Quote:
Originally posted by 33girl
So much for female empowerment  Sorry, but things like this make me cranky.
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Yes, there's definitely a problem when policies are mandated by Nationals in a draconian fashion without any input from the collegiate members. My own chapter experienced several shocks when, without warning, several aspects of our social freedom were suddenly suspended or drastically altered. Keep in mind that we were NEVER a risk management problem and they never even alleged that we were. They were just so darn over cautious. And many of the restrictions were the brainchild of our Regional Advisor and were much stricter than anything Nationals was advocating.
Their restrictions ended up having the opposite effect, because even our Exec Board felt betrayed and actually worked to circumvent a lot of the rules. When I was social chair, I was instructed to plan socials with fraternities and we would sponsor a bar tab by writing a check to the bar for "food", "entertainment" or a "security deposit" that we would never ask to be returned.
Obviously a MAJOR violation of all kinds of rules.
In the end, I think that the National Organizations need to not only realize that they need to include collegians in the process if they expect them to comply with new rules, but also that part of the reason (a big part!) that many people go greek is that IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN!
No offense against canned food drives, flag football tournaments, and embroidered T-shirts, but my favorite sorority memories center around fun things I did with my sisters. Not that it's limited to "going out" or "drinking" but when you tell college students that they can't do certain activities just because they're greek, then you get resentment, and even though any alcohol related activities are such a minor part of greek life, when they are taken away or sharply restricted, it is a big deal.
Being greek is supposed to promote leadership and help you mature as a person and a loyal friend. So many of these policies seem to undermine that development of maturity. We are all adults but when we are told that "you can't do that because we don't trust you to handle yourself properly" it sends a very condescending message.
From my own experience, being greek taught me how to treat alchohol responsibly. I was NEVER forced to drink. On the contrary it was just available when we went out or to socials and date functions. It was never a big deal and no one cared if someone didn't want to drink. My sisters watched out for me, especially as a new member, and would make sure we didn't drink too much and always had safe rides home.
This is a much better situation than the GDI freshman girls who I saw at fraternity parties or clubs. They were usually alone or with only 1 friend or just a few. Rarely the close relationship or caring "watchful eye" that I had from my sisters. These girls would get sooooo drunk and have trouble making decisions. The guys could really take advantage if they wanted to. Plus, just imagine how many classes missed and toilets hugged from the hangovers. For sure, the best way to learn about alchohol is not by yourself!
...OK, I've said enough and my soapbox is in danger of collapsing...
G8Ralphaxi