zta
by: curiousso why did zeta tau alpha close here? also why did delta zeta close?
#1by: ^
Numbers.
There used to be a regular at GC who was a ZTA active when they lost their charter. She said other Greeks were pretty cruel to them. Incredibly, she said a DG told her they couldn't wait for ZTA to close so they could tear down their house and build on to theirs.
#2by: all about the numbers
Chapters fold when the numbers don't support keeping it open and the reputation gets pooer (and moral goes down) every year that they don't do well in recruitment. It would also make sense that it could be a business/financial issue...the operating costs of the house, etc. can't be met if membership is low.
Not sure why it did poorly since it was founded before Kappa, Pi Phi and AOPi, just as Delta Zeta was -- usually houses that were founded earlier do better. There's another post on this board about how if you look at the tiers, they are clearly tied to when each house was founded (Chi O was first, followed by Tri-Delta, then Phi Mu, DG and KD although I think DZ was in there as well).
#3by: well
#4by: Former ZTA
I graduated two or three years before they lost their charter but most of this is accurate- I don't know why we originally lost our charter, but we were brought back in 1988. We had a couple of AWESOME pledge classes- made quota and quite honestly were becoming a great chapter. We were also "the new house" so the same BS that you see posted on here right now about Alpha Phi and ADPi were said about us as well.
We had a house fire in the mid-90's which caused us not to have a house for rush which killed our numbers and as every active knows once you have a bad rush/ don't make quota at Ole Miss it snowballs. By the end we couldn't sustain with the number of girls we were bringing in and quite honestly the other houses at that point were nothing but cruel to us. The thing I find ironic is it was never the "top tiers" either- it was the middles and lowers that thought they benefited from tearing us down to build themselves up.
I don't mean to sound "mom-ish" but I guess it is what it is- I came on here because my daughter was telling me about this site and how freaked out she was getting going into rush... Ole Miss NEEDS new chapters- Yall's pledge classes are too large and it doesn't build a good sisterhood but honestly you need to support each other-and not be so toxic. Every girl at Ole Miss is awesome and I know it has been said before as it was said in my day- a bottom tier here is a top tier anywhere else, but the entire greek system suffers when you act threatened by change or new houses.
I know ZTA as well as a few others chose not to present a few years back when you opened for expansion because of this toxic atmosphere- and that is a shame because if y'all spent your time supporting every girl and every house you could have the most awesome greek system in the nation- anyway mom rant over
I hope everyone has a successful rush. Hotty Toddy love an old woman who won't be back and will leave you too it- remember "be kind"
#5by: HollyToddy
We chose not to present to come back on campus at that time, but we are currently working toward the goal of coming back on campus. We wanted to be 100% ready. We left campus because once you are the smallest, many girls are simply afraid to pledge even if they really want to. We couldn’t shake a rumor that we were closing even though it wasn’t true. We fought that rumor every year, and we grew very weary. We chose to close and committed to a fresh start one day in the future. The alumni chapter is huge in Oxford, and we’ve literally been preparing for the day we are back at Ole Miss since we left campus.
#6by: Momma Bear
If Zeta wants to be “100% ready” when they come back they need to wait for some of the surrounding chapters to get better. The only ZTA chapter is at MSU & they do not have the best reputation.
Sure they have beautiful girls & some nice girls. But
according to various people who actually go to MSU they have the second lowest GPA, a terrible retention rate, & apparently did not meet quota during recruitment. I’m sure if ZTA was to come back here they would want the closest chapter to be stronger to help them look better. PNMs are usually skeptical to join new chapters. So a nearby chapter needs to be strong to help them.
#7by: RFM
One main issue chapters that formerly closed due to numbers at any large campus and try to recolonize now face is actives and PNMs not fully understanding RFM. Let's take SK at Alabama for example; they're recolonizing this year after closing in 1995. That's before RFM was created, so chapters with high return rates could string PNMs along in order to get their pick of PNMs, meaning the less popular chapters couldn't make quota because PNMs would drop them (this is when PNMs could actually decline invites) because they thought they had a shot at a "top" chapter. After years of this, chapter membership would wane and chapters would eventually fold. Now that we have RFM, this isn't possible and all chapters at schools like Alabama make quota or quota+. But people who don't understand RFM hear a chapter that had previously folded will return and they start fear-mongering that when the new chapter comes, they will once again fold due to low membership. Now there are so many safeguards in place to make sure a colony charters and grows, so the main hate that comes for a new chapter is from those who are worried PNMs will pick the new chapter over theirs. In reality, actives should see new chapters as a blessing and a way to get total numbers down.
#8by: Variable Quota a killer
Variable quota can also be the kiss of death. It can give a struggling chapter ridiculous, totally unattainable quota numbers that could not possibly be met. That is what happened to Theta. How is a chapter of 225-250 going to attract and retain a single pledge class of 180+? It can't. But "missing quota" is a huge black eye against a chapter. Missing quota is judged by that campus and by HQ, not taking into account how ludicrous the number was.
I am so glad that VQ is over. If it is ever used at Ole Miss again, I hope that the Panhel Rep from NPC doesn't misuse quota again.
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