sorority comments

Not a traditionally Southern sorority, but on the rise. Their chapter at Bama is doing really well.

National strength is important, but unles it is combined with a good reputation in the state/region, it means very little.

For a new group to be successful at Ole Miss - which I believe will be EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, regardless the group - there will HAVE to be a great reputation at some other nearby school. Because, face it, every girl wants to be proud to go home wearing her letters...and if she joins a group at her school that is NOT good in her hometown, she won't want to wear her letters at home and her ability to recruit the "good" girls from her hometown will be nonexistent.

It might not be this way up North...but down South you'd better believe that it's SUPER important to pledge a "good" group and one that is "popular" with your hometown crowd. If a group has closed a chapter for low membership in the last 2-3 decades, it's not gonna go. Period.

Speaking as a sorority advisor at a school with a STRONG Greek Life program, I can tell you this:

national strength contd...

Chartering a chapter is hard enough with all the odds in your favor.. But, chartering a chapter at Southern school steeped in tradition with a student population that is over 80% Greek is a hard sell. Ask anyone associated with Ole Miss.

If the students who attend school there are not at least familiar with the group at some other school that's close by, it'll never work. I don't care how much time & $$ the national org stuffs into the chapter... It ain't gonna work if the 18-24 crowd hasn't heard good things from some other nearby campus. That's just a fact.

End of story.

So, to be honest....for a new sorority - any colonization will be successful based on the approach of the organization and the resources they are willing to commit to the success of the new group. So, with all of the groups, need to consider their ability - financial commitment to a house as this is very important at Ole Miss - more so than the fact that one of the groups had a chapter in Miss that closed 20 years ago. A 4 million dollar house will speak to student more - it is an important piece. The current college students won't care - they will want to know how the group can support panhellenic and bring something to campus. National strength and SEC strength/presence is very important...shouldn't think so otherwise.

Amen. And what's the alternative to not expanding -- letting chapters get up to 400 or 500 members?

No one is suggesting that there is any debate on the need to expand at Ole Miss. It's obvious.

The only question is how they'll choose the group(s) to invite to campus. I believe the "regional popularity" argument is valid - especially with how ingrained Greek Life is at Southern schools.

If a national org is going to pour the money into chartering a chapter at Ole Miss and build a house, they'd better be really sure that the reputation of the other chapters in the area is up to snuff...cause if it's not, they'll be pouring millions right down the drain. True statement.

I would rather join a sorority that is strong nationally, not locally. You have stronger networking and alum chapters. There is life after college. Go for the strong nationals, as they are the groups that fund houses and can benefit members in the long run. Truth.

Operating on the assumption that a recolonization would be the kiss of death for a new chapter, would DZ be a no-go, even though they closed in 1953? Are there elderly blue-haired alumnae of other houses out there who would still be clucking about how terrible they were back in the day?

Just Wondering - DZ would not go...not just because of the Ole Miss horror...but also because there is no chapter at MSU and the DZ chapter at USM failed less than 15 yrs ago.

@personally - obviously you have not gone through recruitment and are not currently a member of a sorority. I could only imagine that about >.1% of Greek students would feel the way you described. So, for you it may seem okay...but for the vast majority of Greek-seeking college students, national strength is going to mean VERY little if they see slim to no evidence of local strength.

That's just the way it is.

the poster below. I know many girls who want a strong national chapter. I think your 1% is very inaccurate. Strong national chapters can be a real bonus after college. I seriously don't think local chapters mean squat if they're weak nationally. What is that going to do for you in the future?