UK official urges 'segregated' Greeks to cooperate

[TSteven]

Josey Montana McCoy
The Kentucky Kernel
(The University of Kentucky)
Issue date: 9/4/07 Section: Campus News

Mahjabeen Rafiuddin wants to end the separation between black and white Greek communities at UK.

"You can look at the way the Greek community is set up, and it is blatantly segregated," said Rafiuddin, the director of UK student diversity engagement. "Nobody questions why the black and white Greeks don't cooperate."

Rafiuddin, who joined UK in November 2006, developed an Inter Greek Relations Project plan this summer aimed at bringing Greek leaders together for six roundtable discussions.

The project - It's All Greek to Me - will challenge black and white sororities and fraternities to practice better cooperation.

"Student leaders aren't inclusive," she said. "How do you bring together a group of exclusive people and ask them to be inclusive?"

Separation of white and black Greek communities on campus begins at the top, Rafiuddin said. Each Greek organization has separate assistants who have graduated that oversee their community.

The Interfraternity Council oversees white fraternities, the Panhellenic Council oversees white sororities and the National Pan-Hellenic Council oversees both black sororities and fraternities.

Rafiuddin wants to see the leaders, along with student members, support and promote each other, while joining together more often for Greek events, she said.

Kimber Hatton, a committee chair at Delta Sigma Theta, a historically black sorority, has volunteered two semesters with student diversity engagement and believes one person's initiative can spark a movement.

"Greek relations are very big at UK and very influential," said Hatton, a junior nursing major. "I believe if (students) see black and white Greeks unite, then non-Greeks will also unite."

more

[Still BLUTANG]

why did i read this as "United Kingdom"...
uugh. too early in the morning. coffee, PLEASE kick in.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by Still BLUTANG

why did i read this as "United Kingdom"...
uugh. too early in the morning. coffee, PLEASE kick in.

I did, too.

The problem STARTS with whoever (meaning the person(s) who wrote/contributed to this article) is perpetuating the idea that NPC/IFC are the "white" GLOs.

[Firehouse]

I don't suppose it's possible that they would just leave everybody the hell alone (?).
My large IFC chapter has maybe 8-10 black guys, but there's no doubt that we are culturally white. There's no doubt that the black fraternities are culturally black. We all - black and white fraternities and sororities - get along, and we're all very happy with who we are. I don't think anyone is overtly turned down for membership because of their race. Let people be happy and participate in the culture with which they most identify. Probably too much to ask for from the aggressive politically-correct crowd.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally Posted by Firehouse

I don't suppose it's possible that they would just leave everybody the hell alone (?).
My large IFC chapter has maybe 8-10 black guys, but there's no doubt that we are culturally white. There's no doubt that the black fraternities are culturally black. We all - black and white fraternities and sororities - get along, and we're all very happy with who we are. I don't think anyone is overtly turned down for membership because of their race. Let people be happy and participate in the culture with which they most identify. Probably too much to ask for from the aggressive politically-correct crowd.

You said it.

[Glitter650]

Originally Posted by Still BLUTANG

why did i read this as "United Kingdom"...
uugh. too early in the morning. coffee, PLEASE kick in.

I did too, i was like, they don't have GLOs in the UK hehe

[barbino]

Originally Posted by Glitter650

I did too, i was like, they don't have GLOs in the UK hehe

Having gone to UK (University of Kentucky) I knew exactly what this meant. This advisor is not really doing anything new, although she may think that she is. In the late 70's, my UK Pi Phi chapter won a Panhellenic award for inviting the Delta Sigma Thetas over to our house for dinner. UK Panhellenic was starting to push integrating the chapters even back then.

Greeks at UK have traditionally been segregated. When I went through "rush" in 1976, one GLO closed that year because they pledged a black member and it split the house. I thought that things had changed along with the passage of time (30 years!!!!) but I see that it still has not.

Greek membership has changed, though. Now there are no longer just IFC, NPC, and Divine Nine chapters to consider --there are GLO's for Hispanics, Asians, multi-cultural houses, houses based on sexual orientation, various religions. What it comes down to is this: the need for the fraternal spirit. Man was not meant to live alone. Man is a social animal. Fraternities and sororities fulfill this need. It might take another 30 years for UK to fully integrate its GLO's, no matter what this advisor suggests. The emphasis should be on membership within the environment that suits the individual.

[AKA_Monet]

Somewhere on YouTube the DG's are stepping with the AKA's from somebody's university.

I just found that interesting...

How come I reading this now and still thinking United Kingdom, too.

ETA: According to the US Supreme Court, there is no need for desegregation.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by barbino

In the late 70's, my UK Pi Phi chapter won a Panhellenic award for inviting the Delta Sigma Thetas over to our house for dinner.

I laughed.

And laughed and laughed.

And laughed some more.

I can't believe there was an award for inviting the black chicks to dinner. I'm going to invite the DC Dekes to our chapter house when the renovations are done and hope we get a mention in the Washington Post. Well, at least the Mini Page.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by barbino

Having gone to UK (University of Kentucky) I knew exactly what this meant. This advisor is not really doing anything new, although she may think that she is. In the late 70's, my UK Pi Phi chapter won a Panhellenic award for inviting the Delta Sigma Thetas over to our house for dinner. UK Panhellenic was starting to push integrating the chapters even back then.

Greeks at UK have traditionally been segregated. When I went through "rush" in 1976, one GLO closed that year because they pledged a black member and it split the house. I thought that things had changed along with the passage of time (30 years!!!!) but I see that it still has not.

Greek membership has changed, though. Now there are no longer just IFC, NPC, and Divine Nine chapters to consider --there are GLO's for Hispanics, Asians, multi-cultural houses, houses based on sexual orientation, various religions. What it comes down to is this: the need for the fraternal spirit. Man was not meant to live alone. Man is a social animal. Fraternities and sororities fulfill this need. It might take another 30 years for UK to fully integrate its GLO's, no matter what this advisor suggests. The emphasis should be on membership within the environment that suits the individual.

Originally Posted by Senusret I

I laughed.

And laughed and laughed.

And laughed some more.

I can't believe there was an award for inviting the black chicks to dinner. I'm going to invite the DC Dekes to our chapter house when the renovations are done and hope we get a mention in the Washington Post. Well, at least the Mini Page.

i laughed hard too. but in its defense, it IS the 70s (in the midwest, no less) and may have been seen as "progressive." (shyte, my school probably wouldve given an award for that in 2007 for that...)

:: wouldve love to be a fly on that wall at that dinner ::

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

I laughed.

And laughed and laughed.

And laughed some more.

I can't believe there was an award for inviting the black chicks to dinner. I'm going to invite the DC Dekes to our chapter house when the renovations are done and hope we get a mention in the Washington Post. Well, at least the Mini Page.

Remember it was the late 70s. Something like that would have been considered huge anywhere, but especially at U of KY and Mu Epsilon wasn't chartered until 1975.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

Remember it was the late 70s. Something like that would have been considered huge anywhere, but especially at U of KY.

Consider it my unfamiliarity with UK.... my mom was offered a bid from Delta Zeta at at Ferris in the early 70s, but I can only assume Michigan and Kentucky were two entirely different climates.

(Remember at her school the NPHCs rushed with the NPCs)

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Consider it my unfamiliarity with UK.... my mom was offered a bid from Delta Zeta at at Ferris in the early 70s, but I can only assume Michigan and Kentucky were two entirely different climates.

(Remember at her school the NPHCs rushed with the NPCs)

From my own personal experiences some Black women were given bids to NPC orgs, because it was the height of the Black Power movement and there was a underlying unrest on campuses. It was a way to say "hey we aren't prejudiced." Consequently the late 60s-70s was a big epansion era for Delta (most of the Zeta to Nu xxx collegiate chapters-lol) and the other NPHCs on PWIs. And yes for many NPHCs to exist on PWIs, they had to follow the rules of the NPC or IFC.

I think I have told you this, but neither Delta nor any other additional NPHC group were allowed to charter at SIUC, supposedly because there was no available housing. The AKAs, Kappas and Alphas were already on campus in housing. But soon they found the restrictions unbearable.

It wasn't until Frankie Freeman, the first Black US Civil Rights Commissioner was invited to campus by the NPC (because she was a woman)to speak that Delta was allow to charter without a house. Why? She was our national president at the time and wore those folx out about the fact that her sorority wasn't represented at SIUC--(we were apart of SIUE's chapter.) That then opened the doors for the Ques, SGRhos (who were on campus, but i think were affiliated with SIUE or a St. Louis collegiate chapter,) Sigmas, and Zetas to charter without houses, as well as the exisiting BGLOs to move out of the campus-owned houses.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

From my own personal experiences some Black women were given bids to NPC orgs, because it was the height of the Black Power movement and there was a underlying unrest on campuses. It was a way to say "hey we aren't prejudiced." Consequently the late 60s-70s was a big epansion era for Delta (most of the Zeta to Nu xxx collegiate chapters-lol) and the other NPHCs on PWIs. And yes for many NPHCs to exist on PWIs, they had to follow the rules of the NPC or IFC.

I think I have told you this, but neither Delta nor any other additional NPHC group were allowed to charter at SIUC, supposedly because there was no available housing. The AKAs, Kappas and Alphas were already on campus in housing. But soon they found the restrictions unbearable.

It wasn't until Frankie Freeman, the first Black US Civil Rights Commissioner was invited to campus by the NPC (because she was a woman)to speak that Delta was allow to charter without a house. Why? She was our national president at the time and wore those folx out about the fact that her sorority wasn't represented at SIUC--(we were apart of SIUE's chapter.) That then opened the doors for the Ques, SGRhos (who were on campus, but i think were affiliated with SIUE or a St. Louis collegiate chapter,) Sigmas, and Zetas to charter without houses, as well as the exisiting BGLOs to move out of the campus-owned houses.

wow, interesting history.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by tld221

wow, interesting history.

Oh and I forgot to add that other GLO colonies continued to be established even without the "so called" housing restriction.

Bottom line, it was pure and blatant racism, and the US Civil Rights Commissioner wasn't having it. P.S. she is from St. Louis and was a soror and good friend of my late Mom--that is how I got the scoop. It was pretty heady stuff for an 18 year old collegiate caught up in the Movement.