Multiple Affliations
 

I've noticed that a lot of people here belong to more than one GLO...how do you manage your time/loyalty to your organizations?

Time management. It's really not that difficult. It just depends on what things are required in which GLO, and prioritizing which GLO comes first, second, etc.

Sometimes there isnt that much conflict really. Some GLO's are honorary societies so they dont have the time commitment like other kinds of GLO's. It just varies from GLO type to chapter to chapter.

Well I guess my question is where is your loyalty. Of course I don't consider honorary groups on the same level as social/service organizations. But for those who belong to NPHC/NPC/IFC groups and other social/serivce groups...how do you do it?

If you see two sets of Greek letters, it is generally one social organization and another (or more) honorary or service organizations.

I'm not aware of any traditional social fraternity or sorority that allows a member to belong to another GLO. I guess the only exception might be a local and a national. I'm no expert on that, but there have been a number of threads. You might do a search.

Okay thanks! I was just wondering how they do it! :)

Another point is that different orgs are different on different campuses. For example, on my campus we have a chapter of Alpha Phi Omega. On some campuses APO is much more involved and is a full-time organizational commitment. The W&L chapter is more informal and relaxed. They do lots and lots of service, but they do not have as many other types of events and it is easy to balance being in a social NPC/NIC org and in APO--and many do. On other campuses this would be a nearly impossible feat.

I'm in two that can be challenging to balance, but not impossible. It's all about managing your time -- I have classes in the morning, and then I know that I have to do my homework in the afternoon or I'm not going to have time to do it, because my evenings are jampacked with AXiD or PSP things. When there is a PSP thing and an AXiD thing scheduled for the same time, I have to decide which one is more important to me or the chapter. Like, initiation for AXiD would take preference over a committee meeting for PSP, but a rush night for PSP would be more important than going to another greek event with AXiD. It's all about the balance.

I agree with this and breathesgelatin's post, and what I was trying to say in my original post but didnt come out so clearly.

It hasnt been too much trouble for me because I am affiliated with APO and AKPsi at one school, then transferred to another where I joined Theta, so Theta too priority over the other two during that time, though I still remained involved with AKPsi as an alumni member as I still am. Now I'm alumnae/alumni for all three (I'm still getting things worked out with APO) so I'm not as pressed for time. Then to go back to breathesgelatin's APO example my chapter did a lot of service, and maybe one social/brotherhood event per semester.My AKPsi was and still is very social in addition to the other things we do/did. So it wasnt troubling at all to do both while at my other school.

Now that I'm alum status with all three of these, it still wont be hard on me when I join( or I have intentions to) Sigma Theta Tau nursing honorary next spring while working on my second degree......This particular chapter also isnt very social, just a few meetings here and there too, so that being said wont interfere with my alum actitivities with my other GLO's.

i'm in TNX and Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity and in college, it really wasn't that hard to balance the two. They had totally different pledge processes, different activiites and events and it just all worked out. If something conflicted, then you just choose which is more important at the time. For example, if it was a pledge activity for akpsi, then i wouldn't do the tnx event and vice versa.

it all depends on the situation but yeah, it's not hard to balance the two

When I was an active with APO, there were a couple other brothers who were also Sigma Kappas. (Heh, that looks really odd, doesn't it! Everyone's a brother in APO, whether you're male or female...I swear these girls weren't shemales. :) ) They were very active with both chapters. Like others have said, two different focuses, different activities, etc. Very possible to do.

Here is how I do it.

For the social scene:
keep in contact with everyone, just try to keep tabs on everything thats going on, make the rounds, smile, be friends with people regardless of orginizations

Time management:
That stuff is a lot harder than you people seem to realize. The only thing I've learned about it is basically be where you need to be. Its okay to just get up and leave a meeting, especailly when they degenerate and no work is being done.

As far as being in a service glo, intramural team, etc. I just don't get the point. Join a regular fraternity/sorority and that will give you everything you need. Theta Chi, my chapter, did more total community service hours than APO...again. Socail orginizations should be that...teach us to be ladies and gentlemen in any given social situation. And really, would you want to do community service, etc with people that didn't behave like ladies and gentlemen? I wouldn't.

As far as other interests like fencing club, campus media, etc. Don't be afraid to join other clubs, but use them for what they are, they exist solely for the purpose of fencing, etc. But you make friends there and get them to join your chapter. I'm a Theta Chi no matter what, but that doesn't mean I don't talk to other people. Really, the only reason I bother talking to anyone is because I feel motivated to do so. This is getting long so I'll post again later.

I think that a fraternity is something more than just a club on campus, but I don't feel like going off about it. Its that kind of day. There was something I wanted to quote in this post. Oh well. DeltAlum pretty much said it right. Social Greek Fraternities tend to get touchy about dual membership. Mostly because that is your brother, and you don't turn your back on a brother. Even if I was in another orginization that used greek letters, doesn't mean I'm in two greek orginization. There is a world of difference. Also, I'd only wear Theta Chi letters. Unless I was a sweetheart/big brother to a sorority. Then I'd wear theirs, when appropriate.

Where is my loyalty?

Alma Mater First, and Theta Chi for Alma Mater.

Why must it be a loyalty issue? Do you feel you can only be a member of one organization in your life? Most people I know are involved in several organizations and can juggle their time.

My father joined 3 GLOs when he was in college: a social and 2 professionals (business & law). After graduation he got involved in the Elks, Optimist, Kiwanis, and a few other groups. This is totally normal, at least in my mind.

Me, I'm involved with my fraternity as an alumni volunteer (chapter advisor and as a staff member at different levels). Am also involved with a parliamentarian club, toastmasters, and am an active scouter. My groups meet weekly, biweekly, monthly, in-person and by conf call. Its all about managing your time and making a decision on how you spend your time. (if I have a conflict for my time between group X and group Y, I decide depending on what is needed from me, NOT becauce one group is more important then another).

In college, most people get involved with several groups because these groups meet different needs. Being involved with a social GLO will met one need. Joining a professional GLO would met another, a service GLO another, and so on. Why do some who join a social GLO feel they can't join and be involved with other groups on campus??