NPHC and NPC Relations: An Article
 

http://www.mustudentnews.com/031104/stories/greek1.html



I will save my comments for later.

WOW. I have to come back to this one.

Is this a "letter to the editor" or are they actually passing this off as a news article?

this was my thought. It woulda been nice to see a fact crash around in there somewhere? Even a well-written column carries some factual basis.

It's been discussed
 

On GC before. There was a thread in the Greek Life room about it. I think there were a lot of factual errors in the piece.

It was a column, not a news article, BTW. And Tony's right, facts should be a part of it, but from experience, some student editors are in a very formative stage and sometimes just aren't careful or don't have a clue. Not to excuse that, but just trying to say what happens.

The attitudes aren't surprising, though. I sound like a tired, broken record, but there are still a lot of people who have never had any meaningful contact with AfAms in this world.

--ST, former news editor of the USC Daily Trojan in the mid-1980s.

There are many things wrong with this statement:
A. It IS rude.
B. She can't even call it the NPHC. She has to use a slang term. I bet she wouldn't like the NPC being called national white sororities.
C. Just because she's ignorant, it doesn't mean everyone else else.

Hate to stir up stuh...
 

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...hlight=Marinko

There's the thread.

ST, thanks for passing along the other thread. I did not see this one when it was originally posted. Thanks to those who posted further information as to what org and the history of the author of this article.

Someone on GC ;) passed it along to me and I guess THAT PERSON did not perform a search either, lol. :p

Some people really just don't understand black people actually having confidence in their organizations IMO.

I think it's not that we act better, we just act like we don't need them and some NPC Greeks find it galling. Our attitude is 'I love my org and I dont want to be part of yours' and some people don't understand that. Like we should lay down and think ourselves inferior in order to get along.

We are not getting both sides of this story. People jumping in to judge probably have their own agenda.

Not a problem, CT4. I looked at the thread and I saw where the writer had to issue an apology because of her many factual errors. Plus some NPC greeks who went to Mizzou basically said the woman was a nutcase of sorts.

I also think Soror has good points that can be drawn to a lot of organizations, but I digress.

or having confidence in themselves...

It 's interesting because a colleague of mine who is a top HIV researcher was asking me what I had done the weekend of July 24. I told her that I had gone to Vegas because of my sorority national convention. She looked at me and literally said "oh my God, I would never admit I was in a sorority around here. No one knows I WAS in one and they'd laugh if they knew." She then alluded that I should be somewhat embarrassed. We are actually good friends so I had no problem telling her that in MY community (save for some people) being in a BGLO was prestigious and that there were actually criteria that needed to be met before "joining." Also that the crux of them are public and community service and that I was still active beyond undergrad.

She was literally like "oh, so it's not a matter of 'who likes so and so? I liked him first'" Afterwhich she laughed and said "Oh well, good for you. No way would I ever let the words "I was in a sorority" come out of my mouth if I want to be taken seriously.

Please don't get me wrong, I know there are a lot of NPC/IFC sororities who do more than socialize, etc., but I think by and far, there is a huge distinction between what WE do and the pride and confidence that comes along with it. That, I think is what's not understood and definitely not appreciated.

OUT!

The article is poorly written IMO. And when she says that she wouldn't want NPHC Greeks to get involved with "their" programs.....she sounds a little nutty:mad: . We have a similar situation on my yard. The NPC Greeks and the NPHC Greeks have been at odds for some time when it comes to "Greek Week" events. So, this year we (NPHC) decided to teach the NPC orgs. how to stroll/party-walk. The idea is going over very good. We hope it promotes unity.

Greek Week is always a touchy subject. On my campus we revamped it so that chapters, regardless of size, could participate in ALL events. I think Greek Life Advisors should play some role in facilitating discussion among groups.

Why can't you all do a service project together? Why not all the orgs build a Habitat house together or do a walk-a-thon together? Why must we continually teach folks how to step?


Not knocking your efforts but to really build and improve interfraternal relationships , it would IMO be more meaningful to promote the IDEALS and PROGRAMMATIC THRUSTS of the orgs, not a superficial extra.

Why not have a Greek Health Fair? I am almost positive that every org has a health issue that they are working to cure or help fund research. Every org could sponsor a table with information, testing, etc.

Delta Sigma Theta = depression, AIDS
Sigma Kappa = Alzheimer's (if I remember from reading on GC)

See, that's productive. You have a service thrust there, because our organizations are service-centered. Much better, IMO, than a stepping teaching session.

Sorry, ya'll, but I gotta speak on it. No, I'm not a part of any greek org, though my aspirations should be quite apparent to many of you. Anyway, I just have one question; how can this chick be so sure that it was members of the NPHC who allegedly ripped down philanthropy signs, when she doesn't even know who's a part of it, let alone, what it is?

This chick's got some nerve in her, though. :rolleyes:

Since I attend an HBCU, this is not a personal issue for me. However, I care about what is going on with my sorors around the world, so I feel compelled to respond.

Soror, I agree with the others who encouraged a service-related group effort. This actually goes beyond the Greek aspect of society. We need to start letting the other people of the world know that being Black is not all about running faster, jumping higher, and getting our party on. I volunteered in a classrooom once, and I was appalled at what the teacher said to some of the students. I was there during their career fair. The teacher was pushing Black children towards entertainment and sports, while promoting business to the white students. It was in response to a question that a child (Black girl) asked. She wanted to know how to "get rich." The teacher told her that she had a beautiful voice, so maybe she could be a singer. (True, the child can sing.) This didn't seem so bad until they all started asking how each of them could "get rich." I started to notice the pattern when she told a white boy that being CEO of a company paid a lot of money. I was so angry. Mind you, this class was the gifted and talented class. Why was business or the sciences not pushed to all of the kids? I said something to her a few days later. Of course she conveniently forgot about what she said to each individual. :rolleyes:

But my point is that we are so much more than the life of the party or merely the entertainment. We have made major contributions to society as a whole that should not go unrecognized. When they insist on us buck dancing and providing the entertainment, we should steer them towards more worthwhile activities. Yes, a public service project probably would have gone a lot further than teaching them to stroll. But I admire your willingness to foster harmony between the groups.

I'm involved with a community involvement/volunteer group, and the two LGLOs on my campus were at the top of my list for groups to get involved. We don't have any D9 chapters on my campus, but there are chapters at another school nearby, and the same named group at that school works with them. I'm looking forward to all of us getting together this fall.

Two things though
1) The LGLOs have a smaller membership, and it is a lot easier to have, for example, six people show up especially if we're coordinating rides and meals, plus there is always enough work to go around.
2) The LGLOs have been more reliable than other GLOs and other campus groups when it comes to showing up for work days and meetings. Just showing up isn't enough, actually doing the work is integral. Nothing is more annoying than groups that show up late, and don't do anything. We have a database of hours worked for Community Involvement, and the supervisor won't sign off if you're a slacker.

I got rubbed the wrong day one day when members of an NPC sorority corrected me about the name of a sorority. I was speaking of the LGLO, and they kept saying "no it is XYZ, not XAB". They didn't even KNOW the LGLO existed, and thought I was talking about XYZ incorrectly, because the first letter is the same. I can understand not being able to name GLOs that aren't on your campus, but you should know the groups that are on your campus.

You are so on point with this. The really sad part is that, more often than not, this extends beyond the greek world and into everyday life.

In my collegiate experience there wasn't friction between groups, it was more that each ran in different spheres. Although there was always someone prattling about Greek Unity like it was a slogan.

When large charitable events took place people from all organizations tended to show up.

My only experience with co-sponsoring an event was a food drive with Iota Phi Theta. Unfortunately they didn't show up, so we soldiered on and completed the project.

The only problem I remember was in the creation of the Greek Council. One organization one vote often led to multi cultural groups on the exec board. Often the group itself would have less members than the exec board did, let alone the rest of the delegates.

It led to odd tensions because the decisions that the MCGs would want to implement were foreign to the mainstream GLOs, and sometimes often foreign to the NPHC groups also.

We've co-sponsored w/ the Delta's and SGRho before. The Delta's had a spaghetti dinner @ our house and we did a book drive w/ SGRho because our local philanthropy is Ohio Reads and they do a program called Operation Big Book Bag.
Very nice classy ladies.

Our school's APhiA chapter sponsors "No Matter the Letter", an all Greek luncheon aimed at fostering positive NPHC/NPC/IFC relations. It does a good job of it. I've been friends w/ alot of NPHC greeks since high school, but for many of my sisters who don't know anyone, it's been a good way to meet them.

We don't have any NPHC/NPC/IFC friction. We interact alot more than what I can say for some campuses. NPHC women come out to Bid Day, we come to coming out shows and events. They come out to Songfest, we show up to the annual step show. They come to our philanthropy events and we support their programs. :)

ETA: I find it appalling when I know all 26 NPC's and the NPHC orgs, and greeks don't even know the orgs on their campus. :mad:

[QUOTE]Originally posted by CrimsonTide4
[B]Why can't you all do a service project together? Why not all the orgs build a Habitat house together or do a walk-a-thon together? Why must we continually teach folks how to step?


Not knocking your efforts but to really build and improve interfraternal relationships , it would IMO be more meaningful to promote the IDEALS and PROGRAMMATIC THRUSTS of the orgs, not a superficial extra.

Why not have a Greek Health Fair? I am almost positive that every org has a health issue that they are working to cure or help fund research. Every org could sponsor a table with information, testing, etc.

Sorors....I feel you!!! A joint service project is also in the works. We ( my LS's and me) are putting on a program for World AIDS Day & we've asked that the NPC Greeks jump on board. We shall see!!!!

Please know that your campus is rare! I would love to visit. Last year a PHC woman wrote an article in the school paper about Greek life and she only mentioned IFC/PHC organizations. Mind you the MGC is the largest council on campus with 15 organizations. How she left out 15 organizations I'll never know.:rolleyes:

Yeah, see that would just piss me off :mad:

I agree with the doing a service project together and that sort of thing. As for the stepping, please note one thing. It's something that is unique to the NPHC, and I, as an individual, find it really intriguing and wanted to learn how to do it. We were paired during a greek week event with Omega Psi Phi and an NIC fraternity, and the Qs said, let us teach you how to step. We were all excited and it really turned out to be fun and something NEW. They gave us a background on the stepping and the cultural aspects, etc., and then they taught us some moves that we incorporated together for the talent show. We won! And the reason I think we won was that the Qs were willing to teach us something we didn't know. We taught them a few D Phi E songs, which also got incorporated into the act. It was really fun.

Mind you, this is just my opinion, and you know what they say about those....but both sides of the fence (NPC v. NPHC) have to want to have relations, and it's not always just the NPC group that doesn't want to do that. One NPHC sorority, which will remain nameless because I don't believe in publicly calling them out, as their behavior was not a good reflection on their great organization, refused to do a greek week talent piece with an NIC or NPC group. One girl, and I quote, said "they don't deserve to "step" with us..."

Again, just some thoughts.

I think that greek relations at my school were much better than this author's "article" would indicate. Two of my three RDs were alumni and one of my RAs was a sister of NPHC GLOs so I knew about NPHC events and attended what I could with my sisters. The NPHC, IFC, and NPC groups were involved in campus activities like Greek Week and Greek Olympics. We had teams that consisted of 1 NPC, 2 IFC and 1 NPHC and competed with each other. When DPhiE had our fashion show, an NPHC group stepped and modeled. Many NPC sisters modeled in the NPHC sponsored fashion show.

I really think that we had positive relationships with each other and were supportive of each other's goals. My sorority and many of the other NPCs and IFCs participated in coat, clothing, and toy drives. We attended each other's events because we enjoyed each other's company and events, not to be politically correct. We had fun.

The major problem in greek relations was that a few IFC fraternities fought with each other, but that is another story entirely.

*IFC was the Inter-fraternal Council which consisted of national and local fraternities on my campus.

at least you ladies are making the effort. While there are no friction among the Greeks here at Cleveland State, it's hard to get any org to do some type of events with one another. This past Fall Semester , the Pi Chapter of A-Phi-A sponsored a Charity Basketball game at Gund Arena to raise money for the Shakira Johnson Scholarship. just about all the greek organizations showed up and we all had a great time. It was the one time outside of Greek Week / Greek Fest on campus I saw a lot of Greeks unified for a major event. and that was cool. :cool: