Old-School Greek terms wrong?

So one of our national consultants came to visit my chapter, and of course everyone who had an important position had to meet with him. I am the New Member Educator, and I gave a presentation about the program.

Within that program (a really sweet PowerPoint, I must say ) I used the term "pledging". I recieved a few angry eyes from my brothers during this, and afterwards I was told that I should've used the word "New Member Educational Period". I asked them why, and they responded by saying "pledging" or "pledges" brings up thoughts of hazing, and sounds very informal.

Another time, when I speak to my other Greek friends at school (we have nearly zero rivalries at my school in GL....GL is more like one big health club with letters). When the ask me what is new with me, I'll answer them that I am the "pledgemaster" (actually Associate Member Counselor to DX....but I am speaking to non-DXes so I don't want to confuse anyone). Pledgemaster is a common term here, and once I refered to myself as that in front of the Greek Advisor and a Dean. I was scolded afterwards by a few IFC and PHC members because once again, it brought up thoughts of hazing and was informal.

I ask now, what is REALLY wrong with these terms? I see nothing wrong with a "pledge". After all, they are pledging an allegiance to a certain group. We do not haze, and I do not feel that I need to be politcally correct around faculty members of my school.

So are these terms really bad, or should I get with the times more?

[Senusret I]

Just be aware of who you say things around.... "Discretion is key" so they say.

The problem with the "New School" Greek terms is that they aren't standardized across the board. Thirty years ago, NPHC, NPC, NIC....we could all say "rush" and "pledge" and all pretty much be on the same page.

[zetamere]

It's not that there is anything wrong with the terms themselves, they've just come to represent "what's wrong" with the Greek system.

We have new members now but we also still have Formal Pledging, as in a ritual. We (every Greek) all take a plegde at that time. A new member can still say "I pledged ZTA," and everyone will understand what she means. You would never say "I New Membered ZTA." That's just creepy sounding.

You are right that we sometimes use terms that are more generic so that non-Greeks or Greeks from other campuses can understand us. Don't apologize for that. Some of this stuff is the new politically correct Greek system. It's taken away some of the uniqueness to our system, too. Anyone who's seen the sisters side of Formal Recruitment knows that Rush was the absolute best term for the process ever!

[TSteven]

Originally posted by Beatz
So are these terms really bad, or should I get with the times more?

No they are not. Many inter/national fraternities continue to use these terms *along with* newer terms. If you are concerned, it might be best to go with the campus norm when dealing on the campus level and the GLO terms when dealing on the inter/national level.

[alum]

It's a shame that the old terms have negative connotations. Notice we still have a Rush Forum and through it one can access the Recruitment thread. PNMs, COBs, too many acronyms... I get enough of that as an Army wife!

[sugar and spice]

I agree that there's not really anything wrong with the old terms, but there are plenty of people who disagree, so, with that in mind, I would general try to use the new-school terms in formal settings or around people like your national officers, your Greek life advisor, etc.

Originally posted by alum
It's a shame that the old terms have negative connotations. Notice we still have a Rush Forum and through it one can access the Recruitment thread.

There was a debate between mods about this a few years ago and we came to a consensus that it wouldn't be fair to change the name of the Rush forum to reflect the new NPC terminology.

After all, there are only 26 of us. There are more organizations out there who still use "Rush".

[dznat187]

well, while i am not anal about what words people use, i do think their is a very big difference between a pledge and a new member. the idea of a new member is that the person is not treated any differently than the members, other than that they can not do besides wearing the badge or other things that require initiation.

also, there is a huge difference in the history and connotation of the word 'rush' versus recruitment. Rush gives the idea that choosing a fraternity or sorority is something people go into quickly with no thought, whereas that may not be the case with most people as it is an important decision. the term rush came from the activity known as flag rush at many schools. it began in the 1880s and continued into the 1960's. At those times, the freshman were required to wear beanies and were hazed pretty well for just being 1st year students. Then at a point in the year, they would have the flag rush where a very small flag was securely nailed to the top of a well-greased pole with the blood-thirsty and abusive sophomores at the base of the pole. The freshman would try to get the flag by climbing the pole, while having rotten fruit, manure and other gross things thrown at them. If, as almost always happened, the freshmen failed to capture the flag, they were required to wear their freshman beanies until the end of the semester and had other restrictions placed on them, like they were not permitted out after a certain etc.

i think connotations are the biggest reason for changing of vocaulary. yes, we do take a pledge and pledge ourselves to our org during our rituals but i think the idea is that we don't have to make people prove themselves by being hazed or doing stupid things to get into an org.

I personally like the term new member. I actually wish groups that hazed would only use 'pledging' because that is what they are making their new members do. i also prefer recruitment because it more acurately describes the process of the fraternity or sorority activily searching out the best candidates for the chapter, not just going out and grabbing whoever.

i don't know, i don't really care what people say, I know what they mean and they really aren't hurting anything.

just my two sense. take it or leave it.

[33girl]

Originally posted by dznat187
the term rush came from the activity known as flag rush at many schools. it began in the 1880s and continued into the 1960's. At those times, the freshman were required to wear beanies and were hazed pretty well for just being 1st year students. Then at a point in the year, they would have the flag rush where a very small flag was securely nailed to the top of a well-greased pole with the blood-thirsty and abusive sophomores at the base of the pole. The freshman would try to get the flag by climbing the pole, while having rotten fruit, manure and other gross things thrown at them. If, as almost always happened, the freshmen failed to capture the flag, they were required to wear their freshman beanies until the end of the semester and had other restrictions placed on them, like they were not permitted out after a certain etc.

Actually, it comes from the fraternities and sororities "rushing" to the incoming trains to grab the best freshmen. Freshman hazing at schools isn't really the same thing as hazing within Greek orgs.

The new terms are ridiculous, IMO - mainly because very little has changed. Formal rush is not recruitment. You can put as negative of a connotation on new member or pearl or Phi or candidate or any other term as "pledge." We would be better off if we focused on what we actually do instead of getting so up in arms about what we say.

Beatz, there is nothing wrong with what you did. If anyone's at fault, it's the people who scolded you. Coercion does not make people happy about doing anything.

[33girl]

Originally posted by dznat187
I personally like the term new member. I actually wish groups that hazed would only use 'pledging' because that is what they are making their new members do. i

OK, I'm in Alpha Phi Omega and this is VERY offensive to me.

We have a pledging process because we don't have membership selection and need a way to determine fitness for membership. It most assuredly is NOT synonymous with hazing.

HAZING AND PLEDGING ARE NOT SYNONYMOUS. If you think that, it's either because you've never seen an effective pledge program, or because you've been brainwashed.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally posted by 33girl
You can put as negative of a connotation on new member or pearl or Phi or candidate or any other term as "pledge."

I remember on my campus it was a big deal that DZ's had "Baby Turtles" and Phi Sigma Sigma had "Baby Penguins" and Chi O's had "Baby Owls"... the Greek life advisor threw a fit the year I rushed and said there couldn't be "baby" anything because it was condecending. Some people just get ridculous about it.

[Optimist Prime]

Originally posted by AlphaFrog
I remember on my campus it was a big deal that DZ's had "Baby Turtles" and Phi Sigma Sigma had "Baby Penguins" and Chi O's had "Baby Owls"... the Greek life advisor threw a fit the year I rushed and said there couldn't be "baby" anything because it was condecending. Some people just get ridculous about it.

that doesn't sound like hazing, that sounds like girls being girls

[frathole]

Pledge is a much better name than "s&%thead" or "goat,"

Theres no way the terms rush, pledge, bid, band party, or grain punch are going anywhere. Worrying about semantics is ridiculous, especially when you're in your late teens early twenties.

[33girl]

Originally posted by frathole
Theres no way the terms rush, pledge, bid, band party, or grain punch are going anywhere. Worrying about semantics is ridiculous, especially when you're in your late teens early twenties.

Is grain still legal where you are? We can't get it any more.

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by 33girl
HAZING AND PLEDGING ARE NOT SYNONYMOUS.

That's exactly right.

I really hate it when people hide behind the term Politically Correct (PC). That's just too easy.

In this case, though, it's pretty much what has happened. The terms have gotten confused.

There are a whole bunch of folks, including a lot of US Presidents, Congresspersons, captains of industry and just plain folks like me who "rushed and pledged" and managed to live through it just fine, thank you.

This is one case (there has to be at least one) in which I'm in total agrement.

The reason for the new terms is unfortunate -- as is the fact that they fly in the face of a couple hundred years of Fraternity and Sorority Tradition.