Any LGLO members ever left your region?

[Monarca7]

I’m a northeasterner and I been living in Texas for a bit. I am trying to start a chapter here of my Fraternity and I got to thinking…What are some of the differences of LGLO’s here in Texas or on the West Coast for that matter when compared to the ones on the East coast. Like LGLO culture if that even exists. If anyone has ever traveled around to all these areas that would be cool. I have spoken o my brothers here but they only offer one perspective, so how bout it?

[knight_shadow]

The main difference I've noticed is this -- the NE has SEVERAL LGLOs, so there are multiples to choose from in the area. In Texas, there are a few organzations that pretty much saturate the state, so it's typically harder for other organizations to come onto campuses.

[Monarca7]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

The main difference I've noticed is this -- the NE has SEVERAL LGLOs, so there are multiples to choose from in the area. In Texas, there are a few organzations that pretty much saturate the state, so it's typically harder for other organizations to come onto campuses.

True, I noticed the same but how about how the orgs interact with each other?

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by Monarca7

True, I noticed the same but how about how the orgs interact with each other?

I think it's pretty standard across the board. Undergrads will make the "rivalries" more serious than they really are. Many of the (active) alums are more interested in having civil relationships with other LGLO leaders.

I've noticed that the NE has more NALFO/LGLO Unity functions (picnics, service initiatives) than Texas. Down here, events like these are more likely to be between members of "brother/sister" organizations (ex. SLB/SLG Picnic, LTPhi/LTA Blood Drive, etc).

[Monarca7]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I think it's pretty standard across the board. Undergrads will make the "rivalries" more serious than they really are. Many of the (active) alums are more interested in having civil relationships with other LGLO leaders.

I've noticed that the NE has more NALFO/LGLO Unity functions (picnics, service initiatives) than Texas. Down here, events like these are more likely to be between members of "brother/sister" organizations (ex. SLB/SLG Picnic, LTPhi/LTA Blood Drive, etc).

Yeah, I guess thats true I wonder how things are in Cali. I visted there a bunch of times for personal matters (I love Cali btw) but since we do not have any chapters there I didnt really interact with greek life much.

[knight_shadow]

I believe that there are more multicultural orgs (Lambda Sigma Gamma, etc) in Cali. I'm not sure how the LGLOs interact.

[LatinaAlumna]

In my experience as a Californian in a LGLO, I think the whole "rivalry" thing between the orgs is less intense than what I hear goes on in the NE. With the exception of a few campuses, you will see maybe 3-4 LGLOs max at one institution (with a few multicultural-founded orgs in the mix, as knight_shadow mentioned). When orgs. join together for service or social functions, the "usual suspects" often team up (meaning, those with historical ties), or sometimes collaboration happens simply because several members of one sorority are dating members of one fraternity (but this is the case for many GLOs).

In terms of "culture," I believe that the west-coast founded orgs. have more of an underground process than the east-coast founded orgs. You generally will never see a west-coast founded org. marching, etc. (in my opinion, due to the low tolerance that many CA institutions have for pledging in the first place). I see this need for some of the east-coast sororities to have their pledges "look hard" at all times--with no make-up, hair back, hoodies on, baggy clothing. I have never seen this with west-coast and Texas-founded Latina sororities (a "polished" or more feminine look for pledges seems to be preferred). Also, the whole "coming out" or "probate" activity was non-existent in CA until some of the east-coast founded orgs established themselves here.

There is certainly a difference in demographics--you will find more Chicanos/as and Mexicanos/as in west-coast founded LGLOs than you will in the NE founded orgs, and this can impact programming and traditions in various ways.

[Monarca7]

So is the marching and all that something orgs out in Cali do just not in Public or is it just mostly for the east coast orgs out there? BTW what East coast org are out there, if you know?

[LatinaAlumna]

Well, I can't publicly speak to whether my organization or any other west-coast founded organization marches, etc. in their closed sessions. But generally, I believe the west-coast founded orgs have the philosophy that the pledge education process is a private thing, and should not be viewed by the public.

In terms of the east-coast founded orgs that have emerged in CA, I know of chapters of the following:

Lambda Theta Phi
Lambda Theta Alpha
Omega Phi Beta
Sigma Iota Alpha
Lambda Upsilon Lambda

Lambda Theta Phi and Lambda Theta Alpha have a number of chapters throughout CA, but I only know of 1 chapter each of OPB, SIA, and LUL.


Edited to Add: Hey, that was my 1,000th post! Took me 11 years, LOL!

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by LatinaAlumna

Edited to Add: Hey, that was my 1,000th post! Took me 11 years, LOL!

Congrats! It was a good one, too!

[LatinaAlumna]

Haha, thanks! Yes, I'm glad that milestone wasn't wasted on a worthless thread.

[Monarca7]

Congratz!!! On your 1000th! See the school I went to had a completely open campus so it was not a rarity to orgs in uniform marching to campus. Since I moved down south what LatinaAlumna said is holds true . A probate or coming out show has a completely different view and premise here as compare to the East coast. So I would imagine in the west it would have yet a another different look

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by LatinaAlumna

Well, I can't publicly speak to whether my organization or any other west-coast founded organization marches, etc. in their closed sessions. But generally, I believe the west-coast founded orgs have the philosophy that the pledge education process is a private thing, and should not be viewed by the public.

Originally Posted by Monarca7

See the school I went to had a completely open campus so it was not a rarity to orgs in uniform marching to campus. Since I moved down south what LatinaAlumna said is holds true . A probate or coming out show has a completely different view and premise here as compare to the East coast. So I would imagine in the west it would have yet a another different look

While Theta Nu Xi is not a Latina sorority, I can echo the differences in how pledging is viewed across different regions. Theta Nu Xi was founded in the south and our intake process is private until the neos come out. Up here in the northeast, many of the cultural orgs don't know how to deal with a private process. They don't understand the concept.

Regardless, Theta Nu Xi's intake process is private no matter what campus we're on. Personally, I prefer privacy. I don't want to ever hear my undergraduates talking publicly about their process. It's too easy to get drawn into a conversation about how "hard" they pledged and nothing good ever comes out of that.

[Monarca7]

Speaking strictly from my experience I whole heatedly enjoyed my open campus. I feel it fostered a lot of Greek unity. Plus it was quite impressing at Greek Unity events to see an LSU line a Mu line LTA line, LTO line, LTphi line, OPC class, a PSP line, and a CUS line either standing next to each other or at least in the same room. It gave a real aura of diversity of choice but at the same time a real sense of unity (not sure why). Rarely was there really much discussion of who pledged harder. Again my personal experience only.

[Monarca7]

Originally Posted by Monarca7

S Rarely was there really much discussion of who pledged harder. Again my personal experience only.

Again this is not to say it never happened...just not around me