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If a sorority has a national policy that allows members to wear letters, it is up to the individual to choose if she wants to wear them or not as they please.
I think there are many benefits to a new member wearing Greek letters or at least wearing the letters spelled out in Roman characters. Why? Public Relations. The more the campus sees your letters out in full force, the more your sorority becomes a household name. If members are charged with adhering to high standards of conduct, the name is impressed as being a large group of classy ladies.
I'm pro-letters, however you choose to wear them. I don't really think it is a good idea for pledges to take a vote to forbear, as a majority, from an activity (wearing letters) that they are permitted to partake in as a matter of sorority policy. Are there any sanctions for a new member who wears letters or a laveliere, etc., who doesn't adhere to this rule? If there is no penalty, then it probably isn't a big deal, especially if the campus culture is such... but it is entirely possible for new members to haze fellow new members, so it could be seen as hazing. I say "could be seen," not that it is.
However, you'd be hard pressed to get your nationals to concur if a traveling consultant buzzed through town and spent time with your chapter during the NM period if this was something that was brought to her attention. And having traveled to chapters, I probably would say most would not notice what the NMs not wearing letters b/c it isn't like making them wear ribbons 24/7 or forbidding them from speaking before being spoken to, etc-- things that are obviously hazing. I think taking a new member vote not to wear letters might be viewed as a fuzzy area, but I am pretty sure it would be frowned upon though not necessarily dealt with. The sorority has much bigger fish to fry.
Southern, I'm not condemning your chapter with these thoughts. Just airing general experiences and thoughts.
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Last edited by adpiucf; 09-17-2007 at 05:11 PM.
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