non-Greek?
 

I was looking at my school's newspaper today, and they were quite a few classies encouraging students to go out for APhiO. But this one surprised me:

Alpha Phi Omega: co-ed, non-greek community service fraternity. home.cwru.edu/apo

Specifically, the "non-greek" bit. I didn't think that was how most APhiOs, especially on this site, would describe themselves.

???

Hrrmmmm. . .I personally detest the term "non-Greek". . .but several chapters out there equate the term "non-Greek" with "non-social."

I personally prefer stating what we ARE (Service Fraternity) instead of saying "non" something or other.

A different ad did say "service fraternity."

This is a tactic that's sometimes used by chapters to play on antigreek sentiment that might be on a campus. When they say they are "not Greek" they are implying that they don't have any of the negative stereotypes some unenlightened people equate with social fraternities and sororities.

Like dardenr, I prefer to say what we ARE instead of what we ARE NOT. It is, after all, all about the service.

Re: non-Greek?
 

Because of the Greek atomsphere created by the social organizations, being "non-greek" Automatically gives neutral students a feeling as though Alpha Phi Omega is a special interest club. This is the same feeling that was portrayed on Title VI. The attempt was to distance social organizations from all else.
Non-Greek gives a way for a group to identify you as not them. It is condesending but only subconscienously for them.

I know some groups within Alpha Phi Omega doesn't even use the word Fraternity.

I like the term "Service Greek" Because it keeps the fraternal aspect of our organization alive in the minds of neutral students. It lets them know that, yes we are not them, and also, we are no less than them either.

I know our school doesn't consider us a Greek sorority - a fact that has several of the Greek groups (even the ones I have several friends in) treating us rudely or shunning us on campus. Kinda sucks - I would like to see more unity between organizations - but I love my sisters, and as much as I love girls in some of the other groups, I wouldn't be in a different sorority to save my life! :) I think the term service Greek is very appropriate.

An OPA!
 

Wassup MTSUGURL!

I'm glad to see you. We need to see you more often. I'm impressed with OPA sorority and how you've been able to maintain. I know title IX made it hard for single gender service enitities to remain single gender. Do you have any male members besides that unassociation OPA campus fraternity on the west coast?

Re: non-Greek?
 

As many on this thread have pointed out, in the minds of many (students & schools and members of the Social GLO) "Greek" means ONLY "Social Greek Letter Organizations". Since APO is not a "SGLO", we're "Not Greek". At many schools, APO is put in with all the other 'non Socials' groups in some kind of 'inter organization council' which will also inclue other non-SGLO such as the honor GLO, recognition GLO, professional GLO, etc.

Some chapters make a joke of this ("we're greek, sort of") and the like.

Since many students are turned off by what they see as the negatives of the Socials, its important to make sure they understand APO is different from them, but you have to do it in such a way as to not put down the Socials.

We ARE Greek!!!!!!!!!!
 

We are Greek. There's no way around that. As long as we have Greek letters and rituals, we're Greek. I think it is important to stress the uniqueness of our organization though.

I agree with Jaybee (I never thought I'd say that), I like the term Service Greek. It provides a very important distinction without taking away from the fact that we ARE a fraternity and Greek.

No service fraternities on our campus. :( We're trying to grow - we've got actives, 4 pledges, and 3 pnm's. Any ideas??? I think it would be awesome to have a service fraternity on our campus. Give us someone to do stuff with. ;)

add on....
 

Here's the only thing about being considered "nonGreek" - we're shunned by the other sororities on our campus, ( not by every member, and I don't mean for this to be insulting, but it's true), and I've heard the comment several times, "Why did you join them? Don't you know they're not a real sorority?" What exactly is a "real sorority"? :rolleyes: Can you only have sisterhood if you're strictly a social organization? (Once again, I'm not intending this to insult all girls in NPC sororities. These are things I've heard from individual girls. I realize that not all groups necessarily share the same thoughts.)

Thanks JayBee!!!! No male members.

Re: We ARE Greek!!!!!!!!!!
 

Again, to the Socials, we are not. Having Greek letters etc., to them isn't enough.

But, yes, we do need to stress how we are unique from the socials.

If I can walk across the Quad and get called "Frat Boy" then I am GREEK.

It doesn't matter what other people think we are as long as we are fulfilling our mission and live up to our principles.

Re: Re: We ARE Greek!!!!!!!!!!
 

It actually doesn't matter what the socials think. It matters what the campus individuals think. The problem is that there is more social members on campus than there are service members. That's why it is always good to have another service GLO on campus. Especially a sister org. Because then you help separate your organization from just the special interest organizations. When other organizations shun you, the campus sees that. And if you have another organization that will be in your corner regardless, you have the potential of drawing greater interest.

I think preception matters only when it is with the students of the campus. And if they think that you only do service and your a special interest group then you are going to get people not dedicated to your cause. Individuals that only have a need for service hours.

MTSUGURL! You are right to want to do things with other organizations. It doesn't neccessarily have to be a service organization, but it will help if it is a GLO. And even more so if it is a fraternity of men. And still even greater if is a fraternity of men from a different campus.

Fortunately, we have one fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega, that are really sweet to us. One problem we have is, we are extremely small. We have 14 women at the moment. Any ideas on how to grow? My personal goal is to help us grow any way we can. I didn't even know that Omega Phi Alpha existed until I stumbled on the website this summer, and I'm a junior. How do we go about changing campus' perception of OPA?