Only (inter)national GLOs allowed
 

My understanding is that The University of Kentucky only allows (recognizes) (inter)national fraternities and sororities.

A chapter does not have to be a member of NIC (IFC), NPHC, NPC or NALFO; however, they do have to have some sort of (inter)national organization - i.e. governing board or council. In other words, no "local" GLOs allowed at UK.

Do any other campuses have similar restrictions or requirements?


My guess is that the UK Administration does so now for risk management purposes. But frankly, other than GLOs and clubs that became chapters back in the early 1900's, I don't recall any "locals" ever being on campus. Perhaps AchtungBaby80, GtownGirl98, TigerLilly, or UKDaisy can confirm or may have more information.

FYI: Four recognized chapters at UK are not a member of either NIC, NPHC, NALFO or NPC.

Sororities
Ceres
Phi Sigma Rho

Fraternities
Kappa Sigma
Phi Delta Theta

Both Kappa Sigma and Phi Delta Theta withdrew from the IFC. And to my knowledge, Ceres and Phi Sigma Rho were never part of NPC or any other similar governing body.

Edited to add NALFO to list of national associations and to correct IFC to NIC.

My guess is it might have to do with insurance. Most locals don't get it right away but organizations with at least several chapters regardless of whether they belong to NPC/NIC/NPHC/NALFO (am I leaving any out) usually have insurance.

Insurance is a part, but not the only part. Many administrations want a partner in oversight. Its always most difficult to go it alone.

Also, locals lack the resources to change, so when reform is needed, locals rarely do so.

Russ is so right on.

With Rish managemet Insurance cost climbing like wild ivey up the hallowed halls, there is a problem bringing onto Campus an Organization that is not fully vested via some sort of Insurance. Ergo an International (National) Greek Organization.

I always hate to Bring Up Shorter Colege in Rome Ga. that were all locals but they are the newest. The Adm. decided they while liking Greeks, they wanted Nationals (Inter) simply for the fact that there would be a stronger hand taken for Hazing Restrictions.:)

Nationals also have the people who do Chapter Visitations to check on them, the data base to see what the Grades are, What Organizations on campus that their participating in, or even sports. Why, because most feel it is good to have a well rounded member of Their Organizatin who will reresent them in a positive mode.

As Russ said, in many cases, the Locals are reluctent to change from the day to day business of running or hazing, that has cause many problems.

Greek Letters do not a Greek Organization be.

ITs about control. Not only do admins want nationals they prefer larger nationals. They know that if a group witb 200 chapters has a chapter with a problem they won't hesistate to yank its charter.

Some of the smaller groups aren't as quick to do it. And locals don't have to do it at all.

There are less ways to control Local groups.

Just so I'm not confused...

Kappa Sigma and Phi Delta Theta are no longer part of the national IFC and not just on UK?

I've heard of Ceres but not Phi Sigma Rho.

i think that Kappa Sigma and Phi Delta Theta withdrew from the NIC, not IFC.

bout the Fraternity Leadership Association
 

OK, there is a new-this-year "trade association" for fraternities, the Fraternity Leadership Association. The founding members are Delta Kappa Epsilon. Kappa Sigma, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Pi, and Phi Sigma Kappa, according to a news release on Kappa SIgma's web site --

http://www.kappasigma.org/php-bin/ne...a5187385886ecb

Time will tell whether this new association is viable and valuable, I suppose.

Founded in 1984 at Purdue University, Phi Sigma Rho is a national social sorority for women in engineering and engineering technology. They have 17 chapters and colonies. http://www.phisigmarho.org/ A member used to post on GC but I haven’t seen her around lately.

That's nice that UK has that rule. I'm sure it's for insurance and risk management purposes. However, a public institution really can't say who can and cannot affiliate with the school. If the satanist society wants to be school recognized, I really don't see any reason the school can decide not to recognize them.

Now, as for giving funds to that organization, that may be another story:D

Re: Only (inter)national GLOs allowed
 

Neither of these sororities are social sororities. Ceres is agriculturally based fraternity & Phi Sigma Rho is for engineering students. This is why they are allowed UK campus.

I don't know about Kappa Sigma and Phi Delta Theta though.

Like you were saying...can a public institution really ban local GLOs? Not to burst your bubble, TSteven, but I can't find anything in UK's student organization bylaws or Panhellenic Council bylaws (didn't look in IFC's) that sounds like a ban on local GLOs. Can anyone name other colleges that have this rule? I agree I can see why university administrations would prefer to have GLOs with some kind of governing body above the university level, but can they really ban ones that don't have that? Or just "strongly discourage" them?

Re: Re: Only (inter)national GLOs allowed
 

They're still national fraternities, they just don't belong to th NIC anymore. It has nothing to do with their national status.

oh and incidentally, IFC = Inter Fraternity Council and NIC = North American Interfraternity Council. It's the same organization, only called one thing at the school and another overall.

The school can refuse to recognize Greeks that don't have some sort of national backing, but they can do NOTHING to prevent students from joining them, unless they put it in the student code that everyone signs, and I doubt that would ever hold up if challenged as it conflicts with the freedom of association act. The only schools that can get away with disallowing students to join unrecognized groups are those that take no federal funds.

The University of Wisconsin has a similar rule.

We did have locals at one point -- the chemistry fraternity Alpha Chi Sigma was founded here and later went national, and looking at the old yearbooks confirms that local sororities and fraternities were a part of the campus culture in the 1920s and 30s. I'm not sure when the new rule took effect.

As ktsnake points out, technically a public university can't keep a local GLO from existing -- but without university/Greek system recognition, I would be very surprised if a local could survive, let alone thrive, here. The campus is relatively anti-Greek so without campus support OR support from the Greek system, I imagine a local would be short-lived.

Re: Re: Only (inter)national GLOs allowed
 

Both Ceres and Phi Sigma Rho are "social" in nature and members of UK's Panhellenic Council.

Ceres is similar to Alpha Gamma Sigma, Alpha Gamma Rho and FarmHouse - all three social fraternities and members of NIC - in that it is a women's fraternity with an interest in agriculture.

Ceres was formed at a FarmHouse conclave out of FarmHouse's little sister program as their own social group separate of FarmHouse.

From the Phi Sigma Rho web site at UK. "Phi Sigma Rho is a national social sorority for females in engineering and technical fields."

This is similar to Triangle Fraternity in that Triangle is a social fraternity, a member of NIC, with a majority of the members having an interest in engineering, architecture and science.

exlurker, thank you for that posting link! It is very interesting to read.

It might be, that the National Supposedly regularatory groups have become so self centered that they are losing the purpose for which they werre started? Well, maybe even at the local level?

Maybe a lot depends on how the School so designates responsibilities on how Greeks are regarded.

With The Larger Greeks, they want school recognition and condolences for oporation.

Here again, the schools are looking at larger Organizations to do the policing, and insurance for them to do on them selves.

It still gets back to risk management and insurance.

Why jeapordize the school when most of the bad problems will fall back upon the Greeks themselves and not the school.

They can act dumb! Oh even for a Higher Educational Learning School!

Oh, In Coming, Cover Your ASS!:rolleyes:

TigerLilly and crzychx - thanks for the UK information. And crzychx - apologies for leaving you off the original "UK list". ;)

Here is a link to the University Policies regarding "Criteria For Consideration of Student Organization Registration as a Social Fraternity or Sorority" at UK.

http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/Greek/define.htm

I've posted information specific to recognition.

2. The organization must have recognition as a colony or chapter in good standing of an inter/national social fraternity or sorority as recognized by the Internal Revenue Service under the provisions of Section 86.14 of the regulations promulgated under Title IX of the U.S. Education Act Amendments of 1972. The University of Kentucky will not register a local organization as a social sorority or fraternity. In support of the relationship with an inter/national fraternity/sorority, the organization should receive an annual minimum of one (1) on-campus visit from an inter/national sorority/fraternity staff member or officer, unless granted exception from the Fraternity and Sorority Affairs staff due to extenuating circumstances (e.g., financial restrictions, staffing limitations) or alternative arrangements. To further demonstrate the support from the inter/national organization, its staff and alumni/ae, the student organization will submit for consideration relevant materials in a format deemed appropriate by the Dean of Students which addresses the following items:

a. inter/national support to the organization and its chapters in general,

b. alumni/ae within the vicinity of Lexington,

c. chapters located at college campuses in Kentucky and surrounding states,

d. students, faculty, and/or staff interested in establishing/supporting the organization,

e. previous affiliation with the University of Kentucky (if applicable), and

f. other items as requested by the Dean of Students.

While a local organization may not be registered as a social sorority or fraternity, I'm sure they could be registered as some other type of group.

UT-San Antonio has the rule too.

As an undergrad serving on IFC, I once asked the greek advisor about it and he said, "Unofficially, no way. The university wants several levels of accountability." The last local was in 1993. They eventually affilliated with Kappa Sigma. They had been organized as a KS interest group.

Huh?

Re: Re: Re: Only (inter)national GLOs allowed
 

I'm fully aware that they are "social" in nature, but they are not considered social sororities. They do not participate in formal recruitment and they are solely for for agricultural or engineering students. This is why (as I was told by the president of the UK Panhellenic Council-a Sigma Kappa @ the time) they are allowed on campus.

Re: Re: Only (inter)national GLOs allowed
 

Just wanted to clarify that Phi Sigma Rho Sorority is purely a “social sorority,” just like any of the 26 NPC sororities/fraternities! We do not promote a particular profession, and we are not a professional organization. Almost all of our 20 chapters/colonies are recognized by Greek Life on their campuses, and most are either full or associate members of the Panhel.

Yes, we generally choose our members from particular academic majors, but this is our choice to limit the pool of candidates that we recruit from. However, having an initial academic requirement does not make us a professional organization. For example, there are sororities/fraternities that have an academic requirement for initial members way above a 2.0 GPA, but this does not make them honorary organizations.

Also, participation in formal rush has nothing to do with being a social sorority. Remember, formal rush is not a requirement but a recruitment option that a chapter can make. The other option is to wait until after formal rush and just COB, which is what the majority of our chapters do. If you have any questions about Phi Sigma Rho, please feel free to PM me!

Sorry for the confusion.

In my original post, I had asked for some clarification regarding the University of Kentucky's policies from known GCers who usually have information regarding UK.

Originally posted by TSteven
Perhaps AchtungBaby80, GtownGirl98, TigerLilly, or UKDaisy can confirm or may have more information.

In my haste to get my original message posted, I inadvertently left you - and I believe AOIIalum as well - off the list of GCers who are aficionados of Greek life at UK. I wanted to acknowledge that with my thanks and apologies for having left you off the list.

Again, thank you for your help and insight.

Re: Re: Re: Only (inter)national GLOs allowed
 

I'm just speaking for the Phi Sigma Rho sorority on UK campus. On UK's campus they are not a social sorority but are a professional organization.
Its true, its true.

According to The University of Kentucky's Fraternity & Sorority Affairs Office web site, both Ceres and Phi Sigma Rho are listed as social sororities.

And my understanding is that both chapters participate in UK's Greek social events as well.

Regarding recruitment, both Ceres and Phi Sigma Rho are included in the University of Kentucky's official Sorority Membership Recruitment booklet published by the Panhellenic Council which lists all the social sororities. This booklet is sent to each PNM going through formal recruitment.

The booklet does note that Ceres, Phi Sigma Rho - and the Pan-Hellenic chapters - hold recruitment later in the year.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Only (inter)national GLOs allowed
 

From the Phi Sigma Rho - Epsilon Chapter's web site.

http://www.uky.edu/StudentOrgs/PSR/

"Welcome to the University of Kentucky Phi Sigma Rho chapter webpage. Phi Sigma Rho is a national social sorority for females in engineering and technical fields. We promote life-long friendship, high standards in scholarship, and encourage excellence in all endeavors.

The Epsilon Chapter is very active in the College of Engineering and in Greek Life at UK. We participate in philanthropy events such as our annual Bowl-A-Thon for the American Cancer Society.

On this site you will find information about and links for our national organization, our chapter, and our members. If you are not currently a member of Phi Sigma Rho and are interested in pursuing membership please see our Rush section for information on joining."

Hey, wow I didn't really know about any of this. SO I'll be no help at all!

However, I do know that Ceres pays annual dues to UK NPC so they can be included in Greek Week activities. They do not participate in recruitment - their recruitment is the week following Rush. But by paying dues they are included in tons of activities and events that other organizations that are not members don't have access too.
They also have a house, so that's pretty social to me IMO.
I would try to research some info on this, but when it comes to Greek bylaws and such I become insanely "special" and do not understand any of it.

Sorry TSteven!!
:(

Re: Re: Re: Re: Only (inter)national GLOs allowed
 

Uh, actually, that's wrong, that's wrong. I've been friends with a girl in the UK chapter since freshman year, and through her have met several other girls in the chapter. They ARE a social organization.
Other people have already shown how they are social in classification. They are also social in nature because they get together all the time, do things as a chapter, etc. They even had an unofficial Phi Sigma Rho house last year (not sure if they still have it this year). It was explained it to me as that they are a social sorority, but with the engineering emphasis they realize that that can be a very demanding major that can take time away from the sorority. They are probably more cooperative with situations like a member needing to take a semester off to co-op, for example. BUT they are not like, say, the German honor society (a professional organization) that gets together once a semester to induct new members and that's it.
Just because they're not NPC doesn't mean that they are not a social sorority. And by the way, Phi Sigma Rho is an associate member of UK's Panhellenic Council, so I don't see how they could not be classified as a social organization!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Only (inter)national GLOs allowed
 

I guess you all have missed that I am just speaking from information I was given by a UK Panhellenic Council President. And this was from when I was @ UK, which has been a few years. Maybe things have changed...?

CERES is social. Everywhere.

That is all, good day.

No, TSteven is right. All fraternities and sororities have to be inter/national to be recognized by UK. I did a paper about this my junior year for a class I had...I was just trying to stir stuff up. :p

Edited to Add: You asked if there were ever any locals at UK...well, I know there were before nationals came (there was a discussion about this before), but I don't know about after that...I'll ask my stepdad.

Regarding local fraternities, I think there might have been some "locals" at UK in the past. However, I believe that they were "interest groups" for an (inter)national.