Sorors and Ladies, let's discuss this...
 

The following article is being discussed in the Greek Life forum. What are your thoughts?


Greek integration: One year later
By Steve Reeves
Staff Writer
August 18, 2002

Email this story.


Members of Alpha Chi Omega sorority practice their door song at the sorority house on Colonial Drive Thursday afternoon. The University of Alabama Greek system is preparing for rush week. One year after Melody Twilley failed to break the racial barrier of UA’s Greek system, traditionally all-white fraternities and sororities still have yet to integrate. Staff Photo | Jason Getz

TUSCALOOSA | Melody Twilley is rather enjoying the break from the media attention.

Last year, reporters documented her every move during her attempt to break the racial barrier in the University of Alabama Greek system.

Twilley, the black honors student who came to UA from a prestigious high school, failed two years in a row in her efforts to join one of UA’s 15 traditionally all-white sororities.

"It kind of takes a load off," the 19-year-old Twilley said recently. "I know a lot more now than I did then. It was kind of a waste of time."

Twilley this year is devoting her efforts to helping form a new, multicultural sorority on campus, one that will have different membership requirements than the traditional Greek groups.

"The major difference is that our composition is different," she said. "We come from different economic and social backgrounds, and we have minorities. We’re making pretty good progress."

The sorority, which has fewer than 30 members, will choose which national group it will be affiliated with sometime in the next couple of months.

A relatively new fraternity, Lambda Sigma Phi, a faith-based group, is the only majority white Greek organization at UA that has accepted black members. The group, which has 26 members, has a house on fraternity row and admitted its first black member last November. Another black has joined since.

The fraternity is expected to be admitted to UA’s Interfraternity Council by the beginning of next year.

In addition to the 15 white sororities, the university has 21 all-white fraternities on campus, as well as eight traditionally black Greek groups. There are about 3,000 students in Greek groups, making up 20 percent of the student body.

UA administrators say they are glad to see students tackling the Greek integration issue on their own, but are not entirely content with the way things are now.

"These new groups are meeting a market that just hasn’t been addressed," said Tom Strong, UA’s dean of students. "But I don’t think they will take the place of having minority membership in traditionally white groups."

The university has long wrestled with integrating its Greek system, taking steps such as delaying rush until after classes start in the fall to encourage more students to take part and encouraging the white groups to seek out qualified minority members.

Strong said several white fraternities invited blacks to their pre-rush events this summer, but none showed up.

"One day that kind of work is going to pay off," he said. "Some seeds are being planted that show it can be done."

UA officials said they don’t know yet if any blacks are planning to take part in rush for the white Greek groups this fall, which begins Aug. 29 and ends Sept. 10.

Kevin Clark, the president of the Interfraternity Council, said the white fraternities are advertising rush more this semester to boost attendance.

"We want to open it up to guys who don’t know about rush, and that includes everybody, not just blacks," Clark said. "Our numbers are kind of dwindling. So we need guys to come out to rush."

UA’s faculty senate took a strong stance last year against the university’s segregated Greek system, passing several resolutions asking the white groups to accept blacks and recommending sanctions for those that didn’t.

Faculty senate President Steve Miller said the group plans to take a more low-key approach to dealing with the white Greek organizations. The faculty senate steering committee likely will discuss Greek integration on Tuesday, but Miller said no firm action has been decided yet.

"We want to give them the room to gather their forces and do what is right," he said.

I have been wanting to respond to this topic, but some MOFOs :mad: over in Chit Chat has taken the ball, and ran with it (as usual) :rolleyes: THIEVIES!!!!

Ok, I guess that it is good that Melody is spearheading the whole shabang of bring a MCGLO to UofAL. However, I think she just wants to belong to SOMETHING. She knows that this type of mentality is not tolerated within NPHC orgs, which is one of the reason I think she never was "interested" in one in the first place.

HoneyKiss, I agree with you, but at the same time, I don't think that she is doing it just to join something. I think that she wants notoriety. I know that BGLOs are not for everyone, but what in the world can a WGLO offer you? I am in NO way trying to downplay WGLOs, however, from the members of NPC orgs. that I know, they don't have much to offer.

At my undergrad, a few of "us" tried to rush just to see if we would get in, but of course, were politely turned down. It wasn't so much as to really get in, but just to see if they would accept us. There is a certain "legacy" (for lack of a better word) about being the first A-A to break down barriers.

Of course, the situation is sad for the person that really feels that they would fit in or that a WGLO is "better suited" for them because it really is blatant discrimination. However, I know the blood, sweat, and tears that went into the D9 orgs. being set up By US, For US. If one can't find what they are looking for within one of those orgs., then maybe they are looking for the wrong thing... (with exception to multi-cultural orgs., but you all know what I mean!)

Ditto over here. ;)

I think at northern schools, a lot of WGLOs would immediately accept one of "us" into their org to try to prove their diversity (regardless of whether the person would make a good memeber). I see you're in Louisiana Redefinied Diva--and the girl mentioned in the article is from Alabama--maybe it depends on where you live.

A few thoughts
 

I hope that Ms. Twilley finds what she wants if she chooses a MCGLO. What I always wondered, however, is whether her mother was in a NPHC sorority. No article about her that I've seen has ever broached the subject. Or, could her mother have been rejected? (her mom is a librarian and most librarians, at least the ones I know, have at least a bachelor's degree).

As for the geography issue, I'm in California. At USC, my alma mater, we had a handful of AfAms in NPC/NIC organizations during the time I was there, which was from 1982 to 1986.

My feeling is join whatever you feel comfortable with. There are too many SERIOUS issues we have to deal with, such as securing a quality education and making sure we have economic opportunities, to freak out over a black woman who doesn't want to join a D_9 organization.

My main organizational interest is working for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. I would only be p****d if Ms. Twilley tried to pursue graduate membership in my organization.

Oh, Honeykiss: That's why I stay away from isht like that in Greek Life. Some people can't stay on topic. :rolleyes:

I remember reading about Melody Twilley sometime last year and the first thing that came to my mind was the similar struggles that my mother went through.

First of all, my mother is an Alpha Kappa Alpha woman. She pledged 60+ years ago. That being said, she is obviously up there in age. She'll be turning 89 next month.

My mother has experienced a great amount of racial struggles. When she first came to the Monterey, CA area over 45 years ago, she immediately faced a professional struggle as the first black professor at the college she worked for. She was a black woman, with an advanced masters degree...and 45 years ago, that wasn't an everyday thing. She worked at that college for over 30 years and each and every day was a knock down racial struggle because she was helping the black students succeed...and the white administration did not like it. She ended up retiring...by doctors orders...because of the severe stress she endured. However, despite all the racial struggles, she persevered!

There was also this little local white sorority here and I remember all of this SOOOO well. My mother didn't give a RATS A$$ about this group of women. However, she got wind to the fact that they did not accept black women into their organization. So, being the firecracker that she was, she decided that she needed to join it...just to "f" with them. These white women went bananas over my mother wanting to join their org. However, she met all of their qualifications and requirements...not accepting her would be BLATANT RACISM. So, she joined this org. (sidebar....I believe that because this was a local sorority, there was no conflict with her AKA affiliation) She held her head up and took care of her business.....JUST TO BREAK BARRIERS! First and foremost to my mother was always AKA...then the Links ;)

So, I really feel for Melody Twilley. It's amazing to me that we still face this same racial adversity today. I don't know if Ms. Twilley really "wants" to be a part of a white sorority or if she's just trying to "break barriers" as my mother did.

Perhaps a D4 sorority is just "not for her".