Quote:
Originally Posted by Charmedgal
Hey guys,
I am going through my pledge process, as of right now, and my class and I will be full brothers after this weekend.
After all my test, and other personal studies, about Alpha Phi Omega, I am happy to be a part of this Fraternity.
Here is one thing that crosses my mind, and I do not agree with it. Alpha Phi Omega is not considered Greek? Now, other colleges may consider their APO brothers Greek, but my college does not. Maybe it's a half and half thing... idk...
In my personal opinion, Alpha Phi Omega should be considered fully Greek. I am thinking, perhaps, the purpose of our Fraternity is to stay away from the limelight of the typical stereotype of Greek Life. I think if all APO chapters did consider themselves Greek, we could give a better name to it.
Sure, we are not run underneath a Greek Panhellenic Council, but I do not think that should be the solid purpose of why a Frat should be considered Greek.
We wear letters, we rush, we do charity work, we represent campus, we hold banquets, sectionals, nationals, we make friends, and we are listed as a Greek organization on some websites.
As APO brothers, what are your opinions on this?
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Congratulations in Advance!
The question of "How Greek" is Alpha Phi Omega goes back to the founding of the Fraternity. With 13 of our 14 founders being members of Fraternities (8 from Sigma Alpha Epsilon and 5 from Krescents (which within a couple of years had become a chapter of Kappa Delta Rho)), our founders knew the Greek Fraternity System very well. (Lafayette was all-male in 1925).
Among the official definitions of Alpha Phi Omega at the beginning was "National Honorary Scouting Fraternity", and yet, even from the beginning we had pledge classes unlike a traditional Honorary group. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities has more or less since the beginning counted APO as falling into a rather special grouping of Greek Letter Organizations (Service Fraternities and Sororities, a subgrouping of Recognition Societies).
Alpha Phi Omega does have some characteristics that it shares with Social Fraternities and Sororities, and some that it doesn't, *but* the simple truth is that there is *no one* who gets to choose for others "who is greek and who isn't". The first Greek Letter Organization, Phi Beta Kappa from which all concept of using Greek Letters to represent a student group isn't considered Greek by many, but that doesn't mean that it isn't...
The School (SUNY-Fredonia) may quite reasonably set up various councils (IFC, NPC, NPHC, Hispanic(?), other), but that doesn't specifically mean that they've made a decision on who is greek and who isn't.
On a national level, Alpha Phi Omega is a member of the Professional Fraternities Association, but unlike most of them, we don't have a field of study that we specialize in and most schools don't have an equivalent local council to the PFA.
My personal opinion is that Alpha Phi Omega doesn't fit on most councils made up of social fraternities and our National bylaws say that if we are the only non-social on the council then we need the National Board's approval. In my opinion that should be given rarely...
In my personal opinion, the best position for Alpha Phi Omega relative to the social greeks is as a neutral organizer and arbiter. SUNY-Fredonia as a "Greek Week" competition, can Alpha Phi Omega provide judging?
Randy