O not this again, MODS PLEASE BAN THESE IDIOTS!!!

Our sweethearts can (embroidered letters). It is generally accepted that they should only do so on very special occasions because while we allow it, we don't like to allow it very often. We also have only had three sweethearts ever--it's a big deal, not just another girl every year.

Regarding the other topics, we vote on sweetheart as well as giving a brother the right to lavalier a girl. If they break up, he has to swallow it [the lavalier].

I was sweetheart @ my school and I either wore the letters the boys gave me OR a pin they gave me every single day, even before I wore my own letters. But that is because I loved my boys that much :)

I was presented with a badge replica necklace by the International President (Grand Praetor??) in 1986 for the work I did helping a local become a chapter of Sigma Chi. I am very proud of it, and think it fair to say I am entitled to wear it.

Oh I would say you are very entitled to wear it!

FYI: the "international president" is called Grand Counsul. A Grand Praetor oversees chapters within a Province (specific geographical area). Their primary responsibility is to be a chapter's link with the General Fraternity in all undergraduate matters. As such, it could have been either the Grand Counsul or the Grand Praetor for the Province that presented you with your necklace. In either case, thank you for your hard work.

Thanks for the correction - it was the Grand Consul (Keith Sorenson, I think) who presented it to me. If my scanner were working, I'd show you the picture!

I don't think anyone but initiated members should wear the letters period. I mean if pledges arent allowed to wear the letters, and they must earn that honor, then why should people who dont do anything pledge wise be able to wear the letters. The letters represent a bond between the brothers and have some meaning behind them, if random people just wear these letters without knowing the meaning behind them then i think its just wrong. Only initiated members should wear the letters

Some of our sweethearts did more for the chapter then some pledges.

RutgersPIKE - many GLOs allow pledges to wear letters. The idea of "earning" your letters is now seen as an invitation to haze. Wearing letters indicates you are a member (even if a pledge) of that GLO. I like "mom" shirts - i.e. Gamma Phi Beta mom, Sigma Chi dad; and I also like legacy shirts (I'm in the process of getting some for my sons). Then there are the shirts for events such as Greek Week or Derby Days, which feature all of the letters of different GLOs. Do you not wear shirts like that, and is that a personal preference or a II K A philosophy? Not being snarky - I really am interested in knowing what different national/international GLOs have to say about the issue.

First of all, not allowing pledges to wear letters is hazing. It's also hazing to call them pledges instead of New Members. [That topic, however, is debatable, and let's not go there.]

Secondly, just because we don't know what IIKA stands for doesn't mean that a sweetheart who has worked for your chapter doesn't appreciate what you do and who you are, and wants to strive for your fraternity to succeed in the highest degree. And you know what? That means something.

I understand that is like hazing, but I also know that I wasnt hazed at all during pledging and that I still feel like I had to finish my pledging before I could wear the letters, I just feel that the letters represent something more and that I really wouldnt appreciate it if anyone who is not a brother is walking around with the Pi Kappa Alpha on them because they really dont know what it represents, I understand some sweethearts might have done some work and even know a little bit about it, but the letters represent the bond I share with my brothers and I feel that brothers should be the only ones wearing my letters, I wouldnt even let my mother wear my pike hoodie when she asked me and was cold, call me cruel or whatever, but this is just something I strongly believe

Me personally, I think it's ok for mom to wear it. But it isn't a crime to feel strongly about your letters.

As far as I understand it, guys choose sweethearts...not just one of them. It seems to me that if the majority of the chapter thinks it's ok...then good deal.

I feel the same about lavalieres...it is a little different when it isn't run by the whole chapter. But if a brother laveliered a girl and he was approached by a group of brothers who were concerened about it...it seems like it would be reasonable to expect him to explain the situation to her and offer a nice shiny bauble instead.

It just has a lot to do with campus culture.

I guess this is a Rutgers thing, but sweethearts really arent used in our school, I just know the mindset of the brothers at the Alpha Psi chapter of Pike is that only brothers wear letters, just because we all feel the same about the bond, I do not disagree with the fraternities that do let their sweethearts wear letters, I just wouldnt like to see my fraternity do it, instead we would let them wear PIKES on their shirt, because that is a nickname and has no meaning, unlike our letters, I guess I just take that meaning to a different level lol

And as for my mother wearing my letters, she is greatly disappointed in my decision to pledge, so she doesnt deserve to wear the letters lol, let her freeze (but I do love my mother more than the world lol)

Well it's a personal thing, anyway. It's between you and your momma.:)