[MysticCat]

Originally posted by zntke711
My Chapter of TKE has 3 Phi Mu Alpha's as brothers. TKE international has no problem with it because PMA is not reconized as a social fraternity.

I can't speak with regard to any of the other music fraternties/sororities, much less some of the other groups that have been mentioned, but I think that the following generalizations are accurate with regard to FMA:

• FMA was conceived and founded as a social fraternity.
• Over the years, FMA began to define itself more and more as a professional fraternity. Some national leaders pushed the agenda of becoming a thoroughly professional fraternity, although traits of a social fraternity never died out completely.
• Partially as a result of renewed interest in the roots of the Fraternity, partially based on the desires of collegiate members, and partially as a result of Title IX, FMA made the decision in the 1980's to be a social, not a professional, fraternity, and to remove all "professional fraternity" references from governing documents, publications, and the like.
• While FMA is a social fraternity, it is not yet a member of the NIC, so it does not have the same "social footing," as it were, of other general fraternities (such as TKE), nor does it have prohibitions on dual membership except as to other music fraternities.
• The degree to which FMA seems or acts social or professional depends on the specific chapter and campus. Some chapters (including perhaps the one zntke711's TKE brothers belong to) still behave much like a chapter of a professional fraternity, two decades after FMA's rejection of professional fraternity status. Other chapters see themselves as social rather than professional, but like the independence of not being too involved with other social fraternities. Still others act like all the other social, general fraternities on their campuses, participating fully in the inter-fraternity conference, Greek Week, rush rules and requirements, prohibitions on dual memberships, and the like. To some degree, this may also depend on the province, or part of the country, in the chapter is in -- some provinces seem to be more "social" oriented.
• Without a doubt, the national trend is toward FMA as a social fraternity. Again, my understanding is that this may include seeking membership in the NIC.
• All brothers in FMA like to think of FMA as a unique fraternity experience.

That's my take on it, at least.