Duke University Sorority Article

[ThetaDancer]

Originally Posted by Janerz222

-I'm willing to wager that this author's organization has/participates in a lot of what she thinks is missing. She can wait for someone to come knock her over the head with "opportunities", or she could spend a few minutes of inquiry and find a lot of them are there for her and her fellow Dukies. (She is not by any means alone in this regard.)

-as my biological sister (a longtime Duke GLO alumna) said upon reading this article: "You ARE the sorority, girlfriend. So get to it."

-I am speculating here, and may be off base in this particular case, but I'm going there anyway:

For a long time, I have sensed that many of our NPC chapters at prestigious universities consider themselves above our inter/national organizations, and therefore they ignore/do not fully participate in what the larger organization offers. There's a bit of embarrassment at being a sorority member. So to assuage that and to make themselves feel more justified that they haven't sold out, they convince themselves that "it's different at Duke/Princeton/Stanford". (Note, I'm not throwing stones at glass houses--this most certainly applies to my alma mater/college chapter and to myself to some extent during my own college days.)

By belittling your ties to and the value of the inter/national organization, you can have your cake (3-4 years of fun) and eat it too (ignore the ritual/restrictions/hard work/alumnae involvement).

Imagine how much more we could accomplish if that energy was spent on strengthening the areas our of GLOs that they see as lacking! As an exception to the norm (an actively participating alumna from my chapter), that's the tack I've taken, and I wish I had more company.

You can complain about it, or you can do something about it. I agree that the former is much easier (and makes for more juicy journalism and more hits on your webpage). However, two of the lessons I've learned from being an NPC woman are that you can only change an organization from within, and that women make fabulous agents of purposeful change.

Exactly! I think you hit the nail on the head with this one.

[KDAngel]

The article doesn't bother me whatsoever. I think it's safe to say some nationals do a lot more for their chapters than others. Additionally, some national officers see some of them their chapters are more or less self-sufficient and kind of let them do their own thing. I think a lot of time, women feel lost in the mix of it all. And while I think the problem should be remedied, I don't think there's anything wrong with saying how you feel.

[Tom Earp]

While I cannot speak for the Sororities, I know there was a problem within LXA concerning what was being done for Alumni except for asking for money.

Everything was aimed toward the active chapters only. Wirh enough alums complaining there ahs been a turn a round by IHQ.

There is more emphasis being placed on the alumni for a change to keep us involved. I feel they still could do more with the many hours, time and money spent by us.

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

if this young woman is looking for more professional guidance, she should join the journalism club or the greek letter equivalent. that is the purpose of a professional organization. social organizations are just that-organizations that enhance the social aspects of college, and hopefully help make the member a more well rounded individual.

Originally Posted by 33girl

I did NOT join a sorority for "political mobilization" - I grew up with that. If I want to be involved politically, I know where to go. I didn't join for "networking" either. I joined for friends and fun that I'm still having 20 years later.

Thank y'all for saying this. I so agree with both statements.

I would just add that social (general) fraternities and sororities should first be - gasp - social in nature. And that by joining a social fraternity or sorority, you simply have widened your social circle. Further more, just like the rest of society, you have the opportunity to use your social contacts (including, but not limited to your GLO) to better yourself. As it has been said so many times before, "you get out of your GLO what you put into it".