On campus council

[shrek1897]

Our campus is instituting a singular Greek system where NPHC, NPC, and NIC groups are all lumped into the same group. Are there any other campuses that are committing all Greek life together instead of seperating them per national affiliation? If so how is it working on your campus?

[TSteven]

Originally posted by shrek1897
Our campus is instituting a singular Greek system where NPHC, NPC, and NIC groups are all lumped into the same group. Are there any other campuses that are committing all Greek life together instead of separating them per national affiliation? If so how is it working on your campus?

This single Greek system may just be an umbrella group for all the councils - NPHC, NPC and NIC (IFC) [and any other councils] - on the campus to help coordinate Greek Life there. Something that isn't that unusual.

For example, at The University of Kentucky, the NPHC, the NPC and the IFC all have separate councils. This is due to each council having different inter/national rules and regulations (by-laws etc.) that govern the member organizations of the council (i.e. NPHC intake, NPC recruitment and IFC rush - each is different). However, there is also the UK Inter-Greek Programming Assembly that oversees all three councils (and the organizations in them) on the UK campus. The "job" of the Inter-Greek Programming Assembly is simply to oversee and coordinate (social events, programming, Greek week, philanthropy events, campus rules etc.) between all three councils and any other GLOs at UK.

[SOPi_Jawbreaker]

Originally posted by TSteven
This single Greek system may just be an umbrella group for all the councils - NPHC, NPC and NIC (IFC) [and any other councils] - on the campus to help coordinate Greek Life there. Something that isn't that unusual.

If shrek1897 is from a school with a very small greek system, it could be one council for everybody without any separate councils. I was talking to the president of my org's UC Santa Cruz chapter. She was curious about our Greek system and I was curious about their Greek system. She said they just have IGC (Inter-Greek Council) which has NIC, NPC, NPHC, and multi-cultural/ethnic orgs. She said that the chapters are pretty loosely governed by IGC, but I know that some schools have a similar sort of system but their IGC wields more power. I'm sure someone from a school with that type of system could give better information.

[Tom Earp]

While I have no knowledge of this type of set up, it would make a lot of sense for better workings among all Greeks.

I guess a lot depends on the size possibly.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by shrek1897
Our campus is instituting a singular Greek system where NPHC, NPC, and NIC groups are all lumped into the same group. Are there any other campuses that are committing all Greek life together instead of seperating them per national affiliation? If so how is it working on your campus?

I think someone was right when they talked about the size of the Greek system. I can think of a couple small schools where there is no NPHC because there are 1 or 2 HBGLOs that have not felt the need OR didn't have the support to establish the NPHC chapter. Unless I am interpreting this incorrectly, these chapters coexist under the same "umbrella" as everyone else despite different regulations and policies at the national NPHC level. I can check on this and get back with you.

It can definitely work out but again a large system may prove more difficult. It can also prove difficult if people are not understanding of the similarities and differences across organizations. To claim that you are ONE requires more than tolerance. It requires respect and acceptance of the different types of diversities--and also an understanding that there are some things that everyone will not understand or agree with that are within your organization's norm. That level of understanding is another reason why some prefer different councils b/c there's less explaining and tutoring and more of an ability to find your niche and handle your business accordingly. When folks want to get together across councils, they do so but only after they have found their niche.

[Tom Earp]

Originally posted by DSTCHAOS
I think someone was right when they talked about the size of the Greek system. I can think of a couple small schools where there is no NPHC because there are 1 or 2 HBGLOs that have not felt the need OR didn't have the support to establish the NPHC chapter. Unless I am interpreting this incorrectly, these chapters coexist under the same "umbrella" as everyone else despite different regulations and policies at the national NPHC level. I can check on this and get back with you.

It can definitely work out but again a large system may prove more difficult. It can also prove difficult if people are not understanding of the similarities and differences across organizations. To claim that you are ONE requires more than tolerance. It requires respect and acceptance of the different types of diversities--and also an understanding that there are some things that everyone will not understand or agree with that are within your organization's norm. That level of understanding is another reason why some prefer different councils b/c there's less explaining and tutoring and more of an ability to find your niche and handle your business accordingly. When folks want to get together across councils, they do so but only after they have found their niche.

Thank For Your little Side and off hand ASide Bar! Oh, as I took it!

When I was at My Alam Mater, We Had two Male and two Female D-9s.

So, guess how many are there now?

So, whose fault is this?

I dont really feel that it is the decission of anyone. If there are not enough Members of a certainn group that want to join, then they wont.

If this happens, then the Chapters Die.

So, You tell Me how this Helps any Organization!

Gone and Forgotten!

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally posted by Tom Earp
Thank For Your little Side and off hand ASide Bar! Oh, as I took it!

When I was at My Alam Mater, We Had two Male and two Female D-9s.

So, guess how many are there now?

So, whose fault is this?

I dont really feel that it is the decission of anyone. If there are not enough Members of a certainn group that want to join, then they wont.

If this happens, then the Chapters Die.

So, You tell Me how this Helps any Organization!

Gone and Forgotten!

**edited to be nicer **

[L.O.C.K.]

I think Stony Brook University (SUNY) has one big council, I believe.

Here is the website:
Stony Brook Greek Life

My bro who goes there says that all the orgs meet as one giant council. Maybe NPHC has a caucus, but I think that's it. Then again I could be wrong.

[Firehouse]

I think DSTCHAOS articulated it very well. For a large, all-inclusive council to work there has to be a high level of mutual tolerance and understanding of the nuances, not only of individual chapters but of sub-groups of chapters. I think what she is saying subtly (because she is gracious) is that such tolerance is seldom seen and not likely to exist.
The real danger in a system like that is the judicial process. Chapters have the right to expect to be judged by their peers . If I were in a D-9 organization I would be nervous about an IFC-dominated judicial proceding. If I was were in a large, tradition IFC chapter with a house, I would not want to be judged by reps from a multi-cultural chapter with four members and no house. A great deal of damage can be done to the various chapters by even well meaning people who don't understand the different dynamics.
I think it's terrific that there are so many social fraternities and sororities of all varieties. The D-9 long ago established the powerful strength of their appeal. The fact that there are multi-cultural fraternities and sororities is evidence that a wide range of students from very different backgrounds all want the same advantages and benefits.
But people seek out what's comfortable for them. Most places, Black men are welcome to join IFC chapters, but more are attracted to the historically Black chapters. Asians and Hispanics find their way into IFC and PanHel chapters, but many others prefer the intimacy of the multi-culturals.
Individual members should not be expected to divorce themselves emotionally and intellectually from their groups in order to sit in judgement of other groups. That would have very bad consequences.

[DSTCHAOS]

Thanks, Firehouse.

Not just tolerance but acceptance. This applies to all involved since everyone could stand to learn.

I think "joint councils" is a good idea particularly for smaller Greek systems. It has to be well planned so that chapters see the benefits of the joint system as compared to the benefits of separate councils.

[Little E]

Small school view:
My alma mater had six orgs on campus, 3 IFC, 2 local sororities and AST we had one governing body Inter Fraternal Panhellenic Council (IFPC). IFPC ran the party schedule and organized a couple of philanthropy events. The problem, in my opinion, with IFPC was that the IFC and locals had a clear majority and there were times when AST had to vote against things because of our orgs rules and regs, which caused lots of drama.

Problems arose when a chapter clearly needed a visit with the standards board and they hid behind their org and tried to say it was interference in chapter business. Part of the problems arose from the school admin itself, but the other part was that no one truly felt that IFPC had authority. Because it lacked authority nothing meaningful ever really got done except spreading out the campus parties.

You need a lot of buy-in from chapters for this to work as the only governing board on campus in my opinion. It is a hard situation to find the right balance in.

[Tom Earp]

Balace may be the key word of the day!