University of Alabama Recruitment 2007

Gung-Ho-Chi-O · #1 08-27-2007, 12:10 AM

Hello Dgdramadawg!

Ah, the whole "Old Row/New Row" thing...

I think Kappa was just simply left off the list... surely just an oversight! Kappa, although I'm not an alumna, is most definitely Old Row at Alabama!

Even though a previous poster said Old Row was a matter of longevity on campus -- please don't take this as me being snarky -- I believe Old Row is more a matter of "social distinction."

In my day, Alpha Chi Omega & Phi Mu were either "in" or "out" (I sound like Heidi Klum) of Old Row based on their favor with the "machine."

For instance, I have heard Phi Mu backed its own candidate for a machine-related position & the next year they were not invited to Lake Party... so they were not "On Old Row" that year. (Didn't this involve Minda Riley, a cross burning and CNN? Don't ask me for details... google it!)

I'm trying to be lighthearted about this, and I think maybe we should stop the discussion regarding old vs new row. Even though it is uniquely Alabama, it can also be a devisive issue since some folks also call it "top five" which obviously leaves a good many out...

Let's focus on positive on the forum, eh?

dgdramadawg · #2 08-27-2007, 07:19 AM

Thanks for explaining, Gung Ho Chi O!

Gung-Ho-Chi-O · #3 08-27-2007, 07:31 AM

No problem dgdramadawg :-) Hope you're having a wonderful morning! By the way, I think your school has a BEAUTIFUL campus!!!

magnoliacurious · #4 08-27-2007, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gung-Ho-Chi-O

Hello Dgdramadawg!

Ah, the whole "Old Row/New Row" thing...

I think Kappa was just simply left off the list... surely just an oversight! Kappa, although I'm not an alumna, is most definitely Old Row at Alabama!

Even though a previous poster said Old Row was a matter of longevity on campus -- please don't take this as me being snarky -- I believe Old Row is more a matter of "social distinction."

In my day, Alpha Chi Omega & Phi Mu were either "in" or "out" (I sound like Heidi Klum) of Old Row based on their favor with the "machine."

For instance, I have heard Phi Mu backed its own candidate for a machine-related position & the next year they were not invited to Lake Party... so they were not "On Old Row" that year. (Didn't this involve Minda Riley, a cross burning and CNN? Don't ask me for details... google it!)

I'm trying to be lighthearted about this, and I think maybe we should stop the discussion regarding old vs new row. Even though it is uniquely Alabama, it can also be a devisive issue since some folks also call it "top five" which obviously leaves a good many out...

Let's focus on positive on the forum, eh?

I remember visiting Alabama the week before the 93' Tennessee game, and was talking to some student who worked at a campus bookstore about the Minda Riley incident, and I remember him saying (apparently trying to discredit her) "her own sorority sisters didn't back her, they backed the machine." Also, I remember reading about the same thing in an archived news article. For what that's worth.

magnoliacurious · #5 08-27-2007, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magnoliacurious

I remember visiting Alabama the week before the 93' Tennessee game, and was talking to some student who worked at a campus bookstore about the Minda Riley incident, and I remember him saying (apparently trying to discredit her) "her own sorority sisters didn't back her, they backed the machine." Also, I remember reading about the same thing in an archived news article. For what that's worth.

Oh, I definitely agree that it's good to focus on the positive on this board, sorry if what I just posted took away from that, just got up and haven't gotten down my morning coffee, just trying to be informative; didn't think it all the way through!

Football Fan · #6 08-27-2007, 03:19 PM

Magnoliacurious,
For those of us not familiar with Greek life at Alabama please explain what is "The Machine".

Fleur de Lis · #7 08-27-2007, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Football Fan

For those of us not familiar with Greek life at Alabama please explain what is "The Machine".

I was curious about "the machine" as well so I googled it. Here is an informative link on wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Machine

BabyPiNK_FL · #8 08-27-2007, 03:53 PM

I just read the wikipedia article after googling Minda Riley. I have never been so disgusted by college activities in my life. All the racial tensions and exclusion sounds plain awful. I can't believe people put so much effort into controlling other people. I know that everything is calculated in greek life, but that is just extreme.

triplefigs · #9 08-27-2007, 04:56 PM

I was a student at Bama from 1987-1992 when all of the BIG Machine stuff happened (Bama Bino, Minda Riley). That article doesn't even begin to touch on what was happening at Bama.

kk_bama · #10 08-27-2007, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gung-Ho-Chi-O

Hello Dgdramadawg!

Ah, the whole "Old Row/New Row" thing...

I think Kappa was just simply left off the list... surely just an oversight! Kappa, although I'm not an alumna, is most definitely Old Row at Alabama!

Even though a previous poster said Old Row was a matter of longevity on campus -- please don't take this as me being snarky -- I believe Old Row is more a matter of "social distinction."

In my day, Alpha Chi Omega & Phi Mu were either "in" or "out" (I sound like Heidi Klum) of Old Row based on their favor with the "machine."

For instance, I have heard Phi Mu backed its own candidate for a machine-related position & the next year they were not invited to Lake Party... so they were not "On Old Row" that year. (Didn't this involve Minda Riley, a cross burning and CNN? Don't ask me for details... google it!)

I'm trying to be lighthearted about this, and I think maybe we should stop the discussion regarding old vs new row. Even though it is uniquely Alabama, it can also be a devisive issue since some folks also call it "top five" which obviously leaves a good many out...

Let's focus on positive on the forum, eh?

Yes, Gung Ho Chi O is definitely correct on all this. This explains why some of the older chapters are not Old Row, even though technically they could be.

But let's make it very clear that a member of a non-Old Row sorority or fraternity can have just as much of a fun and positive experience as those who are on Old Row. I mentioned in another thread that Old Row has maybe one or two functions of their own per year, which doesn't really make all that much difference.

bamabelle99 · #11 08-27-2007, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gung-Ho-Chi-O

Hello Dgdramadawg!

Ah, the whole "Old Row/New Row" thing...

I think Kappa was just simply left off the list... surely just an oversight! Kappa, although I'm not an alumna, is most definitely Old Row at Alabama!

Even though a previous poster said Old Row was a matter of longevity on campus -- please don't take this as me being snarky -- I believe Old Row is more a matter of "social distinction."

In my day, Alpha Chi Omega & Phi Mu were either "in" or "out" (I sound like Heidi Klum) of Old Row based on their favor with the "machine."

For instance, I have heard Phi Mu backed its own candidate for a machine-related position & the next year they were not invited to Lake Party... so they were not "On Old Row" that year. (Didn't this involve Minda Riley, a cross burning and CNN? Don't ask me for details... google it!)

I'm trying to be lighthearted about this, and I think maybe we should stop the discussion regarding old vs new row. Even though it is uniquely Alabama, it can also be a devisive issue since some folks also call it "top five" which obviously leaves a good many out...

Let's focus on positive on the forum, eh?

Phi Mu joined late 90's...

Old Row/New Row, at least in my opinion, doesn't really matter...It's supposed to be the oldest houses on campus, but there are new row sororities that were there before some old row and blah, blah, blah. I was new row and had good friends that were old row and dated some old row. Big deal...

Essentially, they pay a little extra a semester for two additional parties a year (from what I understand). I was in school 10 years ago, so things could be different now. Yes, there was the 'social distinction', but I don't think that it's as big a deal as it was 20 years ago.

Old Row doens't necessarily make a you a machine member...that membership is made up of old row and new row houses.