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-   -   Results of 2006 APO Convention. (https://greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=83707)

naraht 01-08-2007 11:03 PM

Results of 2006 APO Convention.
 
About a year ago, the APO National Board essentially said that the days of the all-male APO chapters were done. The recent convention put that into stone. While I haven't seen the exact wording, what it boils down to is any previously all-male APO chapter at a co-ed school either has to have women brothers or convince their Regional Director that they made a good faith effort. If neither, then the charter will be revoked.

I know the cascade effects won't affect all GSS chapters, but it does affect probably 8 or 10...

Randy

gamma_girl52 01-09-2007 10:29 AM

It won't affect GSS at all really. :confused: Why would it? That ruling has nothing to do with Gamma Sig.

REE1993 01-09-2007 07:21 PM

My school had APO and GSS. The APO chapter had several female brothers. There was never any competition between us; each org had its own thing going on. We did hold a few joint events, and aside from a TKE colony, were the only 2 GLOs on campus at the time.

gamma_girl52 01-10-2007 10:14 AM

Hopefully my last post wasn't too rude :p but really, if there were a school in which there is a GSS chapter and an all-male APO chapter that had to start actively recruiting women, then I don't think there would be any major conflicts there. We already have a few chapters that are in this type of situation and their membership doesn't seem to be affected.

At the end of it all, it's where ever that individual feels the most comfortable being.

AngelPhiSig 01-11-2007 01:13 AM

Since I wasnt active in college - I cant really say much on this subject - but I know that there was an APO chapter at my school and I did not join. I tried to bring Gamma Sig to CU, but it fell through (I believe part of this was me getting very into my classes that semester) but there was just something about GSS that made me want to choose them over APO.

I have expierece with sort of situation (although not exactly similar) with KKPsi and TBS, we have both chapters and both are co-ed, both do well since they recruit different personalities with few "borderline" people that could go either way.

I think that if a woman wants to be in APO she will choose APO, if she wants to be a Gamma Sig, she will choose Gamma Sig and both groups have something to offer and it will come down to the person going where they feel they fit in best.

Now Im thinking, "Where did all this positive talk come from?"... its been a crazy week and Ive been really negative!

REE1993 01-11-2007 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamma_girl52 (Post 1381316)
Hopefully my last post wasn't too rude :p

Not at all, Sister!:)

naraht 01-13-2007 09:57 PM

We'll see.
 
As best as I can tell from what I've been able to find of GSS history, the 5 yeras after Alpha Phi Omega went co-ed were not good ones in terms of maintaining some of the active chapters. I just wanted you all to know.

YiLFS
Randolph Finder

gamma_girl52 01-16-2007 12:19 PM

It is true that MANY of the Gamma Sig chapters went inactive during that time but there were other factors to that as well.

Times are different. I have no doubt that our chapters will continue to do well...and I'll take it further and say that we'll continue to have new GSS colonies form on campuses in which there's an active, co-ed APO chapter (we've had several lately). Again, it will come down to where ever that person feels they have a good fit at.

naraht 01-16-2007 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamma_girl52 (Post 1384299)
It is true that MANY of the Gamma Sig chapters went inactive during that time but there were other factors to that as well.

Times are different. I have no doubt that our chapters will continue to do well...and I'll take it further and say that we'll continue to have new GSS colonies form on campuses in which there's an active, co-ed APO chapter (we've had several lately). Again, it will come down to where ever that person feels they have a good fit at.

Agreed, many other factors. I'm not sure whether it will have
a noticable effect, but I don't think it will be a help.

naraht 01-16-2007 05:17 PM

This is from an *OLD* list I put together in 1999 based on 1999 data. I
know which chapters are active for both organizations have changed somewhat.

According to the Gamma Sigma Sigma national web page there are currently
47 active chapters of GSS. I've gone through them to see what the status
is of Alpha Phi Omega there. The results are 20 are at schools with co-ed
Alpha Phi Omega, 14 with all-male chapters of Alpha Phi Omega (about half
of the All-male chapters of APO), 8 are at schools where the APO chapter
is inactive and 5 are at schools that have never had APO.

(The order here is by GSS district, so it doesn't match an APO order)
Active GSS at schools with an active co-ed APO chapter (20)
U Wisc-Stout
Southeast Missouri St U
Southwest Missouri St
Penn St
Edinboro U of PA
Indiana U of PA
St. Francis C of PA
Shippensburg State U of PA (recently co-ed)
Slippery Rock U of PA
Stephen F Austin St U (TX)
Dillard U (LA)
U of GA
U of FL
Western KY U
UTenn-Knoxville
East Carolina U
U of North Carolina(Campus not mentioned on GSS web page)
St. Peters College (NJ)
Lebanon Valley College (PA)

Active GSS at schools with active all-male APO chapters (14)
U of Minn-Duluth
Duquesne U(PA)
U of Maine-Orono
Texas Wesleyan U.
Prairie View A&M U.(TX)
Texas Southern U.
Florida A&M U.
Samford U.(AL)
Carson Newman C. (TN)
Clemson U.(SC)
Austin Peay State U.(TN)
Drexel U. (PA)
U of Delaware
Moravian C. (PA)

Active GSS at schools with inactive APO chapters (9)
U of Wisc - La Crosse
U of St. Thomas(MN)
Marquette(WI)
Lynchburg C.(VA)
Utica C (NY)
Southwest Texas State U.
U of Alabama
Bethune Cookman C.(FL)
La Salle(PA)

Active GSS at schools that have never had an APO chapter(4)
SUNY-Postdam (works with the APO chapter at Clarkson U.)
North Georgia College.
Georgia College and State University
Bucks County CC
Temple U. -Ambler Campus

33girl 01-16-2007 05:26 PM

And at some of those schools...GSS functions almost like an NPC sorority. I'm not going to get into that too far, but my point is that if that's the case no one is really thinking of GSS and APO "competing" for members. The girls that join GSS wouldn't even think about APO, and vice versa.

naraht 01-16-2007 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl (Post 1384517)
And at some of those schools...GSS functions almost like an NPC sorority. I'm not going to get into that too far, but my point is that if that's the case no one is really thinking of GSS and APO "competing" for members. The girls that join GSS wouldn't even think about APO, and vice versa.

Yeah, culture of the chapter and the school make quite a difference.
I would expect the effect would be less at the HBCUs and
but more at the public schools.

Empress0105 04-28-2007 09:21 PM

i think it's foolish to force co-ed-ness on any organization. How do you force girls to rush your chapter if for decades it's just been known that only males do A Phi Que at XYZ School. I think it should still be a matter of choice...and as long as those chapters do theri service and don't kill anybody, then it shouldn't matter....

perfect example....TBS and KKY are both co-ed...but MOST chapters aren't and aren't forced to make that choice...


and i also don't think that that whol e"convince your regional director" thing is going to work....how do you convince someone who doesn't understand or like the all male culture of your org, that even if you stand in a female dorm and beg chicks to pledge your stuff...they won't becaue it's known you are to be a gamma sig if ou wnna be in the 25/52 circle.....


this topic really pisses me off...so i'm going to my corner

summer_gphib 04-28-2007 09:26 PM

Our chapter had some boys in it. Our school also had a co-ed APO. :-)

Senusret I 04-29-2007 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress0105 (Post 1437617)
i think it's foolish to force co-ed-ness on any organization. How do you force girls to rush your chapter if for decades it's just been known that only males do A Phi Que at XYZ School. I think it should still be a matter of choice...and as long as those chapters do theri service and don't kill anybody, then it shouldn't matter....

perfect example....TBS and KKY are both co-ed...but MOST chapters aren't and aren't forced to make that choice...


and i also don't think that that whol e"convince your regional director" thing is going to work....how do you convince someone who doesn't understand or like the all male culture of your org, that even if you stand in a female dorm and beg chicks to pledge your stuff...they won't becaue it's known you are to be a gamma sig if ou wnna be in the 25/52 circle.....


this topic really pisses me off...so i'm going to my corner


There's really too much in your post to go over word-for-word..... so let me just say please, allow APO to handle this one. I was at the convention when this decision was made and trust me, we got it. :)

gamma_girl52 04-30-2007 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress0105 (Post 1437617)
i think it's foolish to force co-ed-ness on any organization. How do you force girls to rush your chapter if for decades it's just been known that only males do A Phi Que at XYZ School. I think it should still be a matter of choice...and as long as those chapters do theri service and don't kill anybody, then it shouldn't matter....

perfect example....TBS and KKY are both co-ed...but MOST chapters aren't and aren't forced to make that choice...


and i also don't think that that whol e"convince your regional director" thing is going to work....how do you convince someone who doesn't understand or like the all male culture of your org, that even if you stand in a female dorm and beg chicks to pledge your stuff...they won't becaue it's known you are to be a gamma sig if ou wnna be in the 25/52 circle.....


this topic really pisses me off...so i'm going to my corner

Woo woo woo...LOL

I feel you soror. And I agree...to a point...but also we as a sorority don't want to be that "option" just because they are trying to be in "25/52" (and I have to put that in quotes, because it's not as deep as some people make it to be). What I'm saying is that I certainly DO NOT want females to pursue Gamma Sigma Sigma, because either a) they are trying to be a part of that 25/52 circle or b) because they are being "made" to join GSS because the APO chapter is trying to become all-male. I'm just gonna put it out there. It has happened before with certain colonies/chapters. And trust me, those are the colonies that are doomed to fail from the start. Gamma Sig is for those who believe in our cause and are going to do some REAL WORK and REAL SERVICE, for US. It is not for those who don't aspire to do any less.

Of course I have my own personal opinion on the decision Alpha Phi Omega made at their last Convention, because I have had the opportunity to speak candidly with those members that I know. I personally don't find it to be fair, but out of respect that is all I think I can say.

naraht 05-02-2007 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress0105 (Post 1437617)
i think it's foolish to force co-ed-ness on any organization. How do you force girls to rush your chapter if for decades it's just been known that only males do A Phi Que at XYZ School. I think it should still be a matter of choice...and as long as those chapters do theri service and don't kill anybody, then it shouldn't matter....

perfect example....TBS and KKY are both co-ed...but MOST chapters aren't and aren't forced to make that choice...


and i also don't think that that whol e"convince your regional director" thing is going to work....how do you convince someone who doesn't understand or like the all male culture of your org, that even if you stand in a female dorm and beg chicks to pledge your stuff...they won't becaue it's known you are to be a gamma sig if ou wnna be in the 25/52 circle.....


this topic really pisses me off...so i'm going to my corner

OK, couple of points.

For the purposes of these comments, I'm going to split the country with a line running west from Richmond, VA to Denver, CO*. The number of all-male chapters at co-ed schools North of that line in each region are one or two (Maine-Orono & Maine-Machias in Region I, Drexel in Region II, Duquesne in Region V, and Minnesota-Duluth in Region IX), so the Regional Director is going to deal with them much more one on one.

South of that line, the Regional Directors are *much* more aware of the cultures. Region IV has Auburn, Clemson, Samford, FL A&M, Tuskegee, & Fort Valley. Region VII has Lamar, Texas Southern, and Grambling. These regions have also had a number of other all-male chapters that were recently active (or underground).

As for "Showing the Regional Director", I think that there are a couple of levels here.
1) Changing descriptions in places like school catalogs, school websites and chapter websites to show that the chapter is for both men and women. For example: (http://www.dusers.drexel.edu/~aphio/who%20are%20we.htm) should be changed to show the correct purpose (college students rather than college men and women)
2) Actions during rush. Is the chapter welcoming to those, both men and women, who stop by the rush table...
3) Being willing to accept those who are interested of both genders.

It does get fuzzy. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if at an HBCU like Fort Valley, the chapter didn't end up with a female brother for five years, even if they were doing everything reasonable to implement the change. (And no, standing in the female dorms begging chicks to join doesn't count as reasonable)

Charters can only be revoked for membership issues by the National Convention, so it won't be a one person decision on the part of the Regional Director. At a vote of the National Convention both the chapter and the RD would speak.

YiLFS
Randolph Finder

*Note, going beyond Denver doesn't matter, there hasn't been an all-male chapter west of Denver since the early 1980s.

gamma_girl52 05-02-2007 09:24 AM

I think it would be safe to say that we Gamma Sigs probably need to stay in our lane with this one. Let's focus on what we need to do as a sorority and let the fraternity handle it's own business. K? K.

;)

Empress0105 05-13-2007 04:23 PM

sorry, but i am not chaning my opinion on this...and i don't think expressing my opinion on what they are doing is me trying to medle in their affairs....end of the day i am not apo, so what i say amounts to a hill of beans...


but i am telling you....

it will be a cold day in hell before these hbcu chapters willingly allow a chic to come into their orgs....that's just being honest....they might even initiate her, but to actually include her in the "brother" aspect, like hangin out at the frat house and hopping at parties...you know, the social things that seperate a fraternity from circle k or your local food bank volunteers....i don't see it happening. and i say that for ALL chapters of co ed orgs at HBCU that are currently single gender but are indirectly being forced to be co-ed....i mean Tenn State is co-ed, but they also had to reactivate....same thing with apo here at howard....but FAMU??? TUSKEGEE??? man...i just don't see it...

i think it's great you want to support your national officers in their decision, but i think that in this world today, how man chics aren't in certain chapters should be the least of these white ladies issues...

we can agree to disagree...but i still think it's a retarded decision that whether we want to face it or not soror, WILL eventually affect us.

Senusret I 05-13-2007 04:34 PM

I'm asking you nicely as someone who has met you to please stay in your lane. I have supported Alpha Eta directly and indirectly over the years. Please do not continue to isolate the people who support you over this issue which has nothing to do with Gamma Sigma Sigma.

gamma_girl52 05-14-2007 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress0105 (Post 1446465)
sorry, but i am not chaning my opinion on this...and i don't think expressing my opinion on what they are doing is me trying to medle in their affairs....end of the day i am not apo, so what i say amounts to a hill of beans...


but i am telling you....

it will be a cold day in hell before these hbcu chapters willingly allow a chic to come into their orgs....that's just being honest....they might even initiate her, but to actually include her in the "brother" aspect, like hangin out at the frat house and hopping at parties...you know, the social things that seperate a fraternity from circle k or your local food bank volunteers....i don't see it happening. and i say that for ALL chapters of co ed orgs at HBCU that are currently single gender but are indirectly being forced to be co-ed....i mean Tenn State is co-ed, but they also had to reactivate....same thing with apo here at howard....but FAMU??? TUSKEGEE??? man...i just don't see it...

i think it's great you want to support your national officers in their decision, but i think that in this world today, how man chics aren't in certain chapters should be the least of these white ladies issues...

we can agree to disagree...but i still think it's a retarded decision that whether we want to face it or not soror, WILL eventually affect us.

Whatever proclaimations that Alpha Phi Omega passes down to their chapters, has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with Gamma Sigma Sigma. Period. The End. So I'm curious to know how it's DIRECTLY AFFECTING our sorority and how we operate. Maybe there is something that I don't know.

A few posts ago I said that I personally didn't think the decision is fair. I too have had conversations with APO members, both male AND female about it. However, GSS is always gonna come first to before something that another organization is doing. Soror, I really hope that you will come to Chicago this July and have the same fervor about what's going on with us, like you have with Alpha Phi Omega. Because you're right, we got our own issues to tackle.

It may sound harsh but I could care less about Alpha Phi Omega and their problems. I care about Gamma Sigma Sigma and OUR problems. Secondly, it's this thing called RESPECT that's seriously lacking in conversations like this one. Okay sure, we are "brothers and sisters" but this is THEIR business. I will say again what I have said before, if there's something going on in your org that you don't like, don't just sit there and b*tch. DO SOMETHING. You best believe those chapters that opposed it were there and voiced their opinion. And if they are really that adamant about it, they will have their behinds there at the NEXT one. If we truly respect our brothers, we trust them to take care of their own business and vice versa.

Soror I know you personally and I know you've got more to say--I have more to say. Hit me up on here if you want and we can talk more. Just know that nobody is saying that you can't have an opinion or express it. There's a time and place for everything.

Empress0105 05-19-2007 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senusret I (Post 1446468)
I'm asking you nicely as someone who has met you to please stay in your lane. I have supported Alpha Eta directly and indirectly over the years. Please do not continue to isolate the people who support you over this issue which has nothing to do with Gamma Sigma Sigma.



um, what does this mean???

isolate? no brother, i stated my opinion on an issue posted in MY sorority's section of this site. you can ask me any day of the week and my mind will stay this way on this issue, regardless of which family (191946 or 2552) i am talking about.....


it's funny how you mention the support we've gtten from you, trust me we are thankful and grateful....but where was everyone when there were APO chicks threatening me and my LSs? when they came to our informational in letters to tell us we would fail? when they came to MY probate and disrepceted us? when they tell people not to rush GSS and slander us in thier recruitment tactics? no...your statement comes across as an indirect stfu kind of statement, and frankly, I don't appreciate it. you talk about alpha eta, then you have to also mention zeta phi....did you also support those members while they did those actions? i have heard similar stories from hbcu chapters of gss.....are we all rude for noticing that co-ed apo chapters in our world (that of hbcus) seem to especially like to diss us?


i never said that this directly affects us...what i did say was it eventually will affect us........i say this because i have DIRECTLY seen what female members of alpha phi omega do and say to gamma sig sisters. i also have seen directly thourgh my 191946 affiliation how many schools, weary of anything with greek letters, when given the option to charter or be home to two similar orgs, will usually choose the larger or more aggressive of the two.

i think we are either being too polite on this forum, or we as a whole are just simply in denial or are treating this issue like the elephant in the room.....no, i don't care how many women, men or shims are in alpha phi omega, but i DO think that MY sorority needs to take a look at how this could potentially affect us.

Senusret I 05-19-2007 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress0105 (Post 1450958)
um, what does this mean???

isolate? no brother, i stated my opinion on an issue posted in MY sorority's section of this site. you can ask me any day of the week and my mind will stay this way on this issue, regardless of which family (191946 or 2552) i am talking about.....


it's funny how you mention the support we've gtten from you, trust me we are thankful and grateful....but where was everyone when there were APO chicks threatening me and my LSs? when they came to our informational in letters to tell us we would fail? when they came to MY probate and disrepceted us? when they tell people not to rush GSS and slander us in thier recruitment tactics? no...your statement comes across as an indirect stfu kind of statement, and frankly, I don't appreciate it. you talk about alpha eta, then you have to also mention zeta phi....did you also support those members while they did those actions? i have heard similar stories from hbcu chapters of gss.....are we all rude for noticing that co-ed apo chapters in our world (that of hbcus) seem to especially like to diss us?


i never said that this directly affects us...what i did say was it eventually will affect us........i say this because i have DIRECTLY seen what female members of alpha phi omega do and say to gamma sig sisters. i also have seen directly thourgh my 191946 affiliation how many schools, weary of anything with greek letters, when given the option to charter or be home to two similar orgs, will usually choose the larger or more aggressive of the two.

i think we are either being too polite on this forum, or we as a whole are just simply in denial or are treating this issue like the elephant in the room.....no, i don't care how many women, men or shims are in alpha phi omega, but i DO think that MY sorority needs to take a look at how this could potentially affect us.

Where was I?

Where were you when Vikings disrespect women in APO?

Where were you when female brothers are told not to wear letters on Viking campuses?

Where were you when Attractive (APO GC member) was assaulted by a Vike?

Where were you when Vikes tried to undermine Zeta Phi before it even came back?

I cannot be in all places at once and nor can you. I cannot be held responsible for what girls in Zeta Phi may have done to you and your chapter. All I can suggest is that you complain to the appropriate people about it, as I would.

I can tell you with absolute conviction that I instructed all rechartering members of Zeta Phi to respect Gamma Sigma Sigma. If any of them chose a path other than respect and collaboration after that point, it is because I was not their advisor and no longer their sponsor. I don't believe in apologizing on behalf of others, but if it indeed happened, then it should have been addressed by the appropriate people.

But the REAL root of the issue is NOT women in APO -- and I find it really and truly sad that you don't see that. If you need me to spell it out, here it is:

The real problem is men of Alpha Phi Omega who do not treat women of Alpha Phi Omega with the same respect that they treat women of Gamma Sigma Sigma.

For as often as I have heard of disrespectful APO women, I have heard of the same of GSS. I wish both sides would see that they are being PLAYED by insecure men who don't respect the equality of Brotherhood or the distinct identity of a completely separate organization. It is those men who need the stern talking-to -- if they get it together, then GSS women would not feel the need to be defensive (yes, defensive) around women of APO, and women of APO would not feel the need to be on the attack (yes, attack).

I have seen it both. It sucks.

As I said, Alpha Phi Omega is handling things on our end. You know how to reach me if ever you find a need for a gap to be bridged at Howard University between our organizations.

arvid1978 05-21-2007 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress0105 (Post 1446465)
sit will be a cold day in hell before these hbcu chapters willingly allow a chic to come into their orgs....that's just being honest....they might even initiate her, but to actually include her in the "brother" aspect, like hangin out at the frat house and hopping at parties...you know, the social things that seperate a fraternity from circle k or your local food bank volunteers....i don't see it happening. and i say that for ALL chapters of co ed orgs at HBCU that are currently single gender but are indirectly being forced to be co-ed....i mean Tenn State is co-ed, but they also had to reactivate....same thing with apo here at howard....but FAMU??? TUSKEGEE??? man...i just don't see it...

Um, there is no "frat house" for any APO member to hang out at, that is prohibited by the National Bylaws. If they are hanging out at an APO Frat House, they've got a whole other set of issues to deal with.

Every chapter chartered before 1976 was chartered as an all-male chapter, and right now we have less than 20 holdouts. Lots of chapters have been reactivated at least once. Hell, we don't even have our Alpha chapter active, and it's been reactivated more than once. The fact that TN State is a re-charter doesn't mean anything.

I'm certain there was a time when people said APO wouldn't work at an HBCU because it was founded by whites and has Scouting at its core. Clearly, that isn't the case. Times are changing, and APO is choosing to lead the way rather than stick their heads in the sand. How many other GLO's have so many chapters on both HBCU campuses and non-HBCU campuses? I think that speaks volumes about our commitment to diversity and how it doesn't matter if you're black, white, yellow, red, purple, green, male, female or somewhere in between....you are all welcome to Be A Leader, Be A Friend and Be Of Service.

Quote:

i think it's great you want to support your national officers in their decision, but i think that in this world today, how man chics aren't in certain chapters should be the least of these white ladies issues...
This was not a decision of the national officers, this was a decision upheld by the active (student) members of Alpha Phi Omega, as was the original decision to go co-ed in 1976. The national officers make recommendations, but it is ultimately up to the students.

I'm disgusted that you're playing the race card on this matter. Absolutely disgusted. Opinions along these lines only serve to further the racial divide and foster a "black people vs. everybody else" mentality. This has nothing to do with race, this is a matter of gender equity. (FWIW, I am a white male advisor to a predominately black female chapter on a co-ed public university campus, so I'm not exactly ignorant about these issues...) Do you think the predominately white all-male chapters are welcoming this with open arms and this is a plight to force co-ed APO at HBCU's? Our Delta chapter is all-male, and last time I checked my greek alphabet, Delta (Auburn) and Gamma Lambda (Clemson) are a hell of a lot older than Pi Zeta (Tuskegee) or Kappa Delta (FAMU) or Chi Nu (Grambling). APO chapters at HBCU's do not own the market on having to adapt following this re-affirmation of our membership policy.

Quote:

we can agree to disagree...but i still think it's a retarded decision that whether we want to face it or not soror, WILL eventually affect us.
So it's a retarded decision for us to actually enforce our policies and bylaws? Because that is what the decision was about. Don't make it more than it needs to be.

naraht 05-21-2007 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arvid1978 (Post 1451633)
Our Delta chapter is all-male, and last time I checked my greek alphabet, Delta (Auburn) and Gamma Lambda (Clemson) are a hell of a lot older than Pi Zeta (Tuskegee) or Kappa Delta (FAMU) or Chi Nu (Grambling). APO chapters at HBCU's do not own the market on having to adapt following this re-affirmation of our membership policy.

Yes, but they do hold a significant part of the market of having to be pushed. As far as I know, *one* chapter at an HBCU went co-ed without being forced to, Prairie View, and when they did so (Spring 2006) the writing was already on the wall. It may not be racial, but it *is* cultural. Whether or not there was more pressure from alumni and actives to stay all-male, there would be from the rest of the campus. At a campus like University of Maine-Orono, the only student group that is likely to *notice* Alpha Phi Omega going co-ed is Gamma Sigma Sigma. At an HBCU, the reaction is likely to be considerably wider. I would expect these same pressures to make the Gamma Sigma Sigma chapters at HBCUs less likely to have male sisters.

Quote:

Originally Posted by arvid1978 (Post 1451633)
I'm certain there was a time when people said APO wouldn't work at an HBCU because it was founded by whites and has Scouting at its core. Clearly, that isn't the case.

I'd be interested as to why you think that. I've looked back through the Torch and Trefoils from 1945 and 1946 and don't see any sign that they were treated any differently. When Johnson C. Smith University chartered it was sort of unique for the area, it was a relatively small school in the Altantic Southeast. The Southeast didn't have the Professional Scouters or APO staffers to spread the word that the Northeast (BSA HQ among others) or the Midwest (H. Roe Bartle (2nd APO president) did. The count of chapters of the States in the area: Maryland 1 (UMCP), Virginia 1 (UVA), North Carolina 1 (UNC), South Carolina 1 (Clemson), Georgia 4 (UGA, GaTech, Mercer & Emory), Tennessee None, Florida 2 (UFl, UMiami), Alabama 2 (Auburn, Howard C.).

I'm including the announcement of the chartering of JCSU.

http://drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu/~naraht/jcsu.gif

Yes, the word "Negro" is used. It was also written by a member of the JCSU chartering group *and* would have been the standard positive term at the time.

Also, in regards to the NPHC on campus, we did get there after the eight GLOS then in the NPHC did, but not by much. As best as I can tell the range of when they came on campus was 1923(AphiA)-1943(DST) and we came on in 1947.

gamma_girl52 05-21-2007 10:43 AM

Wow. I don't even know where to start.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress0105
i think we are either being too polite on this forum, or we as a whole are just simply in denial or are treating this issue like the elephant in the room.....no, i don't care how many women, men or shims are in alpha phi omega, but i DO think that MY sorority needs to take a look at how this could potentially affect us.

Soror, I would like to know how this decision is going to affect us as a whole, I really do. Because I want to take a look at it, but give me something to look at. No disrespect or hostility soror, maybe I am missing something. I don't think I'm in denial about anything because quite frankly, there's nothing to be in denial about. I think the sorority is doing just fine, we are growing and doing what we need to do to succeed. Call it polite or what have you, I'm just callin it how it is. We should not let the actions of a few stop us from doing what we need to do. That is not only on the National level but on the local level as well.

I think Senusret NAILED IT with this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senusret I
For as often as I have heard of disrespectful APO women, I have heard of the same of GSS. I wish both sides would see that they are being PLAYED by insecure men who don't respect the equality of Brotherhood or the distinct identity of a completely separate organization. It is those men who need the stern talking-to -- if they get it together, then GSS women would not feel the need to be defensive (yes, defensive) around women of APO, and women of APO would not feel the need to be on the attack (yes, attack).

What else is there to say? Better yet, why is it even that serious for my sorors and the female members of APO to even have a beef? If we are two separate organizations that clearly operate differently, why? Part of the reason is because people are gettin gassed up to dislike each other. What are we as women getting accomplished in our organizations when we're wasting time worrying about what the other is doing? Just last week I saw this group on Facebook titled "Yes, We Are Black Women in APO and No, We Are Not Gamma Sigs". I was looking at it like, "Is it really this serious?" Perhaps it is. From what I see, the female members of this frat are tired of being disrespected; they are tired of being told that they aren't truly members of their own fraternity; they're tired of being told they can't do this, they can't do that. Could you blame them? As a Gamma Sig I know I'm tired of seeing my organization be used as a "way out" of some of Alpha Phi Omega's policies...colonies are getting started so that chapter can be all male. As a Gamma Sig, I'm tired of meeting members of APO, fellow black women I might add, that almost immediately look at me with distrust or uncertainty about how I might treat them? So, could you blame me?

There's a lot of UNTRUTHS out there about both our organizations. I may not agree with some things about the fraternity--particularly the latest decision about "forcing" co-edness. My personal opinion? I think chapters should have the choice to let the chapter be whatever it's going to be, whether it's all-male, co-ed, or all-female even; but don't make a mandate out of it. However, that shouldn't dictate me in how I treat a female member of APO. What does my opinion have to do with me SPEAKING to someone, or how I treat them?

Luckily for me I grew up. And realized that in the big scheme of things, this is PETTY and TRIVIAL and as women in organizations of SERVICE and LEADERSHIP, we need to do better!!

naraht 05-21-2007 02:40 PM

Some additional numbers from National Board reports can be found at http://www.angelfire.com/mech/apo-truthnotfiction/

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamma_girl52 (Post 1451802)
Just last week I saw this group on Facebook titled "Yes, We Are Black Women in APO and No, We Are Not Gamma Sigs". I was looking at it like, "Is it really this serious?" Perhaps it is. From what I see, the female members of this frat are tired of being disrespected; they are tired of being told that they aren't truly members of their own fraternity; they're tired of being told they can't do this, they can't do that. Could you blame them?

Thank you, I think that encapsulates a great deal of the feeling.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamma_girl52 (Post 1451802)
As a Gamma Sig I know I'm tired of seeing my organization be used as a "way out" of some of Alpha Phi Omega's policies...colonies are getting started so that chapter can be all male. As a Gamma Sig, I'm tired of meeting members of APO, fellow black women I might add, that almost immediately look at me with distrust or uncertainty about how I might treat them? So, could you blame me?

14 APO chapters counted as all-male now... If I'm counting correctly, 10 have Gamma Sig chapters (Clemson, Samford, Drexel, FAMU, MinnDuluth, Tuskegee, Duquesne, MaineOrono, TexasSouthern and Grambling). Lamar has a Gamma Sig Colony, Auburn as OPhiA, MaineMachias has Kappa Alpha Kappa (local) and Fort Valley, I can't tell. To reference back to Senusret's prior comment, the existance of Gamma Sigma Sigma has been used by the all-male APO chapters as a reason that they don't *need* to go co-ed. (prior to the Convention). (See web page referenced above.)



Quote:

Originally Posted by gamma_girl52 (Post 1451802)
There's a lot of UNTRUTHS out there about both our organizations. I may not agree with some things about the fraternity--particularly the latest decision about "forcing" co-edness. My personal opinion? I think chapters should have the choice to let the chapter be whatever it's going to be, whether it's all-male, co-ed, or all-female even; but don't make a mandate out of it. However, that shouldn't dictate me in how I treat a female member of APO. What does my opinion have to do with me SPEAKING to someone, or how I treat them?

Agreed.


Quote:

Originally Posted by gamma_girl52 (Post 1451802)
Luckily for me I grew up. And realized that in the big scheme of things, this is PETTY and TRIVIAL and as women in organizations of SERVICE and LEADERSHIP, we need to do better!!

Amen.

gamma_girl52 05-21-2007 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naraht (Post 1451976)
14 APO chapters counted as all-male now... If I'm counting correctly, 10 have Gamma Sig chapters (Clemson, Samford, Drexel, FAMU, MinnDuluth, Tuskegee, Duquesne, MaineOrono, TexasSouthern and Grambling). Lamar has a Gamma Sig Colony, Auburn as OPhiA, MaineMachias has Kappa Alpha Kappa (local) and Fort Valley, I can't tell. To reference back to Senusret's prior comment, the existance of Gamma Sigma Sigma has been used by the all-male APO chapters as a reason that they don't *need* to go co-ed. (prior to the Convention). (See web page referenced above.)

Lamar no longer has a colony of GSS. They were disbanded in Fall 2006. Just wanted to correct that. Fort Valley doesn't have any service sororities. There were a few attempts to re-activate the Gamma Sig chapter there though.

33girl 05-21-2007 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamma_girl52 (Post 1451802)
As a Gamma Sig I know I'm tired of seeing my organization be used as a "way out" of some of Alpha Phi Omega's policies...colonies are getting started so that chapter can be all male.

If I was in your shoes, I think this is what would bother me the most. Something similar was touched on in the rush forum...there was a campus where there were local groups calling themselves "service sororities" when actually, they were operating more like NPC social groups - they just didn't want to have to follow some of Panhellenic's more restrictive policies. Using a group or a concept as a "way out" of anything is just so offensive and disrespectful.

Empress0105 05-21-2007 08:43 PM

a frat house is not just a house that official letters painted on the side...here at hu, a "frat" house is any location where everyone in that residence is a member of said org...they function as more unofficial frat houses, pardon me for not expounding on the technicalites of what is and is not a frat house

and sorry, but race is an issue....the culture of greek life at hbcu's is simply plainly different than at non-hbcu's. now the only difference i see between hbcu's and non hbcu's is the racial makeup of the majority of those students.......

i could respond to a number of these responses...but i won't. like i said, this was posted in my sorority's forum, so i'm gonna comment if i so choose....i also said that i am not in apo, so what i say amounts to a hill of beans.

i do have a question...how many all female chapters of apo are there? will they be forced to recruit male memebers and show that good faith effort?


my opinion isn't going to change, but all i can do is work that much harder to continue to spread MY service organization across the land as aggressively and stubbornly as i see alpha phi omegans spreading theirs


good day!

naraht 05-22-2007 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress0105 (Post 1452216)
a frat house is not just a house that official letters painted on the side...here at hu, a "frat" house is any location where everyone in that residence is a member of said org...they function as more unofficial frat houses, pardon me for not expounding on the technicalites of what is and is not a frat house

Fair enough, here is what the Alpha Phi Omega Standard Articles of Association says:
SECTION 15. HOUSING POLICY. As a Service Fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega does not operate nor
maintain a fraternity house as lodging quarters for Members nor for any other persons. A Chapter may
maintain rooms for meetings at the discretion of its Members.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress0105 (Post 1452216)
and sorry, but race is an issue....the culture of greek life at hbcu's is simply plainly different than at non-hbcu's. now the only difference i see between hbcu's and non hbcu's is the racial makeup of the majority of those students.......

I think the split has to do more with two things: History of the HBCUs which leads to a culture more likely to support the NPHCs and secondly, the dominance of the social environment of the University by the NPHCs. A school like West Virginia State University which is an HBCU, but whose current enrollment is 80% white will only have some of those characteristics.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress0105 (Post 1452216)
i do have a question...how many all female chapters of apo are there? will they be forced to recruit male memebers and show that good faith effort?

I'd split this two ways...
For chapters that have had significant numbers of both genders in the past and are just "down on their luck" in numbers and the 4 (to pick a small number) left happen to be of one gender.. They would just get advice/suggestions on recruiting in general, one of which might be having brothers (of both genders) from another chapter help at rush tables to help recruit. That's something that has been true for quite some time.

For chapters that have never had men, as far as I know only two chapters of Alpha Phi Omega chartered with no men: Carlow College and Cedar Crest College. Both of these chartered within the last 15 years and at least at the time had no men living on campus and a small number (<5%) taking classes. I have no idea if they have had male brothers or not. What's key is if they've ever made an effort to exclude male brothers (which would greatly surprise me).

The closest comparison would probably the Alpha Phi Omega chapter at Wabash College, which is currently an all-male school (and thus an all-male chapter). My *guess* on what would happen should the school go co-ed would be that the Regional Director would be very surprised (and perhaps even hesitant) with female brothers the first year that Wabash has women. The Regional Director would probably only become interested in "good faith efforts" after the school was co-ed for 2-3 years *and* the percentage of women at the school was greater than 20%. If the percentage of women on campus remained at below 10% indefinitely, I could imagine the chapter remaining all-male for *years*.

Out of the 14 currently active APO chapters that have not admitted women, none of them are at schools with more than 60% men in the enrollment (ranges from 26.5% at Maine-Machias to 58.8% at Drexel). On the other hand, the APO chapter at the Citadel (school currently 91.7% male) may have had periods with no women brothers after the school went co-ed.

This isn't about forcing a chapter to have members from both genders, it is about having gender no longer being a criteria used to exclude. I know that Gender and Race aren't equivalent, but imagine the following: Alpha Phi Omega was like those social greeks that up until the 1960s only admitted whites. In 1976 Alpha Phi Omega allows blacks to join, but allows chapters to remain all-white if they want to. The fraternity decides to enforce allowing blacks to join all chapters. A chapter at University of Georgia that was all-white would be forced to show good faith effort that they were recruiting from all-races, but the chapter at Maine-Farmington (school 97% white) might stay all-white without deliberately doing so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress0105 (Post 1452216)
my opinion isn't going to change, but all i can do is work that much harder to continue to spread MY service organization across the land as aggressively and stubbornly as i see alpha phi omegans spreading theirs


good day!

Amen!

naraht 05-22-2007 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamma_girl52 (Post 1452035)
Lamar no longer has a colony of GSS. They were disbanded in Fall 2006. Just wanted to correct that. Fort Valley doesn't have any service sororities. There were a few attempts to re-activate the Gamma Sig chapter there though.

Thank you for the information. I don't know if it would be worth contacting Kappa Alpha Kappa at Maine-Machias to see if they were interested in affliating.

GrandAce#1 05-22-2007 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empress0105 (Post 1452216)
....i also said that i am not in apo, so what i say amounts to a hill of beans.

i do have a question...how many all female chapters of apo are there? will they be forced to recruit male memebers and show that good faith effort?

it's funny how you mention the support we've gtten from you, trust me we are thankful and grateful....but where was everyone when there were APO chicks threatening me and my LSs? when they came to our informational in letters to tell us we would fail? when they came to MY probate and disrepceted us? when they tell people not to rush GSS and slander us in thier recruitment tactics?

No disrespect, but you may take it that way, but if you know your opinion doesn't amount to anything, then why continue to throw it out there or even be bothered by this? Also, part of the ruling references that APO chapters do there best to represent the DEMOGRAPHICS of their campus, which many are not doing because they are all male, and if the chapter is all female on a co-ed campus, they are to actively recruit also.


As far as your anger and concerns go in reference to female bothers of APO at Howard "coming at you sideways", that I have no knowledge of. I personally am friends, good friends, with a few of the rechartering GSS members a Howard and wished them well when they informed me of what they were planning to do.
Realize that there will always be adversity when an organization outside of Pan Hell tries to come into the picture at HBCU's. It's over and done with. Lick the wound and move on. We had adversity from Phi Sig and all the male Pan Hell groups even though many of us were friends with numerous people in those org's. They felt threatened. Obviously the bruhs who you speak of felt that way also. Especially when you're always being told, as a female bruh, that you don't belong, or that you should've rechartered GSS at the same time you were rechartering APO.

I am no longer an undergrad at Howard, but if you have such an issue with this "great divide", why not reach out to ALL the members of APO when you hold joint chapter events? I understand some things may be specific to "2552", but what's wrong with starting a new initiative?

Otherwise, If you have no problems with the divide issue, well then, keep doing what you do...just stop whining about it when the female bruhs don't "show you any love." They don't have to. There are not "2552". They're not bound to that unity.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Personally, I feel this ruling is long overdue. This initiative should have been taken the moment the Frat decided to become co-ed. Maybe then we would not face some the issues before us now.

Hell, I've even had to handle a few "bruhs" down at FAMU because I had my letters on while visiting my brother. It is what it is though.

arvid1978 05-22-2007 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naraht (Post 1452458)
The closest comparison would probably the Alpha Phi Omega chapter at Wabash College, which is currently an all-male school (and thus an all-male chapter). My *guess* on what would happen should the school go co-ed would be that the Regional Director would be very surprised (and perhaps even hesitant) with female brothers the first year that Wabash has women. The Regional Director would probably only become interested in "good faith efforts" after the school was co-ed for 2-3 years *and* the percentage of women at the school was greater than 20%.

This particular chapter is about a hour and a half away from me, so I'm quite familiar with them. They actually have a female advisor, and in my discussions with brothers from there, they'll go co-ed when the campus goes co-ed. Being that they're the only all-male chapter in the region of 44 chapters, they're quite used to being around co-ed APO.

33girl 05-22-2007 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrandAce#1 (Post 1452530)
We had adversity from Phi Sig

Not to be dumb but which Phi Sig would that be? There are a few in the Greek world. :)

Diva06Sweet 05-22-2007 12:41 PM

wow yall really blew this up
i guess i can see both sides espically after coming and seeing them chicks at howard *that would be apo chicks*

i come from a place where the aye phi ques are all male... no chicks... none
nadda nix

it is sad to see that apo wants to get rid of all male chapters

hell i would take it back to '76 and say the pretty much threw gss under a bus with allowing women in the frat to begin with
but i digress

i can see how apo having women does effect gss
but its what ever at this point
apo does not care what they do to gss....

GrandAce#1 05-22-2007 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diva06Sweet (Post 1452669)
wow yall really blew this up


i can see how apo having women does effect gss
but its what ever at this point
apo does not care what they do to gss....


Not to be cruel...but once again...APO doesn't have to care. We are not bound organizations (i.e. zeta phi beta, phi beta sigma). APO on a national level does not recognize GSS. Also, some APO chapters do not recognized gss as their sister org and have different org's, such as sweethearts, as their "sisters". Like someone said before, these "insignificant BOYS" in the chapters and the organization has everyone on both sides fooled.

FYI, GSS on Howard's campus back in the day were held second fiddle to APO sweethearts...looks like history in repeat to me.

GrandAce#1 05-22-2007 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diva06Sweet (Post 1452669)
i guess i can see both sides espically after coming and seeing them chicks at howard *that would be apo chicks*

i come from a place where the aye phi ques are all male... no chicks... none
nadda nix

it is sad to see that apo wants to get rid of all male chapters

hell i would take it back to '76 and say the pretty much threw gss under a bus with allowing women in the frat to begin with
but i digress

I'm not sure what this--->*that would be apo chicks* <------ refers to, but for now I'll just say it's not trying to insult me, so I'll be easy.

It's not necessarily "getting rid of male chapters". It's demographics along with issues. APO is ALL INCLUSIVE, it's in our bylaws. And if our bylaws also state APO accepts female members, an all male chapter on a co-ed campus that does not recruit females members are in violation of our bylaws. POINT. BLANK. PERIOD. If these male chapters did not have such disrespectful ways about them (I know some don't) towards the NATIONAL APO STANDARDS, they truly may have been left alone.

I personally have no beef with all males chapters, I'm secure in what organization I belong to. The day they can take my letters and revoke my membership is the day they "might" get me to shake in my boots...lol

As far as your reference to 1976 and how little APO cares about GSS, please see my above response to your other half of this post.

GrandAce#1 05-22-2007 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl (Post 1452591)
Not to be dumb but which Phi Sig would that be? There are a few in the Greek world. :)


My fault. Phi Sigma Pi. They go by Phi Sig on campus.

Diva06Sweet 05-22-2007 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrandAce#1 (Post 1452746)
Not to be cruel...but once again...APO doesn't have to care. We are not bound organizations (i.e. zeta phi beta, phi beta sigma). APO on a national level does not recognize GSS. Also, some APO chapters do not recognized gss as their sister org and have different org's, such as sweethearts, as their "sisters". Like someone said before, these "insignificant BOYS" in the chapters and the organization has everyone on both sides fooled.

FYI, GSS on Howard's campus back in the day were held second fiddle to APO sweethearts...looks like history in repeat to me.


sweetheart i already know that alpha phi omega dont give a rats furry butt about gss... your not hurting my feelings
i dont know you nor do you know me i suggest you back off me


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