Establishing a Chapter

[The North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), through its president & CEO, takes a position on each of the critical issues within the fraternity industry.]

Expansion!

For some the word expansion represents optimism, much as the men and women who settled the land that is now this great nation of the United States felt.  They saw opportunity and certainly with it came responsibility and accountability.  That is the way our country has grown since its founding.  With that growth comes progress. Still for others, the word expansion takes on a scary image; a vision associated with the loss of their influence and sharing of power.

Within the fraternity industry there are two primary positions:   Expansion is positive because it will give our students more choices, it will bring new influence to a campus fraternal community, and it will provide new leadership.  For others, they see expansion as a negative change; additional choices for students may mean a loss of membership and may mean that growth and progress will leave them behind.

The NIC responds to the major expressed concerns.

We aren’t ready for another chapter!

The students will decide if a campus is ready for another fraternity chapter.  The NIC has confidence in the students deciding if a particular chapter is offering something of value to its members.  If it is, then students will join the organization and if it isn’t, then its longevity will be minimal.

There are only so many men to go around!

The so-called universe of prospective members is the total number of undergraduate men.  Until the number of fraternity men on a campus begins to approach 75% then this is an unfounded worry.

We have to build up the weak chapters before we expand!

Chapters become weakened due to many factors: Poor recruitment techniques, cliques, hazing, lack of enforcement of risk management policies, lack of interest, poor internal leadership, weak mentoring by alumni, financial mismanagement, etc.  Students listen to what is being promised during recruitment and if it isn’t delivered after they become a member then they become disenchanted and drift away.  Membership at that point has lost its value

The college/university is not responsible for the survival of a chapter.  .  Some chapters need to close and in some instances the sooner the better.  Life support is only advantageous for chapters if there is a clear road to recovery and all parties are heavily invested in the process.

We don’t have the resources to provide to another chapter!

A Greek professional, already overworked and overburdened, may think of another chapter and scream with added frustration.  That shouldn’t be the response.  A new chapter is one more opportunity for developing leadership, the development of lifelong friendships which will result in more invested alumni for the college/university, and additional philanthropic and community service efforts.

We already have plenty of chapters for them to choose between!

A law of nature is that you can’t force a friendship.  No matter how hard you try, it doesn’t work.  Americans want to be able to choose what they will wear, what political party they will join, if any, where they will live, where they will work, and especially with whom they will associate.  The same holds true for choosing the right fraternity for them.

The university won’t recognize them because the IFC won’t recognize them and vice-versa!

This circle is unprincipled and intended to protect those who restrain free-trade and protect their perceived turf.  Any group of men, obeying the applicable laws and following the regulations required of any student organization, should be recognized by a college/university, whether public or private.

In Conclusion

Each fraternity chapter can be considered a small business whose products should be the development of lifelong friendships, the development of leadership qualities and experience, the achievement of high academic accomplishments, and the development of philanthropic and community service activities.  For those chapters who fulfill those promises, business will be good, but for those who fall short, bankruptcy and foreclosure await.  We owe it to the students to continue to provide them an opportunity to choose.  Expansion creates competition and through competition will come growth and progress.