Pitt asks NPHC groups to expand

kddani · #1 03-23-2004, 09:01 AM

This should spark some interesting discussion. It is true though, that student organizations on Pitt's campus are to have at least 10 members to be recognized. I also wonder if this has something to do with funding. NPHC, like NPC/IFC and other student governance groups get more funding than other groups (the individual fraternities and sororities do not get funding from the university, only their governing body)- perhaps the money that they're getting, when translated out per student, is way above and beyond what other student groups get? Just a guess on my part. In any event, it's interesting.

Pitt News article about NPHC groups being asked to expand

msn4med1975 · #2 03-23-2004, 09:13 AM

Depending on minorirty enrollment I don't think that any organization with fewer than ten students will be able to maintain that number in order to keep recongition. As the NPHC president stated, in most orgs you have to either be a 2nd semester freshman or have achieved sophomore status to even submit an application. We do not take everyone that applies or even a large portion of those folks, so even if the NPHC groups were allowed to have intake in both the fall and the spring, which violates at least one orgs policy on when intake can be conducted, it still wouldn't NECESSARILY get their numbers up. True it's easier to run the type of chapter you want with more people but I've seen very productive, influential chapters that have between five and ten members in them. Only one of the NPHC orgs here have membership of ten or more members. However, those present are very active and host a number of activities over the course of the year. I'm not sure what the motivation is behind the larger chapter push but honestly I can only think of a few male NPHC groups that have really large chapters on PWI campuses.

CrimsonTide4 · #3 03-23-2004, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Among reasons for trying to get NPHC's numbers up, Harrigan explained that more membership would make the organizations "more vibrant" and "more effective." Having a membership of at least 10 is "a statement that your organization is working," Harrigan said.

Not true. There are some chapters that are large and not necessarily as effective as a small chapter.

Numbers are smaller for NPHC orgs at PWIs because there is a smaller number of Black students. Example, went to Wittenberg with 2100 students, 170 were Black. There were 3 BGLOs campus recognized and affiliated. Not all 170 Black students wanted to join a fraternity or sorority. Of those that did, some did not want to join the 3 on campus.

To give the NPHC a minimum membership quota will adversely affect Greek relations, recruitment and retention of Black students.

kddani · #4 03-23-2004, 09:19 AM

To put out some numbers: there are 15,435 undergrad students at Pitt. 21% minority- I belive that it's about 10% black students.

We have a VERY active Black Student Association. It'll be interesting to see if they take a stance.

CrimsonTide4 · #5 03-23-2004, 09:25 AM

Also just because the NPHC orgs might not be as visible on campus like NPC and IFC does not mean they are not doing the work that is set forth by the National headquarters.

Quantity does not equal quality. I was born in a small chapter. Thank God that Witt did not try to control us.

smiley21 · #6 03-23-2004, 09:33 AM

**hijack- i love crimson tide's location

***end hijack

Intense1920 · #7 03-23-2004, 10:01 AM

This is going to be very interesting. If enacted this policy would definetely cause a lot, if not all, of the NPHC orgs to disapear from campus. I wonder if he has any suggestions on how they are supposed to miraculously increase their numbers.

33girl · #8 03-23-2004, 10:11 AM

Birney is high on the crack.

Does she have ANY understanding of how NPHC groups choose their members, why their membership selection works that way, and that all Greeks are not the same?????

Also, are any of the NPHC groups there part of citywide chapters?

What's next - saying Alpha Phi Omega has more women than men, therefore it must be a sorority and they have to move into Amos Hall?? This has me pissed off, and I'm not an NPHC member or a Pitt student.

ARTIC-U-LATE · #9 03-23-2004, 10:21 AM

I totally agree with CT4. I too attended a PWI (Denison). Ironically, we had three sororities(AKA, Delta, SGRho), and 1 fraternity(APHIA) recognized on campus, and 2 members of Sigma-that we not recognized. Our enrollment must have been 2200, with about 150-170 Black folks, some who joined white frats and sororities. They had NO knowledge base on NPHC groups; they had no interest. Somehow these groups stayed afloat. In my time there, we never had more that five bruhs on the yard. If this type of thing occurs, it is a possibility that many of these chapters will vanish-especially fraternities. For some reason, it seems so hard for these guys to get their GPAs together. In addition, its about quality, not quantity in our groups, this is a life long commitment.

**CT4, I still keep in contact with my bruhs from Xi Chi.

kddani · #10 03-23-2004, 10:22 AM

And I think this is a piss-poor time to do something like this, when WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A GREEK ADVISOR!!!

CrimsonTide4 · #11 03-23-2004, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ARTIC-U-LATE
I totally agree with CT4. I too attended a PWI (Denison). Ironically, we had three sororities(AKA, Delta, SGRho), and 1 fraternity(APHIA) recognized on campus, and 2 members of Sigma-that we not recognized. Our enrollment must have been 2200, with about 150-170 Black folks, some who joined white frats and sororities. They had NO knowledge base on NPHC groups; they had no interest. Somehow these groups stayed afloat. In my time there, we never had more that five bruhs on the yard. If this type of thing occurs, it is a possibility that many of these chapters will vanish-especially fraternities. For some reason, it seems so hard for these guys to get their GPAs together. In addition, its about quality, not quantity in our groups, this is a life long commitment.

**CT4, I still keep in contact with my bruhs from Xi Chi.

I think I mentioned it but my brother went to Denison from 1997-2001. He was on the football team and most people called him 8s.

Lady Pi Phi · #12 03-23-2004, 10:26 AM

Okay, I'm confused. Pitt requires campus organizations to have 10 members to be recognized.
Obviously NPHC intake methods are different from those of the NIC and NPC. To force NPHC groups to increase members (at least on this campus) would be asking them to eitehr violate their membership procedures or to change them. Neither of which, I am assuming, they want to do.
I guess my question is, so what if they pull recognition. What does recognition off your organizations that these groups couldn't possibly live with out?

On my campus, GLO's are not recognized. But we are recognized by our respective organizations.
Recognition on campus gives us the right to advertise (pretty much anywhere, whereas right now we're very limited in where we can poster). We could receive funidng from the school. It would probably be easier if we were recognized by the school, but we do alright without them.
So what would happen to the greek organizations at Pitt if the school pulled recognition?

kddani · #13 03-23-2004, 10:32 AM

Well for one, NPHC would lose funding that they use to go to conferences, etc. That's a biggie.

They wouldn't be able to advertise on campus.

They wouldnt' be able to reserve campus rooms for meetings (i'm 99% sure).

That's what I can think of off the top of my head.

33girl · #14 03-23-2004, 10:33 AM

It crossed my mind that this is a roundabout Title IX-ish way to try and get rid of the IFC and NPC groups. If the NPHC groups pull out or die out, which will probably happen if this issue is forced, they can say "well there are no NPHC groups so there isn't equal representation so we can't have IFC/NPC groups either."

Not that this would hold a drop of water, but it seems to fit in with the thought processes of this crew.

mccoyred · #15 03-23-2004, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Intense1920
This is going to be very interesting. If enacted this policy would definetely cause a lot, if not all, of the NPHC orgs to disapear from campus. I wonder if he has any suggestions on how they are supposed to miraculously increase their numbers.

In the article, it is mentioned that the school wants to see recruitment plans. Sorry, Pitt, but WE DON'T RECRUIT.

I was also born in a small chapter (there were 3 on my line and we were citywide!) and feel that we must remain selective in our membership. Not every Black student in the small population at a PWI is even interested in Greek Life, some of those choose NPC/IFC orgs, others don't have the grades or time to committ and yet others don't have the $ to pledge. After you get through all of these filters, then you need to select those who apply and from among those applicants, who is a good fit. It is definitely a process that needs to be communicated to this Pitt administration so they can get buy a clue!