Are we the only ones?!
 

Okay - this is just the most BIZARRE thing I have ever heard. Panhellenic exec board at the school where I advise has just made it ILLEGAL to show/display/discuss/etc. any new member/pledge pins. They are saying that to SHOW a PNM a pledge pin, that that is a PROMISE to them for a bid. HELLO?! I don't mean how some groups actually pin it on a PNM for them to "see" it -- I mean to show it in any way, shape, or form!

So - that is just ludicrous, in my opinion...BUT - here is the biggie - Alpha Chi Omega's OFFICIAL full insignia is our Lyre badge with the chapter guard & dangles, and the NEW MEMBER pin worn diagonally between the two. That is our official "rule" on wearing our jewelry (if you don't have a guard, you wear the new member pin diagonally through the back of the Lyre badge).

So I am just really STEAMING about this -- how can the panhell exec board at a school supercede what our national headquarters considers appropriate in regards to our jewelry?

Is AXO the ONLY chapter that keeps and wears the new member pin with their badge?

It just really ticks us off! I mean how can anyone from another group tell me that I cannot wear what I rightfully earned the privilege to wear?!

Re: Are we the only ones?!
 

AXO Alum, thanks for the heads up. I'm going to get my butt down to the Saturn dealer and tell them to give me that car they "promised" me NOW!! :D

Well, Alpha Xi Deltas don't wear the new member pin after initiation, with the exception of colony members. We have a special new member pin for colony members. They usually wear their colony pin for their guard after the colony is initiated and installed.

This is just plain dumb ... I can see prohibiting pinning it on (!!) but not to display it??? What if you have a new member who hasn't been initiated before recruitment? Can she not wear her pin or be involved with recruitment?

Wow! Alot of PH seem to go overboard in interpreting the NPC guidelines. You said that your PH Exec Board made this decision. I would check your PH Bylaws. Usually changes can only be made by a vote of the CHAPTERS.

In any case, I would think that your pledge pin becomes part of your badge upon initiation and therefore is no longer considered a "pledge pin" but is part of your badge. In Delta Zeta, we turn in our plege pins at initiation so this would not apply to us.

Talking about bizarre rules, at the school where I used to be, we had a rule about isolation where a rushee could not be in another room where there were no other rushees. At our house, we have a tile change from the foyer to the back room so even though they were in plain sight of the other rushees, we got turned in because the rushee stepped over the tile change! Thankfully, we got rid of that ambiguous rule!

exactly.... you should really look into this because if they are randomly trying to enforce this without it being in your bylaws, well t.s. for them... any ammendment or addition to the bylaws (which this would have to be for them to enforce) must by passed by the chapters on your campus. if they want to put it in the bylaws, why not propose another form of it..... like it can't be pinned on pnms or presented to them like it's a bid if that is the problem, it can only be worn by members as your pin if you are not initiated or as a part of your badge if it's in a case such as yours?

33girl - you are too funny!!

So now I've seen all your letters in your replies -- that means that I've been promised bids by all the groups represented on this board!!

Actually - what is funny is that I wrote the panhell and other chapter advisors back and said just that -- that if seeing a pin or badge meant a promise, then what the hell should I do about all the independents who have seen me wear my jewelry? I wear it to work, church, etc. Guess that means we owe lots of badges!

AZ-Alpha Xi - good point! Yes we do have some that haven't been initiated yet and you are right...they are supposed to be wearing their new member pins!

The biggest problem is that with Eli being due on Aug. 19th (the first day of classes and the first roundtable meeting) I won't get to see this through. Of course our other advisors will be there, but this is a personal thing for me.

Thanks for the support - I will be keeping track so I can send these to our other advisors!!

That is such a ludicrous rule. Does that mean that if you have a picture on display of a bunch of new members proudly wearing their NM pins, it's a rush infraction?? :rolleyes: Like AZ-AlphaXi said, what if you have new members when rush takes place? Or suppose a sister misplaces her badge and just wants something to wear at pref?

Some AEPhi chapters let you keep your NM pin, others don't. Mine did, and although I don't really have occasion or reason to wear it, I'm glad I was able to keep such a pretty piece of jewelry.

My local sorority had pledge rings instead of pins - so it was quite easy to wear both your ring and your badge if you wished.

AXO Alum, I think you could make the argument that your NM pin "becomes" part of your badge. You don't necessarily stop wearing your engagement ring when you get married - a lot of people wear the two together - and it sounds like this is the same type of thing. You may win your case if you agree to wear your NM pins only with your badges, not by themselves, during rush.

Good point!
 

OHHHH - great point! Perfect for my example!! Thank you!!

I am going to email our national panhell rep and ask her - I think that if the local panhell were to try to give us an infraction, that it would be easy to fight.

I guess the main thing is that this is just plain stupid! To assume that looking at something - be it in a flower, a picture on the wall, or a piece of jewelry that someone wears - will mean that its a promise of a bid is just ludicrous!

That is absolutely ridiculous. Instead of politically correct, I think the recruiting system has become waaaaay too "recruitment correct". (ZTAngel's daily joke tally: 1)

That is soooooooooooooo insane! If I wear my [company name] shirt, am I promising everyone I see a job? If I wear a t-shirt with a band name on it, am I promising everyone tickets to their next concert?

Members have a right to wear their own pins in the appropriate context, whether they are new members or old. What makes a new member pin any different than the badge, the letters, or a lavalier? Will they next make fraternities take their letters off of their houses, because going to a party there could be miscontrued as giving a bid?

Craziness!

But actually, yes, I think AChiO is unique in that the new member pin is also worn by initiated members. I think it's a neat, classy idea. And your sorority is the ideal one to challenge this rule because as you said, you have to wear it!

Start with the greek advisor, local alumni panhellenica council and then go to the area advisor for Panhel. That is a crazy rule and shows how college Panhels sometimes can't get out of their own way.

Good luck and let us know what happens!!

NPC Green Box to the rescue...
 

Please see p. 38 of NPC Green Book (13th Ed) (right at the top)

"NPC Minutes 1971 p. 29 - RIGHT TO WEAR BADGE

Reminder that fraternity members have the right to wear their badges at all times as symbols of pride in their membership and that they be encouraged to exercise that right"

Sounds like this was a problem in the past, and NPC has determined that all groups have the right to wear their badges when they like. This "policy" that the campus PHA passed obviously contravenes this, so unfortunately, this "policy" is null and void.

Hope this helps!!

Shala

U of Manitoba Panhellenic Adviser

Re: Are we the only ones?!
 

I just caught this little detail about groups pinning NM pins on PNM's - Which groups do this? It seems strange - the PNM has done nothing to earn the privilege of wearing the pin, and knows nothing of the symbolism behind it, yet she gets to wear it?? :confused:

As aephialum said, why is any group putting a NM pin on a woman during recruitment? That is bizarre. Showing pins is one thing...using them as a recruitment tool is entirely another. I'd venture to say that one group has gone a little too far here in recruitment, and now the whole has to suffer.

Re: Re: Are we the only ones?!
 

I thought you guys would like that one. YES - some groups on campus (I won't go into the details of which ones, but the same ones that figured last year there would be no problem going to pick up PNM's and DRIVE them to recruitment parties...no, that's not dirty rushing!!!) -- actually will go so far as to pin their BADGE on a PNM and then show her a mirror to "SEE" how it will feel to wear the badge as a sister. Don't yell at me - we certainly don't do it, and can't imagine WHY in hell they would put their badge on another non-member for even a milli-second. No way - no how!

But some of them will do that. Its definitely out of line in my opinion.

As for our area PH advisor...oops, guess I left that part out -- SHE is the one who originally said that to show it is to promise a bid. So that is where panhell got the idea from. I say let them try to give us a rush infraction for it.

I am just SICK of them trying to drag us down. We have gone through this a million times before, and dang if we still don't come out on top and get quota :D

in my vast years of experience LOL! I have heard of various ploys used by different chapters on different campuses ranging from putting a drop (lavalier) around their necks to showing them a composite with a blank spot in it (for their picture). But putting on a pledge pin on a PNM is carrying it a bit far.

That said, I can't imagine that anyone representing NPC would argue against chapter members wearing their own badges/pins/ribbons or whatever. I would personally call the NPC Area Advisor on this. If she agrees to this ban then I would go straight to Betty Quick, Chairman of the College Panhellenics. She is a wonderful, level headed, straight thinking woman that knows her stuff!

I can't see straight, that is so weird...
 

We are the only ones whose pledge (don't correct me on the PC Rush terms, okay?) pins are integrated into the member badges. I looked at the NPC handbook once, and lo and behold!

With that in mind, why not let AXO (and I'd say it if it were another sorority) wear both pins? There are definitely enough people who'd make a stink--maybe PCCs? CLCS? Anyone who has a bit of a clue? :rolleyes:

Ah, the joys of dirty rushing...

that is so sad
 

that is really sad and disapointing!!!
i love my nm pin and before i was initiated i felt so special to be able to wear it! it is really unfair that they could restrict the nm pin!
love
ashley

If things get really bad contact your national office, or your NPC rep for your sorority's headquarters. As far as putting the pin on people, they can make that an infraction, as well as I would imagine getting into some serious trouble from the national organization.

are we the only ones?!
 

Our school has recently instistuted a similar rule. But it came into effect because of the manner in which chapters were showing PM's the NM pins during recruitment, specifically pref night. Some of the chapters were presenting PMs the NM pins in their flower and saying things to the effect of "this will be your's tomorrow if you choose ---(insert chapter here)." This concerned the panhellenic and so they asked the chapters to vote on guideline #7 (found on page 157 in the greenbook) that states to "eliminate all gifts, favors, preference letters, or notes for rushees until they have accepted bids." Part A of that goes on to say "giving anything to a rushee or doing anything which could be misinterpreted by rushees."
It was a tough decsision to make, as it was not encouraged by the chapter for members to say what they were saying, but in essence women were promising PMs bids, and the easiest way to eliminate that is to remove the NM pin from the environment. The chapters passed it; all but one voted for it. Ironically, the chapter that was doing it voted for the rule also. It was a different chapter that had been using letters on pref night that voted against it.
Some of the advisors are having a difficult time with it now, but that's mostly because they don't like change and are taking it personally.
If AXO's official jewelery requires you to wear the NM pin, then the chapter needs to make a motion to the panhellenic to be allowed to do that.
Just my two cents!