for chartering plus a few other things
expected. But if your does not, okay. With risk management &
other expenditures, it might be hard to remain small. But if your
outfit abides this, okay. A matter of preference.
Wonder how the larger fraternities feel? SAE, Sig, Sig Ep, Pike,
Lambda Chi, Kappa Sig, Beta, ATO, Phi Delt, etc...do they allow
or encourage small chapters? I think not, but it has been a long
time since I was on the road...
And, some GLOs are comfortable with a pared-down offering.
To each his own. That is why some locals remain locals.
I would think, though, that if a GLO falls below minimum standards there might be cause for alarm--don't you?

[KSUViolet06]

Originally posted by Erik P Conard
If your group has no size requirements for a charter, then they
are essentially saying "each in his/her own way."
Most national/international groups do have a minimum number or
a sliding scale, numerically, for chartering plus a few other things
expected. But if your does not, okay. With risk management &
other expenditures, it might be hard to remain small. But if your
outfit abides this, okay. A matter of preference.
Wonder how the larger fraternities feel? SAE, Sig, Sig Ep, Pike,
Lambda Chi, Kappa Sig, Beta, ATO, Phi Delt, etc...do they allow
or encourage small chapters? I think not, but it has been a long
time since I was on the road...
And, some GLOs are comfortable with a pared-down offering.
To each his own. That is why some locals remain locals.
I would think, though, that if a GLO falls below minimum standards there might be cause for alarm--don't you?

Sure, every national would love for each chapter to be a certain size, but if the school is small, the Panhellenic is small, and the interest in Greek Life is small that usually= very small chapters. This isn't a case for national to pull a charter b/c this chapter is of equal size as the other. It's not like, say XYZ at Bama or Ole Miss where Greek Life is huge having 50 compared to 200.

[LatinaAlumna]

I'm not sure if this can be done in NPC sororities, but can you create a "city-wide" or regional chapter with other schools in your area?

If not, can some sisters from neighboring chapters come to your school to help with your events and activities? Perhaps if ladies on your campus see the support you have from your sister chapters, they might be inclined to ask for more information.