National umbrella organizations--Did you know..?

[Gusteau]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Here are a few threads on it:

Phi Delta Theta & Kappa Sigma Withdrawal from NIC (Official Phi Delt Statement)

Phi Delta Theta No Longer NIC?

Reason for Dropping from NIC

First post in the first thread contains Phi Delta Theta's official statement and outlines the reasons it withdrew. An excerpt:

Phi Delta Theta has been concerned about the focus and direction of the NIC for more than six years. Specifically, we feel that the main focus of the NIC should be to provide services to its member organizations, rather than to individual undergraduates. Over the last decade, NIC has created several outstanding educational and leadership programs such as the Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute (UIFI), IMPACT and Futures Quest which generate substantial revenue for NIC. Unfortunately, as these programs have grown in scope and revenue production, they have become the primary focus of the NIC staff's activities. We feel that the NIC should primarily focus its attention on representing the fraternity movement and acting as an advocate for its member fraternities with university administrators, government, the media, and the general public.

I think Kappa Sig's reasons were similar.

It should also be noted that it costs a good deal of money to be a member of the NIC. The cost is based on how many chapters you have. Ultimately these groups probably didn't feel like it was worth the investment.

I'm curious to see if either group looks to come back to the NIC now that it seems they're balancing their focus (i.e. being more vocal advocates for open expansion and in opposition to deferred recruitment).

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Gusteau

It should also be noted that it costs a good deal of money to be a member of the NIC. The cost is based on how many chapters you have.

Yep. It's my understanding that's one of the reasons (though not the only one) that we haven't sought membership in the NIC. With 242 active chapters (as of the last count I have), we'd be one of the largest fraternities in the NIC (chapter-wise, though not collegiate member-wise, as our chapters tend to be smaller) and the cost would be very high.

I'm curious to see if either group looks to come back to the NIC now that it seems they're balancing their focus (i.e. being more vocal advocates for open expansion and in opposition to deferred recruitment).

If you look back over the history of the NIC, there's actually quite a bit of fraternities withdrawing and (usually) coming back eventually.

[badgeguy]

One of the things KSig was concerned about, among others, was that there seems to be a movement coming with trying to eliminate pledge periods and having immediate initiations, it was based on some schools trying to eliminate hazing and forcing fraternities to not have the opportunity to haze pledges and just have all persons members. At the time of the shift NIC was considering such legislations and working with schools who wanted to do this.

I do not however know if anything resulted in this at any schools or if the NIC ever eliminated pledge periods or not.

I do know that at the end of my college life in the 1990s, our pledges had 60 days to be initiated. It was becoming a real hot issue with chapters, especially the older ones.

BG

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by badgeguy

One of the things KSig was concerned about, among others, was that there seems to be a movement coming with trying to eliminate pledge periods and having immediate initiations, it was based on some schools trying to eliminate hazing and forcing fraternities to not have the opportunity to haze pledges and just have all persons members. At the time of the shift NIC was considering such legislations and working with schools who wanted to do this.

I do not however know if anything resulted in this at any schools or if the NIC ever eliminated pledge periods or not.

I do know that at the end of my college life in the 1990s, our pledges had 60 days to be initiated. It was becoming a real hot issue with chapters, especially the older ones.

BG

NIC doesn't dictate what we do. It's not a governing body. That said, I'll bet those policies are something our insurers might have been pursuing through an umbrella like the NIC.