NPC vs NPHC
 

I joined a NPC house and I am very unhappy with this decision. I researched as much as I could but after initiation the true colors of this house were shown. I want to know if I can join a NPHC. When I initiated, I thought it would be for life but after what I've experenced, I can not in good faith belong to this organization. I still want to give my service to a sorority that will appriciate my efforts no matter how small. (Don't misunderstand me,I'm not looking for kudos)Also, I want to have membership in a sorority that is respected and is making a difference (in a positive way )in the lives of other people. I see this in the sororities of the NPHC not to say they are better but had I known then what I know now...Anyway I want to know that if I disaffiliate my NPC can I join a NPHC? Barbara of ZTA seems to have a lot of information regarding this kind of stuff. HELP!

I believe that the NPHC regulations do not allow you to be an initiated member of any other sorority, NPC or otherwise. In addition, most NPHC members I have known would look negatively on your leaving one affiliation for another. They definitely believe that your pledge is for life and would look down on you for leaving one group for another.

I assume that you have already initiated into your chapter and therefore would not be eligible to join another NPC fraternity either. Instead of leaving the group, why not talk over your misgivings with a trusted advisor or senior member who shares your feelings. Work with them to change things, starting small and reaching out to the rest of the chapter.

My advice to you would be to be a leader and help your chapter become the respected organization on campus that you want it to be. The bigger challenge, and in my opinion the most rewarding, would be staying put and working from within your chapter to turn it around.

I would have to know more details of how you feel the groups "true colors" have come out. Periods of low sisterhood are common, but those that ride out the storm find it worthwhile down the road. Email me if you would like to discuss it more...although it may take a couple of days to get back to you.



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Fraternally,
Barbara
Zeta Tau Alpha Alumna

If you have to go around telling everyone you're in charge you're not much of a leader.

I agree with Barbara. I am a member of the NPHC and you can't join the NPHC now. Did you not check out the NPHC greek organizations on your campus before you made your decision? I would work to improve the relations in your wn sorority. And if sisterhood is still lacking for you then turn to your friends, you know the girls that had your back before you pledged or did you kick them to the curb. Good luck.

I believe both responses to the post may be incorrect. I am not certain, but I believe that it is possible to denounce your membership in an NPC Sorority and become a member of an NPHC Sorority. Honestly speaking, if you are pledging on a different campus or as a graduate then you should be fine. Don't speak about your past if you are not asked. Just some honest advice.

But seriously, you ought not to be looking into another sorority at this time. You should have done all of this research from the beginning. Young ladies need to understand that pledging an NPHC Sorority is a LIFETIME commitment. You can't just go around from group to group like that. You need to do thorough research then make your decision FOR LIFE!

I thoroughly researched your organization, and I do know that your sororitiy's SACRED VOW is a lifetime commitment. As a Christian, I would never join an organization that aspires to be under the grace of a false god or goddess such as Minerva. If sisterhood is at the center of Minerva's circle, where does God fit in your organization? He's definitely not first.

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[This message has been edited by Fred Hatchett (edited January 09, 2000).]

Mr. Hatchett,
Mirnerva has nothing to do with the organization I used to belong to. You have absoutly NO idea what you're talking about in refrence to my house. God is not the basis of this particular sorority and if I had wanted to join a religious group, I would have done so.

To the others who responded to my post, thank you. I will take into consideration your suggestions.

This is the post i was curious about

Like the some of the threads of this topic states, and like I said in my response to your topic, she would not be able to come into the NPHC. Becasue she was once a member of NPC.

CRIMSON said: "but I believe that it is possible to denounce your membership in an NPC Sorority and become a member of an NPHC Sorority."

WRONG: Regardless of her choice to to denounce her membership. Denouncing doesn't erase the fact that she was once a member.

Just like it doesn't erase the fact that FRED was an OMEGA! I know you still read these boards, Fred, so I would advise you NOT to email me!

Ms Crimson and Cream,

Now I'm really curious. When a prospective is in the process of becoming a member (pledging) , does that particular sorority do a "search" for a lack of a better term, to see if this person was ever in any other secret organization? I'm not trying to be a smarty pants, it just raises some questions in my mind.

I can answer part of that. . .I know that in my sorority, you have to meet certain requirements, like GPA for example. You sign a paper that states that all the requirements are true. One of which is that you don't belong to another organization. If you lie, I don't think you initiation will be valid. I think that's how it works. But we did have to sign a paper saying that we were not members of any other socail organization(greek).

Our Rush/Recruitment Advisor was like Nancy Drew. She and her committee researched every transfer Rushee to make sure that the girl was on the up and up. If she was caught in a lie, saying she was never initiated when she was, our RD notified the Greek Life Director. Greek Life took it from there.

Mostly Greek Life caught girls before Rush began. It was rare but it happened.

Ms.Crimson n Cream,

I am still waiting to hear your reply.Thanks

I could be wrong but it is to my understanding that you cannot be a member of another NPHC sorority or fraternity.

Case & Point being - I know several ladies who are members of Gamma Sigma Sigma and AKA or DST... Gamma Sigma Sigma is NPC and AKA and DST are NPHC.

The best thing to do is to contact the National Headquarters of the particular sorority/fraternity that you are interested in and ask them.

redQT

redQT-
Gamma Sigma Sigma isn't NPC. They are primarily a service sorority (like A-Phi-O) and wouldn't be classed with the social organizations in NPC. I think APO & GSS are both in something called the Professional Fraternity Assoication, but don't quote me.

33Girl is right about the Professional Fraternity Assoication. However, on some campuses GSS dos belong to the collegiate Panhellenic council. These are usually schools with few NPC sororities.

Sorry heather http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif yes, that would be the RD's "job" and then if there are discrepancies she would then relay that info back to us then we would go from there.

I am also a member of APO and I have NEVER understood how they or GSS get away with this. Especially since they do not “rush” in the normal sense – i.e., anyone that wants to join, can. Here are what the national bylaws of both organizations said:
 Alpha Phi Omega shall not seek nor accept membership in any association solely of social fraternities, except on approval of the national Board of directors.
 Gamma Sigma Sigma – No chapter shall be affiliated with any organization that requires selectivity in membership policies (i.e. the National Panhellenic Conference)
Yes I pledged in A-Phi-O and yes there are social aspects, but its and GSS’s aim should be SERVICE FIRST. Anyone who tries to turn those organizations into “social” organizations is doing a great disservice to the founders’ original purposes.

Depending on where you are in terms of colonization or chapter incorporation, and what your sorority's governing documents state, your may or may not be able to come back. That would be the first thing to check, if it at all possible. I think the next thing would be to check out the circumstances, one on one, and then include the entire group in on the details as appropriate. Sometimes some highly personal things happen, which make people walk away....I saw this happen more than once during our colonization. Some did come back, in different ways, others did not. It largely depends on their situation, and the setup of the sorority.

Hope that helps!

This is really interesting. I have a friend who was involved in the colonization of our chapter, but she moved away. She never told anyone about her move, she just stopped attending (obviously). She asked me the other night how to go about "coming back" into the sorority. Was she ever out of it? I don't know what to tell her, and not sure if the other sisters are going to be so welcoming.

first of all there is a lot of misinformation going around. If you are a member or interested in pledging an organization that is in the NPHC you can not be a member of another "social" org. Yes I realize that others particularly Delta is a "public service sorority", however, the service is in conjunction with the socialization. So you can belong to APO or GSS or a professional/honor/service only org. but you will be challenged if you belonged to a social org and try to pledge another. That is why RESEARCH is so important because once you are in you are in. And to Fred, if you are truly a Christian then whom shall you judge. Also being Christian is about respect for other people. Just because you didnot feel that you could praise God and be an Omega does not mean that you shoul disrespect what others do. Who are you? Are you God? Let them do what they do and if you believe than YOUR reward will be great. I have found that the best way to win souls is with respect not with disdain.

In God's name we need to learn to respect one another what ever the choice.

So what is the verdict? Is it possible or not?

The verdict is:

You cannot join an NPHC group if you have already joined and initiated into an NPC group.

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Fraternally,
Barbara
Zeta Tau Alpha Alumna

If you have to go around telling everyone you're in charge you're not much of a leader.




[This message has been edited by PnguinTrax (edited April 25, 2000).]

and actually, if your org is not incorporated...say there is only one chapter in the whole country and its at your school. you may still join an nphc org. this was told to me by a woman of a nphc org.

BUT!!, it cannot be under any of the governing bodies.....NPHC, NPC, IFC, etc etc. sorry forgot to add that in my last post.

Not even at the graduate level? This may sound like a stupid question, but I made a hasty, unthoughtout decision to join this fraternity who gave me a bid, and now I regret it. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/redface.gif I was raised thinking I was going to be a Kappa Alpha Psi, and planned on pledging my sophomore year. In the meantime, a bunch of my friends joined a "white" fraternity and they were really cool guys, so I joined. I have only seen two Kappas on the entire campus so even though I had always wanted to be one, it became kind of an "out of sight, out of mind thing". Now its as if there is no way out. I'm deactivating.

Not if the organization you joined is governed by the IFC.

I am sure the members of that frat could tell you a DEFINITE, but I am sure that you can't.

Jae,

Making a hasty desision is never an acceptable reason to "change" brotherhoods - if we could. I think almost everyone here would agree that making the desision to pledge one house over another is a desision you will have to live with. Fraternity life is for life! And it should be a desision given much though.

Each fraternity/sorority has thier own unique aspect. And each offers many outlets for you to have an effect on the organization and the quality of brother/sisterhood. If you are comparing your brotherhood with something you can't have, you'll always come up short in your expectations of your fraternity. Instead focusing your energies on making your brotherhood better can make a difference. Explore why you choose to join, and what you want out of a fraternity. Can you bring that to your fraternity?

I wish you the best of luck,

Artimis

I know someone FOR A FACT who was IFC, fully initiated, was a active member for a couple of years, dropped (deactivated) through his national, and was initiated by a NPHC fraternity.

Now, as I understand it, there was after a period of time, some racism going on in this particular IFC fraternity and their national did nothing about it. The NPHC he affiliated with understood his point of view and gave him a 'second chance' so to speak. This guy is a full member of his NPHC and has since graduated from college and become a more active member in his fraternity. Now I dont know if his national office or the offical people of his NPHC know his previous status but apparently his new brothers were his real brothers. Just an observation.

Actually...I have never seen anything in the NPHC by-laws that forbid a former member of an NPC (or IFC) group from joining an NPHC organziation. There ARE rules barring NPHC members from joining another NPHC organization, but that is not the same thing. I recall a guy in college who was initially a member of an IFC, depledge (or whatever is the correct term) and join an NPHC org. while still in school.

So if someone truly feels they made an error in joining an NPC or IFC org and would like to join an NPHC org., I would investigate before throwing in the towel. As a caveat: although I don't think this is strictly forbidden, it is probably frowned upon on individual campuses, and a former IFC/NPC member may have a challenge being accepted into their NPHC org. of choice.

[This message has been edited by Shelacious (edited May 03, 2000).]

i wonder if any one out there has done this?

Shelacious: It wouldn't be in the bylaws of NPHC, it would be in the constitution & bylaws of each particular organization.

To All: As I mentioned before, I can only speak for my organization, (Delta Sigma Theta) and in our constitution it states that if you were currently a member of (or had been expelled from) an org in the NPHC or the Panhellenic Conference that you are not eligible for membership. I can't speak for the frats of the NPHC and what they allow, which is why I suggested that the person who was interested in joing a NPHC frat should ask members of the organization they were wanting to join.

Here's a scenario, along the lines of discussion on this thread. How would you/your chapter handle this situation.

Your GLO is a local (ie. not governed by IFC, NPC, NPHC, etc. at the university or nat'l level).

Among the current pledge class, one individual suddenly depledges, with little or no explanation why. Later, it is found that (s)he has pledged a national (IFC/NPC/NPHC etc.), nearly immediately after depledging your house.

This situation troubles me for two reasons:
(a) there was a breach of honor for leaving your house, without explanation, and leaving loose ends, *and*
(b) pledging another house right after leaving the first.

If I am to understand things correctly, even as a pledge, there's a protocol to follow in the depledging process. Also, I know for NPC sororities at least (at my school, at least), if you depledge one house, you cannot pledge another one, for at least another year.

It should be noted that the "new" house has no knowledge/documentation that their newest pledge has just depledged a local GLO, since the local is not connected through the university-GLO governing body.

I'd be curious as to everyone's response, whether you're a local or nat'l organization. And feel to take any (or all!) points of view, including that of each GLO, the member in question, etc.

To all the Alphas and Kappas out there: How exactly would you feel if someone had really made a wrong decision in joining a "white" fraternity (some hidden racism surfaced, esp. from alumni), deactivated through their nationals (meaning they were erased from the books), had friends who recently joined your organization and they wanted to pledge more than anything. Would you turn them away?

Booooo, man, shut up!!!

Are you an Alpha, Kappa, or just someone offering their two cents?

I'm going to ass-ume that this situation happened to you, and here's my thought: the girl who did this is a backstabbing jerk. You probably could make a stink about it and hold her to the bid she took from you, even if you're not NPC. But do you really want someone like that to be your sister? Take it from me, you are much better off. The only thing I would have to say to her is "Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out."

Ditto.