Corrupt Campus Panhellenic

[PsychTau]

What do you do/what advice do you give to a chapter when it seems like their whole greek system is corrupt except them?

I’ve talked to at least two of my chapters who say that the other sororities dirty rush (and are rather obvious about it), infractions and consequences aren’t taken seriously, and their Panhellenic is barely functioning (sometimes it’s only their representative that shows up to the meeting!) The greek advisor seems to be no help. On one campus, the greek advisor was getting the names from our girls to check grades for COB, then telling the other groups who we were going to bid. Those groups (who are at/over total anyway) would then talk nasty and even bid promise the COB girls so they wouldn’t accept our bid. The advisor would also tell the other groups that AST would be losing their charter at the end of the year, and of COURSE that would be passed around during formal rush, resulting in only 1 bid match this year. Thank god that advisor is no longer there, but I think they have hired a person with no knowledge of Panhellenic issues, which means things won’t be fixed anytime soon. ON the other campus, the greek advisor just doesn’t seem to care…as long as noone is getting caught hazing or drinking or causing negative publicity, their job is done.

Don’t get me wrong, the chapters are having some internal issues of their own, so they aren’t entirely innocent in all of this. However, I have never known these chapters to bid promise or dirty rush, and all of this negativity going on around them isn’t helping. They are getting discouraged and it shows.

So, other than telling the chapters to get out there and dirty rush with the best of them , what advice can we give them? Has anyone else been in this situation, and if so, how was it resolved?

Thanks!
PsychTau

[Bama_Alumna]

other than telling the chapters to get out there and dirty rush with the best of them

I know that it's not panhellenic for me to say this, but if the greek advisor turns a blind eye and there's no one left to turn to, I would just tell your chapters to play the game. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

[shadokat]

So you have a new greek advisor now? If I were you, I'd become their new best friend. Otherwise, I agree with Bama...time to get out of the sandbox and play with the big girls!

[rosejoy]

This is awful!!! It's what gives Greek life a bad name. I am assuming the girls promised a bid don't end up with one (from the other GLO)

[decadence]

I haven't had any such experience of that, so this post is simply my thoughts upon reading the thread.

If the - dirty rushing - sororities are national, and the greek advisor doesn't seem to care, perhaps having a word with the other national sorority offices may be an idea? I mean that in the context of a national forum about X campus; dialogue between the national offices of those sororities. It would be in their interest to interact with you and LISTEN to discuss a campus where their sorority (and of course 'yours') is experiencing dirty rushing (otherwise NPC may take a somewhat dim view ).
In the event that the national sorority is in fact one with one of the 'problem' chapters installed, diplomacy would need to be exercised so you could take more of an 'aware there are problems with such and such issue at X campus, problem is endemic, difficult to determine which sororities are involved, so attempting to have dialog for the continued success of all our respective groups' etc approach (rather than say there's a problem and you guys are causing it). NPC may offer further solutions/advice?
If they were regional and so without national offices, the founding alumni responsible for them, for example, might be none too impressed to hear what was going on.
If local... they are somewhat less accountable to others. In that situation meeting with the greek advisors to try and stress the gravity of the situation - eventual erosion of relations between chapters, little inter-greek spirit on campus etc, and how it is in the college's (and therefore the advisor's) interest to make sure inter-greek life does not end up in a huge mess on their watch, may help arrest the decline of proper procedures.

Good Luck .

- Richard

[OleMissGlitter]

At Ole Miss, the Panhellenic turns their heads...we were told to "read" between the lines. For example, the rules say that a sorority is only allowed to mail out stuff to PNMs three times a semester. Well there are three semesters (sessions) during summer, so that is three cards in a summer you can mail out...one sorority thought they would get in trouble for sending out three cards in the summer, however if you read between the rules you can do that. Also, we aren't allowed to "hot box" rushees, however anything off campus is allowed. At a bar, late night, party, anything off campus is allowed. The rules are crazy and being a young alumni I am allowed to do anything I want! Crazy! The IFC here is the same also. But in order to stay competitive as a GLO you have to read between the lines and be wherever the PNMs are! Oh and the actives are allowed to "visit" girls in their dorm rooms, they just cannot wear their letters or enter their dorm room, they can hang out in the hallways! Oh and one more thing, which is a FYI, Ole Miss does not practice any sort of "silence" rules. They allow GLOs and PNMs to talk anywhere, anytime...the do look down upon phone calls, faxes, my fave wires, emails, and IMs.