I am not a D9 member. As such, I do not read their forums.

As far as John and the forums are concerned, the D9 forums are not 'all inclusive' forums, they are org specific. What's posted on their board is essentially their business. The AI forum is GreekChat-wide business. John may or may not have a problem with this. I certainly don't think he runs GC with his own money so only a "select few" can post what *they* deem as acceptable.

Obviously your last statement can't be completely true, as many who are AIs inquired a/b becoming an AI, they were not just 'extended' a bid out of nowhere.

But AI is an org specific concern. That is why so many people are against an AI forum. There is no one answer to an AI question as each 26 NPC groups have different ways of going about it.

Oh come off it. This is a chatboard, not a press convention. Boohoo if people aren't given their 100% free speech. I don't see anyone forcing anyone else to be here. There are certain things that should not be discussed. Period. You act like DENYING someone the right to post is the end of the world. What's the matter? Think that they won't be getting their money's worth?? Oh, wait, GC is free...

Please tell me, why MUST GC welcome questions about/regarding AI??? You sound like someone else we know who's so gungho for AI shoppers, knowing that shoppers aren't welcome in your org. It's so easy to sit and encourage every loony that comes through here, knowing that it's nearly impossible that they'll join your org.

It's especially laughable that this response is coming from someone who stated that she wished her org didn't even DO AI.

I still don't see why there is any reason to have a forum just for AI discussion. If somebody wants to discuss her successful AI pursuit, why can't that go in the "Alumni" forum, or the organization-specific forum?

I know this was mentioned earlier -- there aren't forums for people who joined sororities through COB or for people who joined through formal rush. For real -- after you're initiated, you're a member, period. Why should there be a forum for people who joined their organization in any particular way -- especially considering how VERY FEW people join sororities through AI?

FWIW, many questions regarding D9 membership have come up in "all inclusive" forums such as Greek Life, and those posters are told the same thing - membership is not discussed. And the thread becomes closed/locked/whatever.

And really, these are public forums. Non-ADPis go into our forum all the time and post. They might even just (*gasp*) read the threads there. I would hope that all sorority-business is NOT discussed on GC regardless if they are in the GLO-specific forums or not. That can be discussed in other, secure, areas created by HQ.

It's not even about being extended a bid "out of nowhere". Many women are APPROACHED every year because they somehow know and/or have some sort of ties with GLOs. If you're shopping around, that is "out of nowhere" because you have no clue where to start or who to talk to - all you know is "OMG - I want to be a ABC, or DEF, or GH!! Who do I email to get the process started!"

PNAMs are not extended bids. Bids are what you get during recruitment. PNAMs are invited for membership.

However, your statement isn't true because I know of at least on GCer who didn't even know about AI when she was approached by members of a sorority she knew at a professional level who thought she'd be an asset to the AA and organization. So yes, it was kinda out of nowhere. She didn't have to inquire about AI. She didn't have to sell herself to this organization because they already knew who she was. THEY APPROACHED HER.

From my personal experience, the AIs my chapter has initiated were mothers of initiates, university officials, and women our members knew from their community involvement. No one's ever approached us, we've always approached them.

And regarding the D9 forums...I think they're org. specific to an extent. They discuss topics that aren't always D9 specific, and invite non-D9ers to join in as long as the forum rules are adhered to.

Funny. I thought all the forums on GC were available to be read and posted in by the public, as long as people are capable of "going along with the program."

Our forums are org-specific only for certain topics but, the point that everyone's making is that, there is a general membership inquiry rule that the NPHC goes by on GC. That is what people are asking for the Greekchat-wide AI forum to adhere by.

That poster wouldn't know any of that because she has been blocked by the invisible padlock that we have on our forums.

This has been thoroughly addressed but is still so ridiculous that I want to respond as well.

1)Org. specific forums are not JUST for members of that org. You may choose not to read other groups' forums, but acting like it's your duty or obligation to be ignorant of how they're run is just preposterous.

Because AI [as it is discussed in this forum] is an exclusively NPC concern, the vast majority of posters in this thread have been NPC women. Yet somehow, they still manage to know how the NPHC sororities handle membership inquiries in their forums. How perplexing! :rolleyes:

2) News flash for you: This is an internet message board. John may not want a specific few to only post what they deem is acceptable, but I do believe he wants a moderated forum rather than a trainwreck. In the case of AI, more stringent moderation is needed, and that means locking down threads where women try to 'pursue' AI. Moderating a forum that has been known to cause controversy and 40-page-long threads debating the validity and necessity of its existence is hardly stripping people of their God-given right to free speech. It's the internet. It's not an appropriate venue for people to pursue AI [whether or not such a venue even exists is a different matter]. Therefore, moderating it by locking down such threads is merely removing inappropriate content, like spam, pornographic, or nonsense threads.

John has no problems with it. It is no different than a registered spammer posting and having it deleted or a registered user posting a ritual secret. As far as someone else moderating this forum, no-one else wanted it.

Furthermore, I do not appreciate being called a Omnipotent forum dictator. You don't know me from Adam - how dare you impunge my good name (or Carnations). I have been a valuable member of the GC community for 7 years now and my ability to moderate the forums to which I am assigned has very rarely garnered anything but praise. I'd like to see you do this unpaid, and often, thankless job.

AI is a membership function that is different for every group. GC has no right to hand out information on the process - GC is not affiliated with the NPC, IFC, NPHC, NALFO or any other oversight organization. GC is not a democracy - it is a free service offered up to the Fraternity & Sorority Community. It can be shut down at any time and its rules are subject to constant review and modification. If you don't like how a forum, or GC, is run, feel free to go elsewhere.

I understand that moderators do this for free. I appreciate the fact that the forum couldn't run without moderators. However, I don't think this makes moderators free from criticism. The idea that moderators (or anyone on this board) is free from criticism is, well, laughable.

I didn't see Adelphean as "impunging" anyone's good name, beyond disagreeing with how the forum is moderated.

I am open to criticism. I am not open to name-calling. I've done nothing to deserve it and certainly have never resorted to the same, even when verbally attacked much worse than this.

There have been no final decisions on how this forum will be run in the future, or even if it will exist. I can appreciate everyone's thoughts on the matter, and have my own opinons as well, but the final decision is not up to me or Carnation. Criticizing us for a decision that is not ours to make, as well as criticizing moderation events that have yet to happen is pointless.

Until this very thread I had no clue how the D9 forum mods ran their forums. I don't care. I don't read them. I have no need to read them. I am not a D9 member. Is there some secret post that I NEED to go read? Apparently I missed the memo.

Why? There are many women on GC who have 'pursued' AI and have been successful with it. There are also some who have failed miserably. Should AIs only be allowed to post success stories? It seems to me since everyone is so against shopping and people knowing about AI it would be in our best interest to only allow failure stories. At least it'd be something interesting to read.

I see no reason why this forum should cause controversy. As I've been told before, if you don't like it, don't read it. If you get a PM from a PNAI delete it. Not hard, but then again, if you live for GC you might have to, HEAVEN FORBID, clean out your PM box more often.


I don't know about you, but I think 'Omnipotent forum dictator' is a pretty sweet title. Take it as a compliment, I know I would.

Didn't you volunteer for this job? Aren't volunteer jobs "unpaid, and often, thankless"?
And you're right, I don't want your job.



GC IS NOT handing out information on the process. Except maybe for the sticky at the top of the forum, and that was, I assume, put there by a mod.
Just because Jenny Joe of XYZ is telling Jessie Jean PNAI that XYZ does AI doesn't mean that GC is responsible for that content. You're not, I'm not, and frankly XYZ is not. If you don't like talking aboutAI then don't, but also don't forget that you DO have AI sisters. Don't sweep their existence under the rug because GASP you don't want to be bothered by sorority shoppers.

That doesn't even make sense. I am an AI and I don't want to see AI discussed on GC. Am I sweeping my own existence under the rug? WTF. Should those of us who don't like this forum just refrain from reading it or talking about AI on GC and ignore the fact that CRAZY PEOPLE have been initiated into our organizations as the result of this message board?

I don't want the AI experience cheapened by the crazies who come on here to sorority shop.

No more crazies, they make my head hurt.