Pledge Manual, Public or Private?

[naraht]

Is the Pledge Manual for your GLO public or private?

For Alpha Phi Omega, it's public, to the point where the PDF of the pledge manual is available in the Publication and Forms section of the National website.

In the years before the National website, I ran into a few APO brothers who were horrified that the fraternity included a pledge manual in the packet that we sent to school administrators about the Fraternity...

[moe.ron]

public, nothing but general info with cool house pictures

[MysticCat]

Ours is public. I'm not sure I've ever heard of any group with a private one. These days, lots of groups have their pledge manuals online.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Ours is public. I'm not sure I've ever heard of any group with a private one. These days, lots of groups have their pledge manuals online.

Ours is private. Many of the newer organizations tend to keep theirs private.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Ours is private. Many of the newer organizations tend to keep theirs private.

I didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

I know that with LGLOs, there's a LOT of overlap and instances of founderitis. If policies and manuals were available online, I think that we would have even more organizations being formed.

[jennyj87]

98% sure its private. I've searched our "deltas only" site and its not there so. Its part of our ritual book.

[Senusret I]

The materials given to men participating in the APhiA intake process are not available publicly.

They are not esoteric, just not necessary until you reach that point.

[lovespink88]

I guess our pledge manual is our "Bonds of Sisterhood" book. It's public!

ETA: I would have thought that most pledge manuals would be public too, just because you don't want to give something out that may contain private information to non-initiated members who still have the opportunity to depledge.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Most of the information in the Tablet can be found on the website and I know the Tablet itself is considered public knowledge.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by HuskyAlum

Well, we no longer have a NEW MEMBER manual... it's now a website (and in-line with Pink Goes Green)!!

Delta Zeta, right?

I know lots of groups wouldn't call it a "pledge" manual. I figure that naraht knew we would all know what he meant, and it's easier than "pledge/new member/probationary member/associate member/candidate/whatever-else-you-might-call-them manual." (Although these days, I think many groups just refer to them as "member handbooks" or the like.)

[naraht]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Delta Zeta, right?

I know lots of groups wouldn't call it a "pledge" manual. I figure that naraht knew we would all know what he meant, and it's easier than "pledge/new member/probationary member/associate member/candidate/whatever-else-you-might-call-them manual." (Although these days, I think many groups just refer to them as "member handbooks" or the like.)

The sad thing is that I can *almost* see some fraternity or sorority calling them "whatever-else-you-might-call-them".

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by naraht

The sad thing is that I can *almost* see some fraternity or sorority calling them "whatever-else-you-might-call-them".

"Hey you"?

It brings to mind this thread: What do you call your pledges?

[LatinaAlumna]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Ours is private.

Our materials are private, too.

[pshsx1]

moe.ron already answered for our org.

And when my roommate was pledging Sigma Pi, he has a binder full of private info and a black book (which I guess was the pledge manual?) that didn't contain private info, but they weren't supposed to let other people get it.