Greek Decline

[Rain Man]

In a nutshell, when I was most eligible to join (had a 4.0 accum and very active in the college community), there was a moratorium on intake at that time. I transferred to another school, and by the time the moratorium was lifted, my priorities were on building my career and finishing my degree, not pledging.

In hindsight, I'm kinda glad that I didn't pledge as an undergrad, b/c in the 1990s, I sensed a strong spirit of disunity in NPHC orgs with the whole pledging/intake debate and the underground pledging and subsequent hazing, which IMHO created worse results than the hazing incidents in the 80s and the pledging was public back then.

Quite frankly, my not pledging was vindicated when an eternal pledge became a classmate of mine and he told me that he dropped line when he received bruised and cracked ribs. I could only think "It could've been me".

As far as greek decline as a whole, I agree with the other opinions on the thread. But I think more importantly that the NPHC orgs are going to have to redefine their orgs and their images in order to attract quality members. This isn't the 70s, 80s, or 90s and the images, politics, and attitudes that was so prevalent and popular back then isn't going to mean much to prospectives in the 21st century. I think what students are looking for now are orgs with empirical evidence of substance, not just empty rhetoric.

Starting in 2006, and going through 2014, 7 of the 9 NPHC orgs will be celebrating centennial or golden anniversaries. That would be an EXCELLENT opportunity to give a new look and appeal to an old org. Because it appears to be long overdue.

Question: is the BGLO decline only for NPHC orgs or for all Historically Black GLOs?

If the answer is NPHC only, have you considered as a reason for the decline the rise in non-NPHC Black GLOs, Mulitcultural GLOs, and even Latino or Latino/Black GLOs, thus diluting the monopoly NPHC has on the Black student "market"?

[Senusret I]

Originally posted by Rain Man
Question: is the BGLO decline only for NPHC orgs or for all Historically Black GLOs?

If the answer is NPHC only, have you considered as a reason for the decline the rise in non-NPHC Black GLOs, Mulitcultural GLOs, and even Latino or Latino/Black GLOs, thus diluting the monopoly NPHC has on the Black student "market"?

You know.....that's a good point.

I think non-NPHC fraternities and sororities have never been stronger.

I need to think about it more though.

[toocute]

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974
(besides the fact that there was no chapter or an inactive chapter on campus).

Oh...well. This is my reason. I was at my HBCU for five years and three of those five they were on probation. These were not consecutive years either. They would have a line...go on probation. Have a line...go on probation. I wasn't dealing with that drama but I also didn't let the actions of ONE chapter cloud my perception of my org of choice.

Being on greekchat I see quite a few AA going to multicultural, Latino and the predominately white sororities. There is an interesting thread in the RUSH forum where a young lady asked AA who did not go BGLO why they chose the org they did. They came out the wood work! I didn't realize we had so many AA in the WGLO here on greekchat.

[Gina1201]

Originally posted by Rain Man

If the answer is NPHC only, have you considered as a reason for the decline the rise in non-NPHC Black GLOs, Mulitcultural GLOs, and even Latino or Latino/Black GLOs, thus diluting the monopoly NPHC has on the Black student "market"?

I've seen this happen on my campus. The school I attend is anti-Greek. However, we do have quite a few historically LGLOs that operate without the school's permission. There is one active fraternity and it has two active members that are African-American. There are four active sororities. Two have members that are AA. While this might now seem like a lot it is for the size of my college.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by toocute

Being on greekchat I see quite a few AA going to multicultural, Latino and the predominately white sororities. There is an interesting thread in the RUSH forum where a young lady asked AA who did not go BGLO why they chose the org they did. They came out the wood work! I didn't realize we had so many AA in the WGLO here on greekchat.

There sure are. Every day I encounter more of them.

<----- off to go read the aforementioned thread.

[toocute]

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4
There sure are. Every day I encounter more of them.

<----- off to go read the aforementioned thread.

It's the thread called controversy

[sigmadiva]

Originally posted by Rain Man



If the answer is NPHC only, have you considered as a reason for the decline the rise in non-NPHC Black GLOs, Mulitcultural GLOs, and even Latino or Latino/Black GLOs, thus diluting the monopoly NPHC has on the Black student "market"?

I have wondered about this myself.

[OthelloStreet]

I realize I am going to get struck by lightning when I say this, but being an active member of my school's SGA and traveling to other schools, I have found that many students are:

1. Had/Have intentions of pursuing their organization of choice on a grad level because they:
A. Don't get along with or like the members of the organization of their choice on their campus.
B. Have majors in fields that make it IMPOSSIBLE to realistically pursue their choice organization on an undergrad level (Health & Engineering fields come to mind).
C. Feel a closer connection to the older grad members than the younger undergrad members.
D. Organization of choice is not on choice campus and remember, we are SUPPOSED to be going to school to get an education.

2. There are more than the Divine Nine organizations for African Americans to choose from. Many of the Traditionally White organizations are looking to diversify their membership (not just to have color) and African American students are considering ALL organizations... not just the D9.

3. Organizations like Sigma Rhomeo, Sigma Pi Phi, Beta Pi Phi and others are growing, providing an alternative to D9 Orgs. But because there are people who do not consider them "real" orgs... then there issues aren't taken as seriously as ya'lls.

That with some of the reasons RedefinedDiva mentioned seems to be some of the reasons for the apparent Greek Decline. Then again, I also think it depends on what area of the country you are from too.

[Eirene_DGP]

At my school, the membership in all of the Greek orgs as well as other student orgs went down the past few years. Not because people did not want to join, but in a lot of instances they did not have the time or money. Since the economy has been less than impressive, the college students found themselves jobless and I believe that accounted for the lack of participation in a lot of groups who required membership fees.

I also agree with Rainman, there is a lot of politics on various campuses and he said/she said drama thats keeps a lot of people out of the orgs that they could be valuable members. When I came to college I knew nothing about greek life or even the names/reputations of the different orgs. I had heard of a couple, but then again, you cannot join based on stereotypes. During my second year in college I decided to rush XYZ org and with a 3.5 GPA, on-going community service, membership in several different student orgs, and a good reputation around campus I did not get into that org and I think it had nothing to do with my not matching the long-term goals or that org.

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by OthelloStreet
I realize I am going to get struck by lightning when I say this, but being an active member of my school's SGA and traveling to other schools, I have found that many students are:

1. Had/Have intentions of pursuing their organization of choice on a grad level because they:
A. Don't get along with or like the members of the organization of their choice on their campus.
B. Have majors in fields that make it IMPOSSIBLE to realistically pursue their choice organization on an undergrad level (Health & Engineering fields come to mind).
C. Feel a closer connection to the older grad members than the younger undergrad members.
D. Organization of choice is not on choice campus and remember, we are SUPPOSED to be going to school to get an education.

A. I'm not coming down on you, OthelloSTreet, but IMO...that's some BS. Do these people realize that the VERY people they don't like or get along with WILL become their SISTER OR BROTHER? If this is the ONLY deterrant, as one of our former upremes said..."We don't need you."

B. I'm not buying that either. As long as there isn't distance learning going on...I don't buy that either. Heck, my lss were Health and Engineering majors and they did fine. It's called being ORGANIZED, DETERMINED, etc.

C. Puhleeze. Folks don't feel closer to their parents at that age, so I know this is STRAIGHT UP BS. LMAO

D. I think that HK already stated this, so I guess he or she cannot seek their choice if it isn't there.

Come with some better EXCUSES.

Miss Priss, NO, I don't think the organizations want to know what the non-members' perceptions are nor care, so to speak. The organizations have their jobs to do. There are many that the organization serves who are quite pleased with the services rendered. (IMO)

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by AKA2D '91
Come with some better EXCUSES.

I didn't ETA:

I can ACCEPT "I didn't have the grades" as a better rationale.



Another thing with this... why flock to Grad when our organizations were founded on the collegiate level? You mean to tell me these young ladies and men have soooo much in common with the older Grad members? Puhleeze...as a member of a graduate chapter, I don't have too much in common with my chapter members. and I'm 30 years old.

[sleepy]

I truly believe that a big reason is also how the organizations approach the non-greeks. Sometimes they think so high of theirselves that they disrepect the future. When young people want to know about and organization and ask someone they tend to get shruged off or told something rude. You have to think that with out the non-greeks their can't be greeks. Then non-greeks feel they have to be perfect to get into an organization because they tend to believe that they have to be stuck up or classy or rough and a number of many things that discourage non-greeks. I want to be and AKA but I am nervous to approach one because people are in my ear telling me don't let them know just go to thier events or don't ask they get mad when you ask. I have seen a couple of examples when my friends would walk up to a sorority member and ask a question. They told her she is not greek material. She cried because her heart was set on it and I told she can do anything she wants just pray and be strong. Someone please reply(NOT DISREPECTING ANYONE THAT IS IN AN ORGANIZATION)

[Senusret I]

People join when the time is right for them.

I don't care when anybody joins as long as they remain active whenever they join.

[Marie]

This is a very good topic, and there are a couple of things that I have observed from other GDIs at my school.

#1. More Blacks are pursuing majors in the maths and sciences, which does make it impossible to even consider pledging and graduating in 4 years. With the hectic schedules that many engineering and pre-med students have, it is difficult enough to stay afloat even w/all your time dedicated to school. Let alone trying to pass all your subjects, while dedicating all of your time to an org.

#2. Many of the UG chapters don't seem to have very much to offer. At my school the avg. chapter GPA for BGLOs is around 2.5. I think only one org. even breaks the 3.0 line. This is compared to an avg. chapter GPA of around 3.5 for WGLOs. That fact might be a deterent for a student w/a 4.0. Also, many of the UG chapters are not doing very much community service or quality campus programing. So many blacks students seem to feel that they can join the Student Government or Black Students Association or the local NAACP, and still get to network w/other dedicated students while also participating in community/campus involvement. Lastly, going Greek is known for building bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood. However, when you see chapter members fighting with each other at parties, stabbing each other in the back or stealing from the house, it makes all the bonding stuff less believable.

Now I really feel that students who come to college w/the intention of joining an org. are able to see past the negatives on their campus or work through the difficulties of their hectic college lives. However, students who ordinarily may have gotten to college and then decided to go Greek, are choosing other alternatives that work much better for them.

Marie

[all_dat_jazz99]

What I have noticed as an interested non greek...

guys
1)Not enough guys interested in BGLO life, they'd rather be thugs
2) Guys that are interested don't have the GPA
3) or they have no interest in being hazed by another guy, too much pride to be humble on any level.
4) only 2 orgs are active, some are waiting for another popular one to come back.
5)money

girls
1) members are catty, giving girls a hard time who exceed minimun requirements, but letting in old friends who barely have 2.5's.
2) interest have less than steller reputations on campus
3) people who were interested are tired of BS like pre-pledging, then getting passed over for membership
4) they think grad is easier to get in (yeah right!)
5)money

Non of the above applies to me, my time just hasn't come.