Supporting Your Community through

NPC Sorority ExtensionNGLA 2013

Julie Johnson, National Panhellenic ConferenceGabby Leon, Phi Mu Fraternity

Hannah Cotton, University of Connecticut

Welcome!• Who We Are

• Who Are Youo Campuses considering extension?o Campuses open for extension?o Campuses with recent extension?o Headquarters staff, national representatives,

Panhellenic officers and other roles?

Program Outcomes• A better understanding of the extension process as a

whole

• Opportunities to collaborate with other campuses and representatives from inter/national organizations

• Opportunities to gain tools to facilitate and guide the extension process

• Opportunities to share experiences and best practices related to extension

• Opportunities to collaborate on how to best support a new group through the colonization process and as a new chapter on campus

• What outcomes would you like from the program?

Overview of the Extension Process•Exploratory committee & data collection

•Proper Authority approval•Determine your timeline•Announce your extension opening•Receive and review materials•Host presentations & make selection•Market for new group•Colonization•Support new group!!

Why Open for Extension?• To meet the needs of a growing campus• To meet the demands of growing interest from

students in the Panhellenic communityo Recruitment statistics?

• To increase the opportunities for interested women to be placed

• To maintain manageable chapter sizeso Space constraintso Areas to consider

• To invigorate the community

How to Get Started• Exploratory Committee formed (motion/vote

required) to research information and data on campus

• Is there a local sorority or an interest group interested in NPC affiliation?

• Notify your NPC Area Advisor and NPC Delegates with chapters on your campus

• Present findings to your Panhellenic – motion to expand moves the process forward

• Keep your mind open – this is just the first step.

The Exploratory Committee• Why create an exploratory committee?• Who should be on it?• What information are they looking for?

o Size of current chapters vs. Total – be detailedo Recruitment trends and stats for past 3-5 yearso Institutional growth projectionso Interest in your Greek systemo Potential obstacles (administration, housing, etc.)o Current chapter sizes manageable?o Will the addition of a new group enhance the CPH and

the campus?

Motion to Open for ExtensionIf the recommendation from the committee is YES:

• CPH is the Proper Authority - their vote decides• Delegates take motion back to their chapter for

discussion and vote• Include/update your local chapter advisors &

NPC Delegates/HQ personnel on discussions• Delegates bring vote of their chapter back to PH

at a subsequent meeting • Voting is one vote per NPC member group

What next?• Contact NPC Area Advisor• Contact the Extension Committee Chairman

o Carole Jones, cjjaoii@bellsouth.net o Note: She will NEED a copy of the meeting

minutes from the vote to extend• Determine how you will advertise/announce your

extension opening. Should you contact member groups directly?o Former chapters?o Previous agreements or recolonization contracts?o Inactive/dormant chapter "consideration"?

The Extension Bulletin• What information should be

included?o Campus, Greek & Panhellenic

community statso Current NPC & local groupso Chapter total and ACSo TIMELINE

ALL dates should be included (exploratory visits, packet deadlines, presentations, selection and colonization dates)

o What info do you want from applicants? Hard copy v. electronic?

o Housing information for existing or incoming chapters?

College Panhellenic's Responsibilities• Determine the main institutional contact.

• Determine a timeline for the process.• Determine the Extension Committee• Determine criteria/qualities you want in a new

group – use that as basis for evaluation.• Will you allow Exploratory Visits? No student

contact during these visits.o Visits must be held before the application

deadline

Exploratory Visits• Optional for NPC groups- should you use them?

o Opportunity for the inter/national organizations to visit campus and learn about the Panhellenic community firsthand

o Opportunity for the campus to "sell" itselfo What should happen during exploratory visits?

Campus tour Greek housing/residence tours (if applicable) Meeting with FSA, key university

representativeso Value of exploratory visits?

How the inter/national organizations get started

• Research institution and Greek/Panhellenic communityo Campus statso Recruitment stats

• Schedule an exploratory phone call and/or visit• Research organization's history with the campus

o Previously closed chapters?• Customize extension materials to meet requests

of campus• Survey alumnae

Reviewing Extension PacketsCampus perspective

• Created rubric for evaluating submissionso Created chart and scoring systemo Ex. Risk Management Policies, New Member

Programs, Colony Support, Extension History• Set up system for each committee member to

evaluate three packets• Compiled data (scores and comments) to get

an overall idea• Discussed pros and cons of the top 4 and

narrowed it down to 3

Extension Presentations• Extension Committee created evaluation form

for attendees to fill out and submit• Determine schedule for the day• Make room reservations• Involve "key" players

o FSAo Panhellenic and Greek community leaderso Local advisorso Campus administration

• Best practices for a successful presentation day?

Selection•Use the Extension Committee to narrow the field to no more than three finalists to make on campus presentations•Extend invitations and schedule on campus presentations•Presentations should include identical itineraries and should be scheduled as close together as possible.•NPC organizations expect a 60 to 90 minute period for their formal presentation plus at least 60 minutes prep time.•Other schedule considerations

•Campus calendar•Overall length of presentation visit•Content of presentation day

• Prepare your students (particularly the Extension Committee) for the presentations

• As soon as possible following presentations, have the committee members meet to vote on their choiceo Reviewed evaluation forms, but ultimately

the committee makes the recommendation to the Panhellenic for the group to invite

• Note: The F/S Advisor does not have a vote at any point in the process

Selection

Once The New Group is Selected•Supporting the Extension is KEY!

•Allow existing groups to recruit to ACS

Colonization - how an inter/national organization prepares

• Determine a colonization schedule with the Fraternity/Sorority Life office and College Panhellenic

• Logistical tasks - room reservations • Identify and train local alumnae to serve as

advisors and members of house corporation• Establish an extension team to facilitate personal

interviews, marketing campaign and recruitment efforts

• Create marketing campaign• Plan recruitment events• Schedule local alumnae support

Getting the Word Out• Put news on the Panhellenic website, Facebook

page and via Twitter• Showcase the new group at Orientation sessions• Invite the new group to recruitment to observe in

detail, and to talk to withdrawn PNMs• Submit names of unaffiliated women who may

be interested in joining

Public Relations• Ad in coupon book• Ad on campus

shuttles• Ad in campus

newspaper• Banner in student

union• Chalkboard blitz• Banners on all Greek

houses• BUTTONS!!!

What Else Can PH Do?• Cultivate a positive/helpful mindset • Share your secrets

• Recruitment techniques and norms• Financial Data• Campus-specific norms and events

• Foster advisor relationships/mentoring• Include Consultant in everything and help

her• Help with the men’s groups

• Mindset• Social calendar

Colonization and PH Assistance

• Immediately begin working with the selected group to develop their colonization plan.

• Reserve space on campus for various colonization needs.

• Include the new group in all Panhellenic communities and marketing.

• Put news on Panhellenic and university websites.

What Should PH Avoid Doing?• Don’t restrict them to an uncompetitive

size– is Total adjusted to allow to go to ACS?

• Formal recruitment rules necessarily do not apply during a colonization periodo Marketing/PR restrictionso Stored itemso COB limitations

• Don’t go back on “The Deal”/assurances given during the extension selection process

A Success Story• The George Washington University – Capped

enrollment, increasing interest.• 2005 – 8 chapters with 760 members.• Two extensions later…• 2010 – 10 chapters with 1,350 members.• Future extensions are limited by physical

space on campus.

GW Registered First Party   Bid Match    

2010 697 612 87.8% 461 66.1% 75.3%

2009 606 507 83.7% 387 63.9% 76.3%

2008 564 488 86.5% 334 59.2% 68.4%

2007 529 445 84.1% 332 62.8% 74.6%

2006 436 365 83.7% 240 55.0% 65.8%

2005 384 295 76.8% 219 57.0% 74.2%

In ConclusionIt takes an entire community to make

a new group successful.

Extension is a process that requires much hard work and dedication, but it is also very

rewarding.

Contact the Presenters• Julie Johnson, College Panhellenics Chairman

o jjohnsonkd@aol.com

• Gabby Leon, Phi Mu, Dir. of Alumnae Engagement, Phi Mu Fraternityo gleon@phimu.org

• Hannah Cotton, University of Connecticuto hannah.cotton@uconn.edu

or other, more specific questions about extension:

• NPC Extension Committee Chairman – Carole Jones, cjjaoii@bellsouth.net, 256-864-0509