Has the NPHC lost it's focus?

[PrettyKitty]

I was reading Soror Shelacious' post on the APA board and I believe she raised some excellent points that got me to wondering about the focus of the NPHC...

I do agree with you. In my candid opinion, the NPHC is possibly about unification on a global level, but the NPHC has little to do with how members of the NPHC relate to one another on their campus or in the smaller community. What I have noticed is that most BGL folks DO have defined very real prejudices about other organizations--not about a specific chapter, but about the ENTIRE ORGANIZATION. As such, seems to me that it makes it difficult to have empathy about your fellow BGL member or your fellow BGL organization if you could "never see yourself in that organization" or you would " die before you joined XYZ" or you think that "XYZs are ghetto, stupid, country, weak, stuck-up, fat, sorry, skaters". If I truly felt that way about AKA, for example, why would I EVER want to work with or even have any sort of relationship with a vast majority of its members???? I certainly would have no desire to work with people in a volunteer capacity that I will not get along with, won't like and think of as "less" than myself.


BGL members have created an environment on some campuses and in some communities that run counter to the messages espoused by the NPHC. We like our organizations autocratic, and we like to create our own programs and processes outside of the NPHC to more clearly outline the differences between the organizations. We know that all of our organizations were founded under similar principles (the party line), but we also know that it is our DIFFERENCES that enable guy Friday or girl Tuesday to select ABC over XYZ. This environment has been around for so many years and so many generations, that I don't know if it will ever be overshadowed by the unifying concept of the NPHC (the NPC has done a much better job of this, but with some loss of organizational individuality). The solution: well, there are several, but they involve a radical thought process changes or tragic events within the NPHC, which I'm not sure I even buy into.

Has the NPHC failed b/c we have failed to fix this environment that has created a "division is better than unity" mentality?

[DOVE1920]

The purpose of the NPHC is to create "unanimity of thought, action and mutual interest ". I don't this has happened and am not sure if it ever will. For some Greeks, their organization is their life and they are not willing to step outside of their (insert two colors here) box and work with other organizations to achieve a common goal.
I'm guessing that the reason that our orgs are so divided is because some were created in response or rejection to those that preceeded. How can you unify with something you don't agree with??

[Zetaphied]

There are folks out there who have more loyalty to their chapter than to their organization as a whole to even think about unifying in any way. Folks have a problem unifying within their own orgs, how are they ever suppose to unify globally with others outside their org. Yes you will find campuses where the greeks have mutual respect for each other and work well together, but still too many people walk around with that "Our Kind of People" attitude. There is far too much disrespect, belittling, and animosity amongst indivduals. The relationship between orgs differs from school to school and state to state, I don't believe the purpose of NPHC will ever truely be acheived. The few NPHC meetings I've attended, as a member of a grad chapter, I still see folks walking around with that better than thou attitude. I think it's human nature for the "perceived" big man to try and step on the "perceived" little man. You can see it in all aspects of life, not just greek. We have much work to do in terms of unifying as a Black people first and foremost, so we can't really expect to see such unification in smaller arenas such as the greek world. In some ways the greeks world is a smaller representation of the bigger picture.

[lifetime]

Well, I believe that part of the division that is occuring is due to the way in which the organizations themselves have changed. Unfortunately, at least from what I've seen, people are joining these organizations with superficial reasons. Superficial reasons support certain stereotypes and people focused on actually uplifting the community are turned away. However I must say that my campus has relatively good Greek unity. All BGLO on campus have their certain stereotypes and most members (not all) will fit into that due to the simple fact that like minded individuals stay together. Yet when one overlooks those little differences and returns to the true purpose for these organizations unity occurs and change happens.

[ladygreek]

The NPHC was formed by the then existing orgs, not the other way around. Each org has complete autonomy and does not "report" to the NPHC. If the orgs decided tomorrow that there is no reason for the NPHC it would cease to exist.

So to ask if the NPHC has lost focus is moot. Because its focus is what the member orgs say it should be, and that will vary from time to time.

In reality it is the council of presidents of the NPHC that decide what policies we should all adopt. And there have been very few of those--MIP, the Nike lawsuit, etc. And even then each org was able to determine if they would follow the "NPHC stance" or not.

So very honestly, since the NPHC has no governing power over its members it can't lose focus. This is why in many areas there are no NPHCs. It can't be mandated.

When we had it here in MN, the sole purpose was to avoid scheduling conflicts of special events, and to have unity events. Once a particular frat's president became pres of the local council and tried to run it as if he was the "boss" of all the members folx dropped out and it is now defunct.