U. of Alabama seeks help in desegregating Greek life

[navane]

Hello fellow GCers.

After reading the thread regarding "The Machine" at the University of Alabama, I was reminded of a letter I read last year.

As a university administrator by profession, I am a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). In NASPA, I belong to three sub-areas called "knowledge communities": international education, new professionals and fraternity/sorority affairs.

Some time around fall 2002 I came across a letter from the University of Alabama Faculty Senate which was forwarded to the members of the fraternity/sorority affairs knowledge community. Unfortunately, I do not know when the letter was authored. However, this is not that important. What's important is that, in this letter, they seek the help of university administrators such as myself to affect change in certain greek life practices. The practices they are referring to point largely to NPC organizations for women.

I wanted to post this here because I thought it might make interesting reading. If there are any of you who think that the university doesn't care about the current situation, this letter proves otherwise. However, I am not convinced that changing these practices will help at a campus like U. of A. - I think they have bigger issues to deal with. I mean, abolishing references won't make a big difference if few minorities go through recuitment to start with. At any rate, you may read for yourself.

Thanks!

I have posted the text of the letter below.

.....Kelly


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Letter from the University of Alabama Faculty Senate to the Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Knowledge Community:

Dear Members of the NASPA Knowledge Community for Greek Life:

Our University has been working diligently to assist students in efforts to desegregate our Greek system and to overcome dated stereotypes that often unfairly stigmatize Southern campuses. While desegregation efforts have born some fruit and demonstrate much promise, they have not yet brought a level of integration that would allow us to claim that we have truly inclusive Greek organizations. We further recognize that our integration efforts will always have limited results without the support of national organization such as the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). Since NASPA’s Knowledge Community for Greek Life is most familiar with the policies and practices of fraternity and sorority membership recruitment, we are writing to request your help.

We are especially concerned over two common selection practices:

1. requiring reference letters in order to receive an invitation to join a greek organization and

2. giving selection preference to legacies.

Because African Americans have been historically excluded from white sororities and fraternities in the South, the probability that an African American rushee is a legacy is miniscule and the network of former African-American greeks from which to request letters of recommendations is almost nonexistent. Moreover, because segregation in the Greek system often mirrors broader societal segregation, qualified African American rushees are often not exposed to white greek alumni who could write them letters of recommendation. Thus, a rather inbred system seems to self-perpetuate.

Interestingly, personnel research demonstrates that recommendations and references are two of the poorest predictors of future performance. Added to the fact that requiring references and giving legacies preference impede the diversification of Greek organizations, we would greatly appreciate efforts of the Knowledge Community for Greek Life to:

* persuade national greek offices to deemphasize or terminate reference requirements

* inform chapter membership chairs that references should be used for introduction purposes only and not to exclude prospective members without references

* encourage national offices to critically examine the impact of giving legacies preference and to adopt appropriate modifications to this practice so that worthy minorities are not denied admission to sororities or fraternities

* work with national greek offices and host institutions in making diversity a genuine priority

* assist in educating alumni in the need for new strategies to attract diverse students.

In preparing students for work environments and societal structures that are increasingly multiracial, multicultural, and international, we feel that membership in diverse organizations in their college experience is essential. We also feel that integrating our Greek system will help minority students realize the equality, dignity, and free choice called for in the moral frameworks shaping our country, states, and university. However, we do not believe that we can achieve a diversity that transcends tokenism and persists over time without your assistance. Through addressing problems with Greek reference systems and systems of legacy preference, we feel that you can play a critical role in helping us write a new chapter in the racial history of our Greek system and university.

Thank you for your attention to these concerns.

Sincerely,

J. Norman Baldwin, Ph.D.
President, Faculty Senate

[James]

Hrmmm.

ITs odd that a University will say that recomendations and legacies should not be a factor in admissions.

Especially since they will not consider your application if you don't have said references and they are much more likely to take legacies.

As for the rest of it. Good luck changing a cultural context that leads to segregation. The Greeks are a product of their culture, they are not initiating it.

[carnation]

We've talked and talked about this issue but I feel like the number of African-Americans in historically white GLOs isn't likely to increase much--almost every AA woman I know has made no secrets of the fact that she wants to be a Delta, AKA, Sigma, or Zeta because that's all she's heard about her whole life.

We have a relatively small number of AA women on our campus and as nationals are starting to come onto the campus, I feel like the woman who's trying to bring her NPHC group will wipe me out if I try to recruit any of them for NPC sororities! She says she has a small enough number to work with anyway but it's complicated by the fact that the women have to be upperclassmen and have a certain GPA. Add to that the fact that so many of the AA women here are music majors and they live for it. Sororities? Who has time? There are 2 fantastic women in my classes whom I'd love to recruit but I've told her about them first because I want to see her dreams of bringing her GLO here realized. If they don't want NPHC, then they're fair game for NPC! Wahahahaha!

[Sistermadly]

I've said this to one of my favourite GCers, but I'l say it here for the first time:

The only way I think that any inroads toward integration of NPC sororities will happen is for NPC sororities to charter chapters at historically black colleges and universities.

Lambda Chi Alpha did it at a university that was once an HBCU but is now in the process of desegregating. Why can't an NPC group colonize at that school as well? I should also add that the school is also in the South...right Tom?

I think it's great that the administration wants to be proactive (ugh, I hate that word), and I think it's great that they realize that the legacy/recommendation presents a particular disadvantage to certain students. However, I think it's going to be quite the uphill battle to get Southern schools to let go of these traditions.

Also - if (white) NPC women see an African American (or Latina, or Indian, or Native American, or Asian) young woman in their community who is an outstanding student, and leader, don't automatically assume that she's "already made up her mind". If you're a teacher, talk to her about your organization. If you know her from church, invite her to your city's alumnae panhellenic information session for high school students. If she needs a mentor, be her mentor. Let her see a different face -- a human face -- of an NPC woman, and you just might change her mind.

The NPHC is a wonderful conference, and there are some truly amazing organizations with rich histories represented there -- but that's not to say that a minority woman isn't interested in an alternative. I was, and I have aunts, cousins, sisters, and nieces who are in NPHC sororities!

The way the system is set up now, it's almost a foregone conclusion that an African American woman will automatically join an NPHC sorority, and therefore, NPC women don't try to win over an excellent candidate. And yes, I know how tough it can be to get someone to change her mind if the NPHC is all she knows -- but I think that you're selling NPC sororities short if you just shrug your shoulders, throw up your hands and say "Oh well!" I'm curious to know, however, why a similar conclusion doesn't seem to be drawn with respect to Latinas, Asian, or Indian women?

It's up to you -- to us -- as NPC members to let minority women know that they are welcome in our organizations. Like adduncan said in another post in a different forum, eventually someone has to be the first person to take a bold step forward.

[sigmadiva]

What I'd love to know is, if a member of ABC sorority from U of Alabama has reservations about admitting a Black member in her chapter, then how does she treat a Black member of her org from another school?

Personally, I think a prolem of why Black women may not join NPC (white) sororities is that from what I could tell at my school NPC groups require a greater financial commitment than NPHC groups. I have White friends in NPC groups who would complain about the cost of living in the house, dues and having to buy a t-shirt for every event. Let's face it, most Black Americans are not receiveing equal pay for equal work as their White counterparts. So, the dollar a Black man brings home must go farther than a White man.

And, it had been said before, a lot of Black women grew up in environments where NPHC sororites have a stong presence. From their start NPHC groups were and still are concerned about improving the Black community. Maybe if ZTA or Phi Mu, for example, were more visible IN the Black community then maybe young Black girls would think, 'Hey, when I go to school, I'm going to join SGR or ZTA. They were both positive women where I live.'

Maybe more Blacks will want to join NPC groups. I can tell you that we have White members in SGR and they are accepted and treated the same. They work just as hard as the Black members and are just as proud as the Black members to be part of our organization. Why? Because in SGR I Am My Sister's Keeper.

[33girl]

Why does it sound to me like this guy calls the McDonald's headquarters and complains when he gets a pickle on his cheeseburger, instead of simply asking the waitress to make it without it?

I'm not sure what to think about someone who believes a huge national system should be completely changed because he believes it will benefit HIS school. Either he has mass delusions of grandeur, or he really hasn't done his homework and has no idea what he is asking, which is worse.

[Sistermadly]

Speaking from what my family members have told me about dues for NPHC and what I know of Alpha Phi's dues, they really aren't that different. Where it differs is at the alumnae level, and my alum dues for Alpha Phi are SIGNIFICANTLY lower than my sister's dues for her sorority.

And while I can't speak on this for certain, if you're an "unhoused" chapter, your dues might be lower than a chapter that has a house. The "sticker shock" involved with looking at NPC dues often comes from the inclusion of room & board. Many women in NPC sororities use financial aid payments to pay for housing, and in many cases, "living in" is cheaper than living in the dorms. And I can't speak for everyone in the NPC, but some organizations have a policy that what you pay up front is what you pay all year - there are no further "assessments" for t-shirts, parties, etc.

I agree with you though - if NPC organizations are really serious about diversity initiatives, then they have to do something to be more visible in minority communities.

[sugar and spice]

Originally posted by Sistermadly
Speaking from what my family members have told me about dues for NPHC and what I know of Alpha Phi's dues, they really aren't that different. Where it differs is at the alumnae level, and my alum dues for Alpha Phi are SIGNIFICANTLY lower than my sister's dues for her sorority.

Well . . . not necessarily.

The thing is, no matter what the national organization charges for dues, that's a much lower sum than the sorority members will actually be charged. Only part of my dues actually go to the national organization -- much of it goes towards my chapter in the form of parlor fees, social fees, etc. etc.

The NPHC groups, which tend to be more service-oriented than social (of course, both NPC and NPHC groups have aspects of both), and who definitely don't go around throwing elaboratetly themed mixers and formals all the time, will have much less in the way of social fees. And you're right, having a house makes a big difference -- and most NPHC groups don't have houses, whereas many NPC groups do.

So price may be a significant factor.

I wish I knew how much NPHC sororities on my campus paid for dues so I could have a basis for comparison.

[Tom Earp]

Kelly, HI! Glad U are still Monitoring! And of course posting!!! Come to Kansas And Live with Me!

James, 2 m's!

sistermadly, thank you! LXA did colonize at a HBC.

I could not agree more thast interaction is the key note of all things!

Brother Rodney (LX Z 251) is Afro-American! I am sure He does not considder himself that way around us! He was just voted in as a Board member of the House Corp! I was seated next to him and my my comment was, well Rodney, I guess I will see more of you now!

It is not about who is what color and to what Org. you are going to belong to because of it but who you feel easy with, The Big Easy!
Thank you all for your posts on this subject!

I hope I did not put a jinx on it as sometimes it seems to happen!

Post away Please!!!! This is what it is all about!

[Munchkin03]

Originally posted by Sistermadly
Speaking from what my family members have told me about dues for NPHC and what I know of Alpha Phi's dues, they really aren't that different. Where it differs is at the alumnae level, and my alum dues for Alpha Phi are SIGNIFICANTLY lower than my sister's dues for her sorority.

Same here. In fact, my NPHC family members pay more at the alumnae level than I do at the collegiate level, living in-house--and that's at the chapter, not national level. When I become alum, my per capita dues paid straight to National will still be less. I'm not sure what it's like at the collegiate level.

NPHC and MCGLO alumnae chapters often will have a large charity ball or formal that could dwarf the social budget of an NPC/NIC chapter.

So, I don't think price makes a difference at all.

What do I think it is? The prominence of the respective groups in the community. I happened to grow up in a community where, through my teachers, I knew which women were Kappa Deltas, which women were Thetas, etc. BUT, most importantly, I knew which women were AKAs and Deltas--and I knew their record of service within the community--something I still have yet to be exposed to among NPC alumnae. Unless it is a special community, not many NPC groups are really working it in the community like NPHC groups are. I think if NPC alumnae groups were to focus on widespread community service like NPHC groups, there would be a lot more interest in general. (Does that make sense?)

I've often wondered that, if there was a way that I could go through Rush at one of the schools that has had racial discrimination controversies, with my record being what it is, if I would be accepted by my own chapter. In some cases, I could probably say no.

[zchi2]

Originally posted by Tom Earp

Brother Rodney (LX Z 251) is Afro-American! I am sure He does not considder himself that way around us! He was just voted in as a Board member of the House Corp! I was seated next to him and my my comment was, well Rodney, I guess I will see more of you now!

Maybe I read your statement wrong, but did you mean he doesn't consider himself BLACK around us? Maybe I missed something, but why would and why should he forget that he is black? Is it something that he should forget? When he is around you all, what does he think he is? White? I'm not trying to jump on you, but I just hate it when people in general say things like "sometimes I forget that 'billy' is black" or "I don't see color." We all see color because that is what the American society is all about. I hope NO ONE forgets that I'm a black women...

I'm sure that I'm reading this statement wrong (hopefully). I just want to understand what you are trying to say.

[sigmagrrl]

I'd like to offer my opinion based on my personal experiences. I found that, as an African American woman who chose to join an NPC, I got more crap and resistance from OTHER AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN than from Caucasians! I was called an Uncle Tom, an Oreo, I was spat at, you name it. So, my thinking is that other African American women might join NPC groups if they didn't fear getting ostracized and harassed. I didn't let it stop me and I wish other women who choose to question another woman's choice would remember that it's really none of their business, to be brutally honest!

[Sistermadly]

Originally posted by Munchkin03
NPHC and MCGLO alumnae chapters often will have a large charity ball or formal that could dwarf the social budget of an NPC/NIC chapter.

Word. My niece was a Sigma Gamma Rho debutante - and while I don't know the price tag for that event, I can tell you that it probably cost more than the annual formal that the collegians put on here.

And let's not forget the Ebony Fashion Fair fashion shows that many NPHC sororities sponsor each year.

I think if NPC alumnae groups were to focus on widespread community service like NPHC groups, there would be a lot more interest in general. (Does that make sense?)

It makes perfect sense. Why can't Alpha Phi and AKA have an "Ivy Awareness" day that focuses on, say, women's cardiac care in minority communities? (that's just an example, but you get the idea)

I've often wondered that, if there was a way that I could go through Rush at one of the schools that has had racial discrimination controversies, with my record being what it is, if I would be accepted by my own chapter. In some cases, I could probably say no.

But you were accepted, right? Isn't that the most important thing?

There are stories here on GreekChat of women (I assume they were white) who didn't get a bid from the sorority they wanted, so they transferred schools and became members a different chapter of the same organization. I personally think it's a silly reason to transfer schools, but hey, why couldn't a woman of colour do the same thing if joining an NPC group was so important to her?

Chapters differ from area to area, and the chapter culture differs from area to area. I'm not saying it's right (cause it isn't), but it's a fact. Unless something is done to change the culture, it's a force to be reckoned with.

[Dionysus]

Originally posted by sigmagrrl
I'd like to offer my opinion based on my personal experiences. I found that, as an African American woman who chose to join an NPC, I got more crap and resistance from OTHER AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN than from Caucasians! I was called an Uncle Tom, an Oreo, I was spat at, you name it. So, my thinking is that other African American women might join NPC groups if they didn't fear getting ostracized and harassed. I didn't let it stop me and I wish other women who chose to question another woman's choice would remember that it's really none of their business, to be brutally honest!

You should've told them that you joined "Sigma" only, they would've ASSumed that you were talking about Sigma Gamma Rho rather than Sigma Sigma Sigma.

[aopinthesky]

I would like to point out that the letter in question came from the Faculty Senate and I do agree that the administration at the University of Alabama has a great interest in the diversification of GLO's. I am not certain, however, how keen the interest in diversification is among the GLO members themselves, and therein lies the rub. I also have the feeling that those GLO's are not particularly interested in being told how to run their organizations by those outside of them.
Mr. Baldwin was incorrect on one point, however. He states that preference is given to legacies. The policy of many NPC organizations is to invite their legacies back to one invitational party - some are not required to even do that. After that, anything goes and the sororities may cut whomever they wish to cut. In addition, I believe that, while many sororities DO require a recommendation in order to offer a bid, they procure those recommendations when they need them. Do either of these things give someone an advantage? Maybe, but then, maybe not.
James, I agree that it is odd that the Faculty Senate would say that legacies and recommendations should not be considered for admission to a GLO, when they most certainly are considered for admission to the University of Alabama.