Well, I've never seen a serenade at Illinois, but from some of the terms used in the posts -- "bar clothes," "predrinking," sorority members "sexually" dancing with each other -- I can see why Panhellenic might be concerned. Assuming that this is going on outside the fraternity houses, in public view, there could be a serious question as to whether an appropriate public image of NPC women is being conveyed.

I know it may seem like Panhellenic and/or the university's Greek life office is trying to cut down on fun, but I would hope that some alternatives could be found that would allow for fun and fraternity - sorority interaction without feeding a -- gonna be harsh here, maybe too harsh -- "drunk and slutty" stereotype.

I'm illiterate when it comes to serendades because my sorority doesn't do them and I don't think any on my campus do and same for the fraternities on campus.

Although, I've seen pictures at my bf's fraternity house of serendades that they have had from the DPhiE's and the girls all wore white (ritual attire I do believe). Afterwards they usually either left or they would change and all go to the bar.

Oh wait, I actually remember the Sigma Pi's coming into one of our meetings, giving us flowers and serendading us for Sweetest Day (a michigan/hallmark holiday). It was very very cute and sweet.

As someone who HAS seen many serenades (and participated in 8 seasons of them), I am saying that PHC does a very poor job of policing itself. A few years ago, they started placing PHC officers in the fraternity houses to watch/censor the serenades. So what happened? Chapters got caught doing bad things, got sent to J-board, and were fined $25. So then the next semester, they did the same thing, and--oh no!--this time the fine was $50. The rules are pretty liberal...for example, you could talk about having a drink, as long as you didn't talk about getting drunk or underage drinking. No overly provacative dance moves, no lyrics about sex, whatever. It is not hard to do a good serenade that follows the rules.

My point is that if some chapters insist on breaking the rules, then the PHC should punish those chapters, not decide that a very, very old tradition needs to be eliminated.

Be nice.

Almost any good time looks bad on paper, because almost any good time involves overtones of sex and/or drinking.

Almost every story that each of us could relate that would make us break down in hysterics looks like a risk management nightmare.

Unless you and others here think of socials as basically Church-tea-and-cake-parties then you know the purpose of them: they are to let loose and fraternize with members of the opposite sex. No matter how much we pretend otherwise.

Honestly, looking at say, the movie Animal House as a context, there are a hell of a lot more Dean Warners here in the guise of sorority girls than members of Delta House.

Yep. :)

The men always came dressed in either nice khakis and collared shirts or sometimes sport coats. They didn't need any "Hoochie Coochie" dancing...they looked good enough. ;)

Also a quick review.

Umbrella organizations when beginning have intrinisically little power. They accrue power over time because they start traditionally focusing on certain aspects of the greek system. Greek Week etc.

NPC, in its purest incarnation, mainly concerns itself with Rush correct?

Keep it that way.

You do not want to create an umbrella group that does the job of the administration. Thats moronic. I mean how stupid can you possibly be to surrender that power to a bunch of kids, of which you only have one delegate, and you know is going to be more influenced by the administration than your chapter policies.

Just say no to becoming a puppet of the administration.

I'd never heard of "seranades" until I read this thread, but from what I can gather, it makes me wonder if the advisors are just concerned that things have gotten a little out of hand?

Kind of like at Pitt's Derby Days a couple of years ago when some sorority pledges at a lip-syncing competition shed their shirts and took the song "Pour Some Sugar on Me" waaaaaaaay too literally.

Derby Days
 

Oh Tracy, I can relate to that. Try "Sex Shooter" with no bras & extremely short skirts. I won't name the sorority, but for the rest of the year we referred to the lead singer as "the XYZ with no bra." She teaches children now. :rolleyes:

KillarneyRose, hey, not to be a Dean Wormser or anything, but it's "new members," not "pledges." As for going shirtless -- was the air conditioning not working? Or was it just to get into the spirit of a titillating song?

back then it WAS pledges!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!

Damn, beat me to it! :D I love Chi Delta! (I'm coaching you guys for miss greek too...)

Values Congruence
 

I have to say that as a somewhat "older" member who's had the opportunity to step back and really reflect on my own personal expererience, I cannot in any way agree with the poster of the above. Serenades are an old and cherished tradition began by our oldest GLO chapters. It is hard to imagine a time in the late 1800's where members wore "bar clothes" and drank heavily while performing dances on someone's lawn. Quite to the contrary. Serenades were a sign of great respect toward the chapter being serenaded. Perhaps they were to honor the new fiance of a brother who became engaged. Perhaps it was to congratulate a chapter on a major accomplishment. The songs were of the oldest tradition and done in a tasteful manner. For some reason, many campuses have strayed away from the honor of our traditions and turned them a twisted idea of a "good time" which includes drinking to excess and singing songs that have no place outside the basements or backrooms of our chapter houses. I am even more greatly concerned that the men's groups cannot seem to grasp the spirit of the National Panhellenic Conference. NPC and our local Panhellenic associations are about so much more than recruitment. NPC is the largest women's organization on the planet. We have more on our mind than just recruitment. Do we seek to have values congruence with our host universities? You bet! Does it always happen? Probablly not. But, do know that the women's group try very hard to respect our history and heritage and not trash it up for a cheap thrill. I wish the men could find their way clear to approach our entire Greek system with more respect and dignity.

CONTEMPORARY VISION, TIMELESS TRADITION ... ALWAYS ALPHA PHI.

One of the advantages of a Greek system with 16 sororities and 52 fraternities is...well, you do the math. The guys had to really compete to get a sorority to come to a social, or do homecoming, greek week, etc. And the socials weren't beer bashes - but the guys had to put some work into it to get on the calendar for the next semester.

We girls would NEVER have to serenade, dance or have to do anything but pick and choose.

What's odd is that I come from the wild 80's, when we had IFC/Panhel sanctioned beer chugging contests, bar-to-bar relay races, and all sorts of alcohol-fueled shenannigans, but seranades were VERY old-fashioned. The guys actually sang multi-part harmonies outside the sorority suites, and they were reserved for pinnings and engagements, and thank-yous (Homecoming or whatever). The Betas, fascists preppies though they were (at that time and place), were miles beyond the other guys at doing this well.

WOO HOO! My Great Great Grand Sis Candace is the contestant. I am soooo gonna be there to root her on!

:cool: