sorority expansion

Presentations are supposedly scheduled for February 22nd-26th according to the Greek affairs website. So the vote will happen after that. Usually, the entire panhellenic community is invited to presentations and then chapters will get together and pick who they're voting for, and each house submits their vote.

It'll actually be run a little differently this year: only 7 members from each sorority will attend the presentations from the three potential new sororities, not all members. And while members may have input about preferences, it's ultimately the extension committee and the delegates who have a vote. Also, the vote will be happening in March.

I honestly think it's more about what chapter has the best presentation/fits in the best on campus, and less about the name! Georgia Tech is a really special place where every single woman is so gifted, and there should not be competition between chapters. Any chapter that other Panhellenic women feel would be the best addition will be the best choice. Reputation doesn't matter if it isn't what's best.

The proposed lot for this new sorority was the empty lot next to Phi Sigma Kappa and potentially a block in North Ave until that's built. How quickly they build their new house will depend on when they get a lease from Georgia Tech to build on that land and how quickly they can get the money from nationals to start building on it.

Interesting! Thanks for the details!

ChiO makes their new members climb in a coffin as part of initiation so they can be "reborn" as ChiOs, creepy AF. They hold over initiation until fall grades are in, and they would be the only group on campus that does that, and nationally they require letters of recommendation, which aren't really that popular here. Not a good fit for Tech.

I'm not especially for or against ChiO, but they do have a more extensive rec policy. My mother is a ChiO alum that writes a lot of recs. If ChiO ends up colonizing here, I don't think it will be a big deal. I got multiple recs for all chapters when I came through recruitment, as did most of my pledge sisters. I know Tech doesn't require recs, but most chapters are required to have one before they pledge someone. As our Greek system becomes more competitive, PNMs will understand that they should get recs before recruitment.

No one else climbs in a coffin, and yes, recs are the norm in the south but they're not the norm here. It's forcing a pnm to go out of her way to obtain a rec for ChiO just as a basic requirement of being offered a bid/invited back to round 2. If all sororities required recs or this was a campus where recs were the norm it would be a different story. Also, there's no telling whether they would be good and strong and southern or not. All sororities have good chapters and all have bad chapters.

Not necessarily supporting Chi O here, but usually any national will go along with the policy of a school's own panhellenic as far as requiring recommendations or not. They would not want to make their recruitment process seem harder than the other sororities'. Also, recs would be a requirement for being offered a bid, not for a party round, and are actually the responsibility of the sorority, not the PNM. If a sorority likes someone enough during recruitment, they can make the rec happen by bid day through their alum network. That is a good question for each group when they present. With that said, many PNM's at Tech already make it a point to get recs ahead of time to smooth the process and get on a chapter's radar before rush. Totally agree that there is no guarantee what any new sorority at Tech will be like and has no bearing on what their chapters are like anywhere else. Tech girls are Tech girls and no one chooses to come here or not based on whether we have a certain sorority - can anyone even imagine such a thing? The important thing is a strong national with local support and all three have those easily. KD and ChiO are southern, KAT is from DePauw and so is AXO who has been going strong here since the 70's. All three are great choices.

The way that colonies have been happening all over the country is that they'll be here tabling around campus with alums from other chapters in the spring. Then they'll participate in the first round of formal recruitment (so PNMs will visit 8 houses, the new group will probably use a fraternity house, or the alumni house or something). After that, if PNMs drop out of recruitment, or SIP and don't get a bid, they'll be free to participate in the colony process after formal. If you receive a bid and turn it down, you may not participate in the colony process. They'll usually have some open events, personal interviews conducted by national staff, pref night and a bid day. Again, following the end of formal recruitment. And a colony is not a sure thing, so don't expect them to bid everyone. They should try to take around total (190ish) but often colonies take less.

Girls don't have to go through formal recruitment to try for the colony, but it's better if they do to maximize their chances of getting a bid to any house, because colonies aren't a sure thing. But I said they usually try to take around total, you're correct that they will probably take less. I would guess around maybe 80-100ish depending on interest.

Whether they are or aren't chosen, don't let that stop you from going through formal recruitment. Being in a colony is hard work and even though you're a legacy, you aren't guaranteed a bid. Plus you might find an existing group that's a better fit for you. Go through formal, and then if you really give it a chance and can't see yourself in the existing houses, drop out of formal before you sign a preference card (MRABA) and check out the colony. This goes for all PNMs, not just the legacies of the chosen group