Has the mysticism of BGLO's lost it's luster?

[serenity_24]

Hello everyone, and good monday afternoon.

This weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a comedy show hosted by the urban congress, on a PW (predominately white) campus. This school has about 20,000 students of which 10% are minority. Most of the minority students there are from urban communities (mostly Chicago), and there is not HBCU nearby for them to associate with.

To make a long story short, the host of the show comes out and starts pumping up the crowd. "Where are my Ques" he said. SILENCE. "Where are my Alphas?" SILENCE. "Where are my AKAs?" SILENCE. Then he says "What kind of school is this with all these people and no greeks, I bet we got some GD Folks up in here!" Half the audience yells out Folks and starts throwing up gang signs and all kinds of things.

Now I know for a fact that this school has every BGLO on campus including the Beta Phi Pi's, but they never participate in any of the functions on campus and never really organize any functions of their own.

I just wanted to know is that the trend these days on PW campuses? Has the mysticism of BGLO'S lost it's luster so much so that people would rather claim a gang than join a BGLO? Why do you think this is so? Maybe it was just the region.... I don't know.

[southernbelle]

I know what campus you're talking about and I see it happen at every event we have here. It is a shame. However, I have friends that go to other schools in this state and they don't seem to experience what we do.

[southernbelle]

I know what campus you're talking about and I see it happen at every event we have here. It is a shame. However, I have friends that go to other schools in this state and they don't seem to experience what we do.

[showstopper_1908]

My school is similar to that. The Black greeks on campus aren't as noticible as these local organizations. Another thing is that we have GPA requirements. There are many girls that show up every year for rush, but because they don't have the GPA, they can't even be considered.

[Chi_ZETABBW]

May I ask what school is this? I'm from Chicago, and went to an Illinois school back in the mid 80's, and we had a strong presence, with just 10% of the school's enrollment.

[gamma_girl52]

I attend a PW university (Georgia State University) and the BGLO presence is strong. However when I was a freshman in '96 it wasn't NEARLY as strong as it is now. We started seeing the BGLO's more around 1998 when Alpha Phi Alpha re-chartered.

Greek Life overall has improved at my school-besides the GLO's and BGLO's, we have Gamma Sig (that's us), one MCGLO, an Asian sorority and two LGLO's, so there is something for everyone. A lot of the time we all have events together.

I agree with showstopper_1908 on the requirements though, there are MANY sisterfriends and brotherfriends that are interested in the BGLO's on campus, but can't pursue membership because of grades and other things. So the chapters tend to remain relatively small. Also I think it is because my school is still very much a commuter school and not "traditional"-that comes into play too.

Sorry about the long rant!

In Service,
gamma_girl52

[Imhotep1906]

First off let me say Greetings Sorors!

My campus is a PW campus with a strong history in racism. When I first came to campus, back in Fall 98 you only saw Kappas, Sigmas and Zeta on the yard and even though we also had Alphas and SGRhos (AKAs, Deltas and Ques were suspended). They really never did very much on the yard except for step and as a result a lot of people were turned off by the fact that they did nothing and all the frats were known to chase girls and pass them along in the Frat.

But without bragging on myself, when I crossed those immortal burning sands into Alpha Land Spr00 something miraculous happened. Every Organization we had on campus did intake that semester. Even though their numbers were still though it was a start and after I came through my chapter was not on the brink of disappearing anymore. When we came through we came through with the mentality to work and we did. We started doing more programs that were out of the ordinary such as holding forums on such issues as Date Rape, Finances, Relationship and Hip Hop Music. By this time the AKAs were back on the yard and we did a lot of programs with them and had Skee-Phi Month last october. One thing that we did that basically had never been done before was we starting working with the white Greek letter organizations. They helped us and in return we helped them and once we started working with them they became so curious as to what lines, line number and names, probates and stepping was all about. And as a result, we started a trend and now diversity is on the uprise on my campus. They secret behind it is to just want to do it. To want to make a difference. If we hadn't done that I don't think my chapter would have won Chapter of the Year at our District Convention and Outstanding African American Organization of the Year.

[Onenine08]

Yes it has -- I was going to skirt around the issue so as to not seem harsh. BUT I pledged my sorority at a PWU 10 years ago and the greek scene was strong. There were so few black students at the time we all stuck together and supported each other. Of course we all had pride in our own organizations. I can't fathom wanting to pleadge anything lesser than my illustrious Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.! But then came the eradication of the pledge clubs and all BGLOs suffered. This is in no way a slam on intake (and I am aware of the changes and developments dealing with undergrad intake), but I remember taking some women through and not knowing the real person until I first saw them out with their letters on and being embarrassed by what I saw. The pressure is especially hard on some PW campuses because its hard to keep the numbers when there is such a restricted selection pool. When I served as one of the assistant grad advisors for the chapter and the campus NPHC we made the decision to take a moratorium on intake in order to rebuild the scene and bring in people who truly understood what it meant to be a member of a BGLO, and it is working. Ten years later I still have close relationships and much love for my NPHC family from my undergrad years.

[lastpoetnsite]

much respect...

i know that this is an old topic. and i reread this to make sure it didn't just ask for the opinions of members so i decided to give my humble opinion.

i also attend a PW. But my PW does not have BGLO's, any GLO's in fact. One of the things that is extremely difficult is even trying to get BGLO's interested in just coming out and becoming interested in the campus.
But when i did attend a large PW campus that hosted all of the Divine Nine and some regional BGLO's as well as a healthy amount of Eastern Stars and Masons there was a certain loss of mysticism.
Many of my friends and I were raised with Greek parents, other relatives, friends, mentors, instructors etc. that were very involved with community service and our lives.
Yet when we got to college many of the organizations just were not active in the activities of freshmen...such as the orientation process, RA's, RD's etc.
And when one would see a member of the organization it was only at parties.
Now this is not to say that these ladies and gentlemen weren't doing anything. But they sure did keep it on the low low if they were...except for the annual step show and the almost weekly parties.

i think many people can become disillusioned by the memory of what they had at home and the involvement of greeks in their lives..versus the "reality" of being in college and the non-involvement of greeks in their lives.

peace



[This message has been edited by lastpoetnsite (edited May 22, 2001).]

[jali0004]

I recentlly became a member at the "whitest" PW (Univ. of MN). This year, many of the BGLO chapters crossed, so I think that will help our presence. In most cases, chapters at PW's are apart of a city-chapter. My chapter comprises many schools, some as far as an hour+ drive away from the major city. We are hosting activities, and sponsoring programs, but in most cases, they have to be on a city wide level, not dominated on one particular campus.

We are around, and if you want to find us, you'll have to look..we're there, just maybe not when you feel like looking!!!

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"I am not yet the author of my life; I am still it's unenlightened protagonist"
---Unknown