Your thoughts on AI: discussion goes here.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

I am going to make the following assumptions:

1. AI is a good thing when done properly, i.e. a woman is invited by women in a sorority to pursue membership.

2. Most women in sororities know nothing about AI.

Therefore, I think that eliminating the forum entirely eliminates a tool for raising awareness AMONG EXISTING SORORITY MEMBERS.

I support PT's suggestion to post the sticky and delete anything that sounds like sorority shopping.

[adpiucf]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Therefore, I think that eliminating the forum entirely eliminates a tool for raising awareness AMONG EXISTING SORORITY MEMBERS.

Let the sororities educate their members, then. GC isn't a PR tool for NPC sorority Grand Councils.

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

Let the sororities educate their members, then. GC isn't a PR tool for NPC sorority Grand Councils.

I agree.

Since each sorority handles it differently, it makes sense for each sorority to teach their own members how it works in their sororities.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by adpiucf

Let the sororities educate their members, then. GC isn't a PR tool for NPC sorority Grand Councils.

AMEN.

[blueangel]

One point that bothers me is the assumption being made that women interested in becoming a member of a sorority following college automatically know the proper protocol.. they often don't.

Please keep in mind-- all of you posting your concerns about this forum are involved in the Greek system. Most of you understand what is proper and what isn't as far as AI in your individual GLOs.

The premise that someone who wishes to belong to a sorority should make friends with someone else in a sorority is not always realistic. In my geographical area, sororities are virtually unknown. I have no family members who have ever been involved in the Greek system, nor do I know anyone at all (except one D9 woman who I work with, and one friend who I recently discovered is an alumna from a local) who is in a GLO. So.. who would I ask my questions of? If I lived in the south where GLOs are more common than not.. sure.. no problem. But I don't. And neither do a good portion of the population.

That's why I came to Greek Chat. After my paperwork had begun.. and had stalled.. I searched and searched and searched on the internet for some info about the process. I was absolutely delighted to find somewhere I could read about other women's experiences.

From these posts, I learned it was not uncommon for AI to take a very long time after the paperwork had been submitted. I also felt comfortable enough to PM some of the women here who wrote about their journey. They were extremely friendly and helpful... and got me in touch with people who could help.

Further, I now know of two women who had connections with their GLOs in college (one had received a bid but had to turn it down for financial reasons, the other had more vague ties). Both women learned through reading about experiences of people here, that it was a possible to reconnect with their GLO and become an initiated member.. although that possibility was remote. Both pursued it, and both are initiated members today.

If women ask naive questions on this forum.. so what? Let's try to help answer them... If they are going about it the wrong way.. what's so wrong with telling them that in a kind way? And.. if they think AI is easy, again.. what's wrong with helping them understand how difficult and rare it is? I make those comments with the caveat that we have no right to judge who is or is not "right" for AI.. it is up to the GLO's headquarters and the local alumnae group to decide.

One worry that was expressed is that the existence of this forum would "cheapen" AI by leading women to believe it's an easy process. I disagree! I think it's the opposite! I think that anyone reading this forum, and the many stories.. would see how difficult it is. There are also many PNAIs who posted their stories and were unsuccessful. And, of course. .there have been warnings by GC members to PNAIs telling them how rare it is.

And finally, I want to reiterate my point that this board is not encouraging swarms of PNAIs. In the grand scheme of things.. there have only been a handful or so in the last year!

Sure, it would be great if everyone interested in joining a sorority later in life had a crystal ball. But the fact is, they don't.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by blueangel

The premise that someone who wishes to belong to a sorority should make friends with someone else in a sorority is not always realistic. In my geographical area, sororities are virtually unknown. I have no family members who have ever been involved in the Greek system, nor do I know anyone at all (except one D9 woman who I work with, and one friend who I recently discovered is an alumna from a local) who is in a GLO. So.. who would I ask my questions of? If I lived in the south where GLOs are more common than not.. sure.. no problem. But I don't. And neither do a good portion of the population.

But then I have to ask...WHY A SORORITY???

I know this is another horse that's been beaten to death, but if there's not much Greek activity in a PNAI's area, why not get involved in something that IS active??

[blueangel]

Why a sorority? Because there are alumnae chapters. Yes, mine is far away... I drive between an hour to two hours for activities.. but well worth it.

[tunatartare]

ZTA has like 4 or 5 chapters where you live and yet there is no close alumnae chapter?

[ReachTheLimit]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

But then I have to ask...WHY A SORORITY???

I know this is another horse that's been beaten to death, but if there's not much Greek activity in a PNAI's area, why not get involved in something that IS active??

That's a very easy question, because they work drastically different than any other women's organization that has national and international ties, and it's an organization for life.

I can't think of any other women's groups who are the same, and are ritual based...ritual is what makes the group special and bonds the entire organization.

Any other women's organization that I can think of are available any female who is sober enough to show up and pay dues and have members that constantly drop out and then pop back up. What is special about that? Nothing.

[PenguinTrax]

You can find ritual in a church, in Masonic organizations, in non-collegiate service sororities. Ritual does not make an organization special - people and how much work they put into the organization do. While it is nice to share ritual, as an alumna (and this has been stated MANY times before) you may only experience ritual once a year, if that. It is not something that is talked about on a regular basis in the alumnae chapter.

What matters is finding a common interest and friends with which to share those interests. Not all my sisters are my friends - I think that is true for everyone here. I belong to many different organizations - some GLO, some not. I have close friends and meaningful bonds with all these groups, whether we share a ritual or not.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by ReachTheLimit

That's a very easy question, because they work drastically different than any other women's organization that has national and international ties, and it's an organization for life.

I can't think of any other women's groups who are the same, and are ritual based...ritual is what makes the group special and bonds the entire organization.

Any other women's organization that I can think of are available any female who is sober enough to show up and pay dues and have members that constantly drop out and then pop back up. What is special about that? Nothing.

But that's exactly what we're trying to tell PNAI's. Yes, ritual makes sororities special, but as an Alum, you MAY participate in ONE OR TWO rituals a year, if that, and that's if you happen to be in an active Alum chapter or are an active adviser.

And within sorority Alum chapters, you constantly have fluctuating membership. People show up or not all the time. There's not some special OMG I HAVE TO GO BECAUSE I'M A MEMBER FOR LIFE thing that keeps Alum chapters running.