Panhellenic Question

[Starkitten315]

I'd like to join a national sorority, but none of the three on my campus really fit my style. What is the Panhellenic rules on girls from other campuses joining a chapter of another campus' sorority if that sorority doesn't have a chapter on my campus?

[Hootie]

PenguinTrx correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe the rule is is that a woman cannot affiliate with a chapter that is not on her campus. It is impossible.
It would be like high school football teams stacking teams with players from other high schools.
But then again, I could be wrong.
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!!!

[shadokat]

If the three chapters on your campus don't really fit your needs, I suggest starting an interest group, and getting together a new sorority! Talk to your Greek Life person, as she/he may have a list of people who you could recruit for your cause. What school are you at?

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Delta Phi Epsilon, Celebrating 84 years of Dedication, Pride and Excellence!

[ilovemyglo]

The rules for NPC recruitment state that in order for a woman to rush or pledge a sorority she MUST be a full time student at that University.
Talk with the student affairs about expansion, it may be time for your school to add more to the Greek life there.

[PenguinTrax]

Hootie is correct - the 26 members of the NPC (National Panhellenic Conference) require that members attend the university at which the sorority is chartered. For example, I can't join AEPhi at Univ. of FL when I'm a student at FSU.

Although you say that none of the 3 groups on campus fit your style, you haven't said if you've actually gone through recruitment, continuous open bidding or otherwise gotten to know any members of these organizations. If you haven't done these things, how can you know if these groups don't fit your style?

The other suggestions are valid - you might want to talk to the Greek Life office about the possibility of adding a 4th chapter to the campus. However, if the existing 3 chapters are not full AND if there were little or none unplaced rushees at the end of last year's formal recruitment, the chances of adding a 4th chapter are probably going to be slim.

There are several posts regarding expansion on these boards - most of them have a reply from me in the thread. Use the search feature to find out more about the NPC expansion process.

Barbara
Rush Forum Moderator

[shadokat]

Hey Penguin, wanna call my campus and tell them this rule It's in our Panhellenic Constitution, yet only 2 sororities out of 10 are at ceiling, and a new national will be here in the fall. How do you call them on this?

[PenguinTrax]

Originally posted by shadokat:
Hey Penguin, wanna call my campus and tell them this rule It's in our Panhellenic Constitution, yet only 2 sororities out of 10 are at ceiling, and a new national will be here in the fall. How do you call them on this?

It really isn't a rule, per se, but a guideline for determining the health of a campus' sorority system. Your regional NPC advisor should be tracking things like chapter numbers, unplaced rushees, etc. and advising the local Panhellenic on issues like expansion. Of course, the Panhellenic can just ignore these recommendations, which is what seems to be happening.

If you want, I can quote you chapter and verse out of the Green Book regarding expansion.

I'm curious - what campus??

Barbara



[This message has been edited by PnguinTrax (edited April 04, 2001).]

[Starkitten315]

To answer your question, Penguin, yes, I have participated in both the formal and informal rush. I have gotten to know some members of all three sororities and have friends in them. However, after many, many in depth conversations with several people, in particular my friend who happens to be a Rho Chi, I have decided that I wouldn't be able to truly contribute as much as I would like to any of our three.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions about trying to expand to a fourth. Not being a sorority member, I am not certain as to the number of unplaced rushees, etc. But from what I've heard, two of the three are near if not at their ceiling. Pretty much every girl who makes it to pref night receives a bid, but judging from the formal rush period that I went through, many girls choose not to bid because they feel the same way I do-that none of these three are really how we want to spend our money.

There is a fourth house available, but from what I've heard, not only from non-members but members, it's near impossible for another sorority to get it because our three don't want their rush numbers to drop. From what I've been told, several sororities have tried to charter here, but were unsuccessful. So as much as I'd love to have a fourth house on campus, and although I'd give full support and effort to any sorority that would try, I'd have to doubt the possibility of that happening.

I just have one more question: why does the NPC have such a rule? I know that Christian organizations like Kappa Phi allow their chapters to pledge girls from campuses w/out a chapter, as do historically black sororities such as AKA. Just curious.

[33girl]

Originally posted by Starkitten315:
There is a fourth house available, but from what I've heard, not only from non-members but members, it's near impossible for another sorority to get it because our three don't want their rush numbers to drop. From what I've been told, several sororities have tried to charter here, but were unsuccessful. So as much as I'd love to have a fourth house on campus, and although I'd give full support and effort to any sorority that would try, I'd have to doubt the possibility of that happening.

Barbara, if it can be shown that there are enough women to make another sorority, and the other houses are at total, isn't there something in NPC regs to (for lack of better word) force a new sorority in?

I just have one more question: why does the NPC have such a rule? I know that Christian organizations like Kappa Phi allow their chapters to pledge girls from campuses w/out a chapter, as do historically black sororities such as AKA. Just curious.

Just my idea, but I think it has something to do with the maintaining of the house. I think that probably waaaaay back in the day you might have had inter-chapter membership but I am talking the infant days of sororities.

The NPHC chapters you refer to are called I believe "citywide" chapters and if you search the general and NPHC forums you should be able to get an explanation as to their structure and organization.



[This message has been edited by 33girl (edited April 04, 2001).]

[Starkitten315]

I'm sorry, I know I'm being a pain, but this is really something I'm interested in. First, you'll have to explain "city-wide" chapters to me. I was under the impression that AKA is a national sorority, and I know Kappa Phi has chapters all over the nation.

A random thought: if this rule about girls being from that particular university comes from the infant days of sororities, has NPC even considered changing it? It sure would help girls like me.

[33girl]

Sorry, I think you got what I said backward. I meant that perhaps when sororities were just beginning (heck, when the concept of women in college wasn't that old) they might have beeen allowed to, for example, have women from Uflorida & Florida State in the same chapter. As sororities grew bigger the rules grew more structured.

As far as the citywide chapters, it doesn't literally mean city. I don't understand it well enough to explain it but if you search the general and NPHC forums you should be able to find an answer.

[shadokat]

Star, on a campus that is supportive of Greek Life, with a large interest group, you may have an opportunity to colonize a new sorority, but having the other sororities on campus at or near ceiling should only sell that point to the Greek Life people. On my campus, three sororities are near death, and they're letting a new national take on a local instead of merging with an already existing national. I think it's truly worth a shot.

As for NPHC groups, I don't know nearly enough to claim knowledge, but a friend of mine that was in school with me pledged A Phi A at another school, with the intention of starting a new chapter at my school once he learned the ropes. At this point, I don't think that's happened. But he had to go two hours every night to pledge events and all of his fraternity stuff. Mind you, in the end, he had made a great accomplishment and we were really proud of him

[pledgetrainer2]

I think that you need to find out which sororities tried to get onto your campus and see if one of them will work with you, if you start a local chapter. The universities are usually not adverse to starting locals. Then if you get your numbers up to the same size as the recognized sororites, your chances of getting a colony started are very good-because you have already proven that you have the numbers and are not taking away members from the recognized one. Give it a try. The numbers from pref night may not reflect very well on the numbers who really wanted to join and were dropped along the way. That number could be very high and is a valid argument for starting another sorority, because those already there are not taking everyone who started out interested in joining a sorority. Of course, some of them could be people who changed their minds about it being right for them, but you can tell from the statistics, usually. Have the Student Affairs office help you with analyzing the statistics.

[PenguinTrax]

Originally posted by 33girl:
Barbara, if it can be shown that there are enough women to make another sorority, and the other houses are at total, isn't there something in NPC regs to (for lack of better word) force a new sorority in?

No, there is nothing that the NPC can do. The College Panhellenic is autonomous as long as it follows NPC unanimous agreements. While the NPC has recommendations about when a campus should consider extension, there are no firm rules about it. Also, the NPC must approve extension onto a campus.


In Shadokat's post, she said that the 3 nationals on her campus are 'near death', yet a fourth national is coming on board. This is not always a bad thing - it sometimes serves as a well-needed shot in the arm for existing groups to get their act together and become more competitive on campus.

[sigmagrrl]

Shadokat, what school are you at?? What org is coming on??