letters worn by non-members

KissASinfonian · #1 04-27-2003, 12:07 PM

My chapter is having a problem and although I am not a phi mu I am generally asking random groups their opinion about this problem.

I go to a relatively small school with only about 3000 students in all and only 3 non-ethnic sororities on campus. We have been having a lot of problems with non-members wearing our letters. Mostly freshmen who want to pledge. Most of the time it is something simple like a key chain but these people have no idea what this means to us.

My question is....What can we do about this aside from telling the person outright?

Can we go to Greek-Council or to our Student Affairs chairman? Or should we go to our faculty sponsor? PLEASE HELP US!!!

Thanks a lot

VSUPhiMu · #2 04-27-2003, 03:33 PM

I really don't think you can do anything without saying something to the person directly. I totally understand your frustration, but I really don't think you can do much. I know it makes ya'll angry, but I suppose you could see it as an honor that they want to be a part of your organization???

33girl · #3 04-27-2003, 04:50 PM

WHAAAAAAAAT!!!!

I'm sorry but that is just psycho!! I can't imagine someone just going down to the Greek store and buying a shirt to wear if they're not a member.

I would definitely explain to the person that unless they are a member, they shouldn't wear letters or use the keychains and such and explain the concept of rush to them.

Do you have a Greek store on campus, at the bookstore or elsewhere? If there are students working there, are they Greek? I would ask them to put up a sign that says Greek paraphernalia is only to be used by members of the orgs.

KissASinfonian · #4 04-27-2003, 05:19 PM

I think a lot of the girls buy things online (e-bay, etc.) because our greek store usually asks for some kind of proof. Everytime we have gone in there to buy things for rush or bid day they have asked us for an id card. (Usually the management has a list of our members somewhere in the store so the people working can ask for something simple like a driver's license.)

Which brings me to another question. Does it ever bother ya'all when you see pins and the such on ebay? I mean totes and t-shirts I understand but sometimes there are very secretive items on ebay. I know my boyfriend is PMA Sinfonia and their songbooks are very special to the group and I see those on there all the time. He doesn't even let me see some of the songs.
It's just another question that I thought would be interesting to hear opinions.

Sorry for the non- phi mu postings.....

S to you...
-MLK

33girl · #5 04-27-2003, 08:12 PM

Well if the Greek store is already taking all those precautions (and good for them by the way), I would definitely bring it up to the Student Life director. I mean, if someone not a member is in letters and gets busted buying drugs, for example, you guys could be in mucho trouble.

The ebay pins and such do bother me, but I think the situation you're describing is worse in a way. Most of the pins & ritual stuff on ebay is bought by collectors - obviously a guy buying a sorority pin isn't pretending to be a member - and they're not going to wear it while doing inappropriate things. The situation you're describing could really cause problems for people.

p.s. You might want to try posting this in Greek Life too.

pinkyphimu · #6 04-27-2003, 11:35 PM

that is so weird. we had a girl that swore she was a phi mu on my campus. she was friends with a lot of the girls in our chapter, but didn't get a bid. needless to say, she would wear pink shirts on our letter days. supposedly, one of the sisters gave her a set of letters to wear. we actually had a rush infraction brought up against us one year bc a member of another sorority overheard her talking about how great the chapter was, etc. to pnms during strict silence. luckily, this was quickly dropped!

your case seems different bc it sounds like this is much more widespread! when is your rush? do the women on your campus who wear letters know that you have to join a sorority to get to wear them? as far as things like pens and pencils or note pads, i don't think they are as big of a deal as walking around in someone else's non-screen printed letters.

FuziCrayon · #7 04-29-2003, 11:52 PM

Okay. So my sorority is affiliating with Phi Mu. We're starting the process this summer. Do you guys think it's bad that all of our members are starting to buy Phi Mu stuff online? We haven't been installed yet... but we're all so excited and we KNOW we're going to be Phi Mu because we're being absorbed. Is this bad?? For example, one of my friends is getting a phi mu decal to put above her local one. Is that okay?? Just wondering opinions!

lionlove · #8 04-30-2003, 12:54 AM

Fuzicrayon,
I don't see any problem with that. I'm glad your chapter is so excited about joining Phi Mu!

KissASinfonian · #9 04-30-2003, 02:01 PM

I think it's cool that the girls are already buying things online. If you already know what you are going to be it should be OK. Just like we allow the pledges to wear letters during new member periods but they must be screen printed. You don't get a tackle twill or an embroidered set until you are installed. Also about notepads and pens and stuff....My roommate is not a Tri-Sigma but if she is taking a phone message I wouldn't make her find another piece of paper without my letters. LOL...We just respect each other and know our boundaries.

We have decided to do a Greek Awareness Week a couple of weeks before Rush so that we can get some rules straight. There will be info booths and our school paper is gonna do some feature stuff about who can wear what and things like that. I have a feeling this will put an end to some of it. We are also going to have a sort of "Honor System" that says if you get caught wearing something that isn't yours you will have to do some service with that sorority or fraternity's philanthropy. (A small donation or the such.) The school is gonna vote on that idea to see how that goes over.

Wish us luck and thanks a lot.
-MLK

pinkyphimu · #10 04-30-2003, 06:44 PM

kissasinfonian...

those are some cool ideas! i think it is great that your whole campus is really getting involved with this!!

fuzi-
buy away!!!

HotDamnImAPhiMu · #11 05-12-2003, 02:35 AM

KissASinfonian: Phi Mu Alpha is a little different because it's such a musically-oriented organization. Our songbooks aren't secret; although they include some songs we prefer not to sing in public. Kind of like how although a Phi Mu may drink, she probably prefers not to drink in public in her letters.

FuziCrayon: We're thrilled to have you. Wear your letters so we can come up and say hi!

MoonStar17 · #12 05-13-2003, 03:58 PM

For some reason we have never had those kinda problems on our campus. I am not sure but I think its pretty well known that letters are not to be worn by non-members...maybe something they mention at freshman orientation... i dont remember.

As for FuziCrayon

You are so adorable!! I am sooooo happy and excited for your chapter...if im not mistaken while you are being installed you are technically considered a "phi" we call our "new members or pledges" "Phi's" as a phi you can wear letters as long as they aren't stitch on's. Take a look at carnation collection on the Phi Mu website too. I just love how you and your chapter are so excited about being Phi Mu, it shows in how active you have become on GC!! Tell some more girls to post

OUlioness01 · #13 05-13-2003, 04:06 PM

moonstar~ i think that they (phis) can wear stitchons, if you mean blocks. our chapter has always premitted it because technically you can't tell a phi that she's not allowed to do something everyone else is uless it would mean breaking the law or going to ritual or something like that.

MoonStar17 · #14 05-13-2003, 04:24 PM

Hmmm I dunno here with all greeks on campus you usually get stiched on's or blocks when you are innitiated,
we dont stop them from wearing it, but its tradition that the big usually gives the little her first stiched on's at innitiation.

we do however make iron on versions of our block letters with colorful fabric, with cute designs etc, cut out to look excatly like the stitch on's just ironed on and then puffypainted all around to look really cute....this is the same with most org's on campus.

i didn't know it was different elsewhere...i learn something new everyday!!!

CatStarESP4 · #15 05-13-2003, 06:05 PM

I am not a Phi Mu myself either, but I need to respond to your post. I am shocked that some girls who aren't in a sorority could get away with wearing an GLO's letter. It looks to me that they are either delusional or a bunch of wannabe's (Have they even heard of rushing and pledging?). Someone mentioned that a local Greek Store allows this to happen. Why can't the salesperson verify by contacting the pledge mother/mistress (or any sister in that manner) to confirm or deny the association? If she denies it, they can't buy the paraphernalia in question. Also get your local Greek Council and Greek Office involved if happens repeatedly.