[16252] in APO-L
Re: big chapters
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Ping Huang)
Wed Feb 19 18:42:36 1997
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 15:32:10 -0800
Reply-To: Ping Huang <pshuang@MIT.EDU>
From: Ping Huang <pshuang@MIT.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
Cindy Strawbridge <CSTRAWBRIDGE@YSI.COM> wrote:
> No, it does not implicitly assume that bigger is better. It merely
> shows that there was a large drop in pledge class size, which
> should be cause for some interest from staff. For most chapters,
> however, a 30-40 member pledge class is great, for large chapters,
> it *may* indicate a problem (yes, it also may indicate that the
> chapter had outgrown itself and shouldn't be all that large).
> *Most* (not all) staff members tend to focus on the smaller
> chapters and not pay as much attention to larger ones. From my
> experience, the smaller ones tend to ask a bit more frequently,
> too.
(Disclaimer: I am a sectional representative to a small chapter.)
I believe that there is at least one very good reason for staff
members to pay closer attention to smaller chapters. In my opinion,
in addition to running various (leadership,fellowship,service)
programs at the section level, sectional staff should offer support to
chapters who are in need of assistance --- whether that assistance be
in the form of ideas, man-power, a different perspective, or moral
support. Yes, large chapters may also often need such assistance from
sectional staff. But unless the problems that a large chapter faces
are very grave and very rapid in escalating, a large chapter usually
is not in danger of going under rapidly. A small chapter, on the
other hand, can much more easily go "poof!" and disappear in the blink
of an eye. This is not a phenomenon which is unique to Alpha Phi
Omega. The strength (as measured by some combination of membership,
morale, and accomplishments) of a student activity often ebbs and flow
in cycles with a period of several years. A large student activity
going through this ebb and flow is less likely to fall below critical
mass than a small student activity.
I believe in the guiding principle that the fraternity, for the most
part, does and should belong to the actives. This guiding principle
leads me to conclude that as an alum and not an active of a given
chapter, I should try not to interfere with the chapter's affairs.
However, this is not a hard and fast rule --- and for me, this is a
rule I think should be broken when a chapter may be going under.
--
Ping Huang <pshuang@mit.edu>; more info: http://web.mit.edu/pshuang/.plan
Disclaimer: unless explicitly otherwise stated, my
statements represent my personal viewpoints only.
