I agree with KSUViolet on this one. Everyone has told you that what you are doing is hazing. I disagree with your belief that by "hazing" the pledges you are determining who will be great brothers who want to further the needs of the fraternity.

I was NOT hazed and I am very involved. I am a member of Foundation, I have held a position every year since graduation in various Alumna Chapters. I am heading to my second convention as a voting delegate. I send money to my undergraduate chapter. I have written a recommendation for a young lady who later became one of my sisters. I wear my letters every chance I get, ESPECIALLY during times when I am doing philanthropy events. I care about everything my sorority stands for and I have respect for all the other NPC GLOs who are members of National Panhellenic. I'd say I'm a decent sister, who has never given away secrets of my sorority and loves it-yet I was never hazed. What is your response to that?

so if someone chooses to not finish a task, be it the essay or the interview, because they feel it's uncomfortable hazing, then how do they earn enough points to join? You say that walking out of something like that doesn't affect their potential membership status, but it does. How can they earn enough points if they don't finish the task? How can you say, then, that walking out does not affect them joining?

How about just talking to the guys? Getting to know them? Everything else sounds ok. The bowling, the mixers, the dinners. Keep up with stuff like that. Even an interview is fine, just take out the interrogation.

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I honestly do not see how any of these things relate to worthiness to join a community service organization. Why not have people work together on a community service project as membership candidates, and if they massively fail at that, don't let them in. Or do X amount of community service hours and have a GPA or X.XX None of your little email tasks, light blinding interviews, or wallet door things have any relation to a community service organization. I can't imagine Habitat for Humanity blindfolding me and shooting a nail gun near my head to prove I can participate, or the Humane Society mashing up a chocolate bar to look like dog poop and having me eat it before I can walk or groom animals.

I wouldn't want someone in my group who allowed themselves to be manipulated or treated like crap, and I wouldn't want to be on the radar of my school administration for actions where I could be sued or shut down, especially in the name of community service.

AZPHI - Notice the lack of men who have responded to your questions. (I am the first one since you)

I suggest that you speak to men who are in a national fraternity already -- your fathers, blood brothers of fraternity brothers, and family friends. They will know you better than we do and will give you advice or referrals that are better than our advice could truly be.

Various fraternities also have much of their programs, pledging standards, etc, on the public parts of their websites. You can review these documents and compare your organization to them.

Good luck with everything -- go out there and meet the fraternity men you seek. GreekChat won't ultimately be very helpful. (Unless you want a whole lot of judgment from people who might not have even been initiated as undergrads into a fraternity like yours)

You still haven't answered my question. How do you feel about what all I just said? I wasn't hazed and yet I am VERY involved and loyal to my sorority. I am also willing to bet that MANY people on this site, who are VERY LOYAL to their organizations, were NOT hazed. If you were at my campus and you were doing that (which you wouldn't be because Penn State no longer allows locals-at least local sororities and I'm sure fraternities) many of the people on campus would laugh at your CIA-style of "interviewing" the brothers. You make it seem more like a JOKE than an actual reputable fraternity. Aren't there any national fraternities on your campus?

How much Boy Scout popcorn did you have to sell before they let you in Alpha Phi Omega?

Those Girl Scouts made me sell and eat cookies, and I had to sew on all the badges of the older girls :(

:confused:

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You're welcome.

Be careful not to oversimplify the rationale, though. :) Some women prefer to feel a sense of accomplishment through trial (in their Greek experience) and others feel accomplished just by being selected. Conversely, many men are emotional and don't thrive off a trial-by-fire type of pledging program.

Do what's best for your fraternity, period.

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you may also want to try the "local" section of GC. maybe other Local GLOs could help you out.