There were a few that banned a greek system, period.

Why must we hold HBCUs to different standards than PWIs?

Amherst, Williams, Bowdoin don't allow any social GLOs on their campuses while Davidson in the Carolinas doesn't allow sororities. None of the Seven Sisters have women's fraternities either. It's up to the college administrations.

Howard Pikes
 

I am new to this message board but was compelled to sign up when I saw the level of confusion regarding the topic in general. Hopefully I can shed some light on the situation.

I am a proud member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at the KY chapter located at American University. Today at a Leadership/cultural development conference hosted by the NPHC organizations here on campus, we addressed this very issue.

However, the difference between that conversation and this forum was the presence of 2 members of the Howard Pike Colony.

First, I can not say how proud I am that my fraternity is the first IFC fraternity to attempt a colony at Howard. The men of Pi Kappa Alpha are supposed to embody the ideals of scholars, leaders, atheletes and gentlemen... and as far as I am concerned these men are just that. I look forward to the day where I can call them my brothers.

Unfortunately, the NPHC people who set the schedule for the event knew that they were there and only after the Howard guys left did they start to pull out the big guns. Only then did they have the nerve to call the fraternity rascist and those who chose to join at howard were "confused" and "lost".

This is sickening. Why is a prodominately white fraternity that chooses to colonize at Howard ANY different than a black fraternity that chooses to come to a school that was once unfriendly to blacks?

I would argue that Pike is a product of the time and place it was formed. It is foolish and naive to think that ANY greek organization formed in the south would not be segregated in 1868. Sorry, its a sad truth. The whites only clause was dropped in 1960, which is in line with many organizations of the same time period.

The people of the Howard colony understand that. They want a Pike chapter there because it is NOT a "historically white fraternity". They identify with the ideals of brotherhood that transgress any racial and religious lines. Anyone affiliated with a Greek organization knows that chapters each have their own distinct identity, and it is important to note that the chapters where Pike chapters have had problems had their charters removed. The national fraternity did not tolerate it, and as far as I am concerned they should not be at fault.

In conclusion, the way that the NPHC fraternity and sorority people portrayed the founding fathers at the Howard Chapter was wrong. I feel that these brave men are facing many of the same challenges that their own organizations had to deal with when trying to colonize at new schools. I think that their efforts are good for Pike, good for the diversity of Howard, and good for greek life in general. These men are not confused, they are just the only ones willing to put in the time and effort to take the next step in the evolution of Greek Life.

The NPHC chapter members at AU did not have the courage to challenge these men to their face and instead waited for them to leave before attacking what they were doing. To deny the students of a certain school the opportunity to become a Pike based on it being a black school is racist and I'm glad that Howard is allowing us to colonize. I challenge anyone to seek out some of the Howard Colony and talk to them... you might just realize that what they are trying to do isn't so bad.

Mabey We should let Those Schools alone and concentrate on those that do accept Greeks.?

I do not care what Campus it is it still is a campus of Young People.

Why Not Let Them Make The Decission and not some over the tops?:o

Re: Howard Pikes
 

So did you have the nerve to call them on it at the time, or did you wait until after the meeting (when they had all left) to come post it here on GC? Just wondering.

Tom,
I understand the point you were making, i.e. on the surface of what was said, you couldn't undertand why an HBCU wouldn't allow BGLOs. I hope I have clarified it for you. Some of our HBCUs are even more conservative than others, and also religion based, so they didn't believe in the greek system.

*Okay, something must be wrong with me. I understood Tom Earp. :D*

Re: Re: Howard Pikes
 

Yes, there was a discussion about it at the time... it was not a personal attack against them but the point was raised that these people were not there to defend themselves and to assume their motives for wanting to start a chapter wasn't fair. I am comfortable speaking on their behalf because I spent close to an hour and a half talking with the two colonists about what it was like at Howard, which from the conversation we had was apparent nobody from NPHC did.

Re: Re: Re: Howard Pikes
 

Just curious as to why participants left before the forum was over?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Howard Pikes
 

The conference was required attendance for all NPHC, IFC, and PanHel groups at American. The Howard Pikes came on their own free will. It started at 8AM and ended at 5:30... they left around 3. If I could have gotten out of it I probably would have left as well there wasn't much going on at that point.

Re: Re: Re: Howard Pikes
 

You talked to 2 out of 58 and reached that conclusion?

I ask this, because in the original thread about this (that has been deleted) a HU member of the NPHC staunchly defended the colonization saying that the other NPHC members at HU also welcomed them.

:D HBCs are not the only ones, many Schools have given Greeks the Boot no matter what!:(

See, I grow on You!:D

"Yes, there was a discussion about it at the time... it was not a personal attack against them but the point was raised that these people were not there to defend themselves and to assume their motives for wanting to start a chapter wasn't fair. I am comfortable speaking on their behalf because I spent close to an hour and a half talking with the two colonists about what it was like at Howard, which from the conversation we had was apparent nobody from NPHC did. "

As I understand, PKA was asked to come to the Campus. This was said by a Member of the interest group at Howard.

I think He would know being a participant in the colonization.

OMG! We are on the same page again! :D

Always were, you just didnt realize it!:D :D

But you know this is scary for me. :D

Wow @ Howard Pikes "Colonization"
 

1. I did n't realize the original thread was deleted.(shady)

2. After all is said and done...the HU community has NOT embraced PiKA as revealed publicly in the student newspaper...sad, unfortunate, avoidable and understandable at the same time.

3. I think we will see the true value of the organization within the men who are the "colonizers" (that word just feels very uncomfortable) post graduation.

4. Even more interesting that PiKA members are "out and about" like 2 and a half months before any of the new members of the other Greeks organizations have been revealed to the campus...(I know their rush system is not the same...still interesting)

5. I wonder if the new members will want to "bond" with their Greek counterparts or for that matter care about their Greek counterparts. IE. I know who DST 10-A-91 and APhiA 10-B-91 are...and they definitely get special shouts when I see them.

Hmm...maybe that stuff is not important anymore in Greek life. :(