Co-ed Frats

[AngelsCry]

I go to a small baptist campus where we have 3 frats and 3 soroities. Several of my guy friends are in the frats and they seem to have a great time. However when I checked out the soroities, I was really disappointed. Please understand I don't mean to insult anyone, it just seems that the guys have a lot better greek letter organizations. So here is my question, to anyone who is a member of a co-ed frat, what is your impression of it? I wish my school had one, because they seem like a good idea. However my school is a bit old fashioned when it comes to things like that. I am interested in hearing about co-ed frats and any advice anyone might have to allieviate my problem. Please feel free to email me with any comments-- Thanx

[SilverTurtle]

I am an alumnae of a coed frat. I loved my experience. It seemed like there was a lot less focus on trivial things (like which frat we were going to hang out w/ at what party, etc.) and a lot more focus on what we were there for. I felt like it also helped the dynamic of communication in the group. (If you have ever taken any courses regarding gender communication, you know that people communicate differently in single-sex groups than in multi-gender groups). Not only was the flow of communication affected, but we also got perspectives from both sexes regarding social and philanthropic (is that a word http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif ?) events, among other things.

I would say the biggest draw back came when we were organizing events w/ other chapters. There was only 1 other coed chapter, which we had just recently begun organizing stuff with my last year there. Some folks had a problem w/ the uneven number of guys vs. girls, others couldn't care less.

We didn't have the opportunity to share a house on my campus, so I can't tell you how that would have been. Judging from the brothers and sisters when I was there, I think it would have been a blast.

Hope this helps, I know it's long http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif



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Phi Beta Fraternity for the Creative and Performing Arts.
http://homepages.go.com/~phibetaphichapter/index.html

[pirate00]

Originally posted by SilverTurtle:
I am an alumnae of a coed frat. I loved my experience. It seemed like there was a lot less focus on trivial things (like which frat we were going to hang out w/ at what party, etc.) and a lot more focus on what we were there for. I felt like it also helped the dynamic of communication in the group. (If you have ever taken any courses regarding gender communication, you know that people communicate differently in single-sex groups than in multi-gender groups). Not only was the flow of communication affected, but we also got perspectives from both sexes regarding social and philanthropic (is that a word http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif ?) events, among other things.

I would say the biggest draw back came when we were organizing events w/ other chapters. There was only 1 other coed chapter, which we had just recently begun organizing stuff with my last year there. Some folks had a problem w/ the uneven number of guys vs. girls, others couldn't care less.

We didn't have the opportunity to share a house on my campus, so I can't tell you how that would have been. Judging from the brothers and sisters when I was there, I think it would have been a blast.

Hope this helps, I know it's long http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif


You're damn right co-ed fraternities are a good idea! I belong to one (Alpha Phi Omega) Even though we're geared around service, we have lots of fellowship activities (Semiformals, "Silver can" parties). One of the few fraternites were you can give service to a brother "all night long" http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

[gamma_girl52]

Well, I don't belong to a co-ed organization, but my brother fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, IS co-ed. Personally I don't care if it is co-ed or not, I still feel that APO is my brother fraternity.

If you want to join a co-ed frat, then you should go for it...if it's where you feel comfortable, if it's where you have a great time, then by all means, join!

[hermosa_ilusion]

[CutiePie2000]

I believe that Psi Upsilon (historically a men's NIC) has a few chapters that are co-ed.

Generally speaking though, it is still predominantly a men's fraternity.

[Dewgirl]

I am a member of a co-ed fraternity, and personally, I'm not a fan of the switch (it was a sorority when I pledged, we had co-ed rammed down our throats) I absolutely love my sorority, as I still call it, (I'd better, I'm the president of it!) but I am displeased with some of the decisions made from above. Some of you may remember my dillemma from way back when on the boards, so you know. Well, I'll be much more discreet now than I was then, but I am not pleased with it. I can see how it can have its postive aspects but...for me it has only created negatives.

We have 1 male member out of 27, who truly is a wonderful guy, and he is my "brother". However, it creates some awkwardness. First off, it makes socials/mixers with other groups difficult. With the exception of our unofficial brother fraternity, we have had very little interaction with other greeks. Since we are not encompassed in NPC or IFC, they seem to want little to do with us, despite our attempts. We are treated as "second rate greeks". We have even had members of other greek orgs on campus come up to us and harrass us because "You are not real greeks (excuse me???) so quit playing pretend". Just because my organization is co-ed does not mean we are not *real* greeks.

[/end rant]

Anyway, I'd strongly look into how the co-ed greeks on your campus are treated by the greek community at large before deciding to become involved.

(side note: prdlocal - don't get too offended by this...I've been around for quite a while, so much of this is old...and the Alpha Sigs have always been pretty decent towards us!)

[This message has been edited by Dewgirl (edited March 28, 2001).]

[Siobhan]

Originally posted by CutiePie2000:
I believe that Psi Upsilon (historically a men's NIC) has a few chapters that are co-ed.

Generally speaking though, it is still predominantly a men's fraternity.



I heard the same thing.

[SilverTurtle]

pirate... APO was the fraternity that we were just starting to mix with more frequently when I was there!

Regarding treatment by other greeks:

My campus was not the norm. We had 4 national GLOs, all members of PFA (i.e. NOT NPC or NIC). We also had 6 social GLOs, all of which are locals. We were not the first group of people that the locals turned to for fun, but at the same time they did respect our GLO. My junior and senior years there we actually set out to get more involved in campus greek life, and overall the reception was very positive. Also, we had more than 1 guy in our house. I can see where 1:27 could create some issues. Dewgirl... I hope that as things develop it gets better for you!



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SilverTurtle@greekchat.com

Phi Beta Fraternity (http://www.phibeta.com)
Phi chapter (http://homepages.go.com/~phibetaphichapter/index.html)

[tcsparky]

Belmont Abbey college (in NC) has co-ed as well as single-sex GLOs. It seems to work out well for them. I think all of them are locals, and they always look like they are having fun!!

[Tom Earp]

While I was a member of Alpha Phi Omega at NW Mo. I am a Brother of LXA. I do not believe any of the National IFC, NPC, or NHPC organizationa allow co-ed or dual membership except in the Service Organizations. If I am wrong, I will stand corrected!

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Tom Earp LX Z#1
Pittsburg State U. (Kansas)

[AGDAlum]

My husband's fraternity, founded in 1832, is now two organizations -- a fraternity and a society -- because of coeducation. His campus, where GLOs began in 1840, went coed in 1970. They went through all kinds of agony, said that all organizations had to be coed and that went for frats, some of whom stayed with their nationals and others who went local. Last year they abolished all fraternities, period. (The beautiful century-old houses are now campus housing....heee, heee, selective housing groups. Kinda like fraternities???)

IMO their Greek system would still be viable had they invited NPC groups to colonize. Separate but equal. Beneficial for all.

I think that a critically important element of women's GLO's is that they were founded by women, for women. They provide leadership opportunities for women--as undergraduates and as alumnae. There is an intensity and intimacy about being in an all-women's group that is, I think, very valuable.

I went to a university where Greek life was not only belonging to an organization but also a living experience, since that was (and still is)a "house" campus. When I was 18 I would have been VERY uncomfortable sharing living quarters with men. (To say nothing of what my parents would have said!)

[JayBEE!]

Originally posted by AGDAlum:
My husband's fraternity, founded in 1832, is now two organizations -- a fraternity and a society -- because of coeducation. His campus, where GLOs began in 1840, went coed in 1970.


That's very interesting. can I ask what organization was that?

[AGDAlum]

Alpha Delta Phi.

Kaire!

[naraht]

Originally posted by AGDAlum:
Alpha Delta Phi.

Kaire!

There are something like 5 or 6 chapters that moved to the society and all but one went co-ed because the university went "go co-ed or get the hell off our campus" and this included at least one school with "belong to a single sex GLO even if it isn't recognized and get expelled"

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Naraht
Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Volunteer

[SRV0681]

Hey, I'm in Phi Sigma Pi, a co-ed honors fraternity and I absolutely love it. Everyone brings so much diversity and individuality to the fraternity that it makes all our service and social events so much more interesting and fun. To all those interested, if given the opportunity to pledge Phi Sig, I would definitely advise it!!

[AlphaChiGirl]

My school has a coed chapter of ADPhi...they're really nice people.

When I saw this thread, I immediately thought of co-ed residence frats, not necessarily PFA or Honor Societies. I know at my school, there is one co-ed that really looks down upon the rest of us. They don't use their Greek letter name, and they're really critical of Greeks who do. I have a sister who lived there because she transferred here...basically, she didn't get along with the people because they were the "close-minded liberal" type. Does anyone else have this single-sex vs. coed tension at their school?

[gammazetagrl]

hi, im in pi sigma epsilon (gamma zeta chapter) which is a national coed business fraternity. it was originally an all male fraternity until it went coed in the seventies. i love it because it IS true that we get the best of both worlds--like if a brother or a sister has "bf/gf trouble" and they ask for advice, you get two different points of views. i know of girls in our campus who belong to sororities and they said sometimes it drives them crazy living in the house since 'its just many girls in 1 place'...we still participate in traditional greek events like homecoming and delta gamma's anchor splash although we usually do it alone, not with another coed group (although we have done it with alpha phi omega in the past, i was told). greeks in our campus dont harrass us about being second rate greeks or anything, in fact a lot of us are friends with them. in fact, we had a t shirt sale fundraiser and we were given the opportunity to visit the different houses during chapter meetings to show off the shirts and people who wanted to buy them were able to sign up to order...although we "strategically planned" it that if it was a sorority house, then we have 2 male members go, and if it's a fraternity house, then we have female members go there and sell the shirts. i guess that's the business side of things, do what you can to market your product!..on a social aspect we do our own share of partying. we have a formal and a regional convention in the fall and a semi formal and national convention in the spring.