UK official urges 'segregated' Greeks to cooperate

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by SmartBlondeGPhB

Maybe it's just me but it sure sounds like she wants them all to be overseen by one Council.....

You may be right.

Currently, The University of Kentucky has the Inter-Greek Programming Assembly (IGPA) which regulates and schedules all programming that is sponsored for the UK Greek Community. IGPA also helps to unify the Greek Governing Councils of the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Pan-Hellenic Council (PHC), and the Panhellenic Council (PC). And the IGPA coordinates all joint-programming efforts of IFC, PHC, and PC.

[MrKnowItAll1906]

Originally Posted by TSteven

You may be right.

Currently, The University of Kentucky has the Inter-Greek Programming Assembly (IGPA) which regulates and schedules all programming that is sponsored for the UK Greek Community. IGPA also helps to unify the Greek Governing Councils of the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Pan-Hellenic Council (PHC), and the Panhellenic Council (PC). And the IGPA coordinates all joint-programming efforts of IFC, PHC, and PC.

The IGPA is not effective in anyways to bridge the gap between black and white greeks. Having been a the past president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council at UK and attending some of these meetings, it does not effectively unify anyone. You can put all the flyers you want in a mailbox or even have black greeks do a Greek tour but that still isn't going to get whites to come to black events and vice versa. At the end of the day, the two will always be separated.

I don't necessarily see the separation as a means of color but because the cultures and methods of operation of the two are COMPLETELY different. Our membership intakes is different, our programs are different, our rituals(both secret and non-secret) are different as well as many other things. Because black greeks are smaller in number compared to their white counterparts, blacks greeks are often pressured to assimilate into the practices of white greeks. I can recall many times filling out forms and speaking with Dean West on matters that are not applicable to Black Greeks.

When I was working with Student Affairs to work on a means of bridging a gap, there was so much talk and not enough action. So my fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha (who has been at UK since April 1, 1965) started the Stomp-A-Palooza show as well as ate dinner and many of the white sorority houses. Although all events were successful, yet the seperation still persists. There are numerous white greeks at UK who don't even know that they are historically BGLOs at UK. Like I said before, we have been there since 1965 and Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta (chartered on the same day) have been there since May 9, 1975.

From reading the brief article, I just wonder what means will they try different. The person whom the article opens with is not even Greek so how would she know about issues that are relative to this venture? I am not an advocate of segregation but considering the histories and cultures of the two groups, they should remain separate. I just find it hard to believe that Becky Sue, from a wealthy souther white family will join a historically black sorority who sponsors programs to combat African American Student Rentention; it's simply not going to happen!

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by MrKnowItAll1906

The IGPA is not effective in anyways to bridge the gap between black and white greeks.

Of course not. As I understand it, UK's Inter-Greek Programming Assembly's (IGPA) concept of "helping to unify the councils" has to do with programming and not attempting to bridge any gap between the councils.

IGPA simply serves as a "clearing house" (for lack of a better phrase) for GLO events. So as an example, registering with the IGPA keeps Sigma Chi's Derby Day form being held at the same time as Alpha Phi Alpha's Stomp-A-Palooza or Chi Omega's Greek Sing. Also, the IGPA coordinates "general programs" for the benefit of all the GLOs. For example, these might be alcohol awareness, campus safety or perhaps hazing. Issues that affect any GLO - regardless of the council. Perhaps this is why Ms. Rafiuddin felt a need to develop the Inter Greek Relations Project.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by _Lisa_

This is the point:




Diversity does NOT restrict itself to race only, so saying that even a 100 member chapter is not diverse strictly because the race "breakdown" may not be 50/50, would be untrue.


(And for the record, as if I'm not careful enough to be as specific as possible already, I'm not referring to ANY chapter/school, I'm only referring to UK.)

OK so we know that "diversity" means more than along the lines of race. but in the context of the article, and when talking college politics, we ALL know were talking about race (if not race, class/social status). And to be even more honest, at face value, the primary impression one would get looking for "diversity" when looking at greek orgs is going to be race. No one goes to round robin and says, "Oh wow, XYZ has so many people with different majors, i thought they were all English majors!"

of course we know, for the most part, chapters are going to be diverse along different characteristics. but seeing is believing. if the "diversity" makes itself visible (versus having to look for it) the more likely one could feel comfortable associating with said chapter.

but that's just me.