I hope you don't mind me crashing....
I, for one, am all about the freedom of association. I believe that if there is an interest in NIC fraternities (or their peers) to colonize at an HBCU, that's a good thing. Everyone wasn't meant to be an Alpha.
But as someone who has rechartered a chapter of Alpha Phi Omega at an HBCU and a witness to an NIC colonization at another HBCU... I'd like to just say that any organization that targets HBCUs OR that is investigating an interest group at an HBCU must absolutely play close attention to the culture of the school.
I think some HBCUs would be great fits with some NIC organizations. Others would not be.
You've got to KNOW the campus. Are all five NPHC fraternities already on campus and performing well? Is one organization on suspension? Which ones are active?
I think reputation is important. You don't want to be known as the fraternity that popped up because ABC was "off the yard."
Numbers are also important. Are you okay with being a chapter
of ten on a campus of 10,000?
Who are your consultants/field reps? Are they well versed in HBCU culture and traditions? Trust me, sending the black field reps to the HBCU might not work out well if the rep sticks out like a sore thumb culturally. I personally (as a black guy) sometimes find more in common with white farm boys from Nebraska than black suburban guys from Maryland.
Anyway, I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds... I just don't want to see another effort for NIC orgs at HBCUs to fail as miserably as the one I've seen.
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