Multi Org'ed

I have no problem with people being in multiple organizations. I"m in a service and an academic one. In my chapter I don't think anyone does either. However, we once had a pledge who was in another social group...it was a Latin one...and he would ALWAYS wear his other letters to our chapter meetings while he was pledging. Can't say I was a fan of that.

[emb021]

Originally Posted by ErinKathleenNJ

I have no problem with people being in multiple organizations. I"m in a service and an academic one. In my chapter I don't think anyone does either. However, we once had a pledge who was in another social group...it was a Latin one...and he would ALWAYS wear his other letters to our chapter meetings while he was pledging. Can't say I was a fan of that.

Well, see, that the thing.

No one should have an issue with members being involved in multiple orgs. Heck, in the early issues of our National Magazine, this was something we were proud of and even listed all the other groups our members were also part of.

The instance you give is similiar to what others see and annoyies many. Too often, especially some of those in social GLOs, seem to take the attitude that one can only 'truly' be part of (loyal to) one organization. Or many times, they can't seem to balance their involvement with more then one group. This leads to them ALWAYS doing stuff with their social GLO whenever there is a choice between doing things with their social or with APO.

On one of the main discussion areas of greekchat, this general topic has come up in the past several times. There seems to be an attitude amoung some social GLO members that they can 'truly' be part of (or loyal to) only one org. And for them, its their social. They can't seem to grasp the idea that one CAN be part of several different group, and be active (loyal) to all of them. I have always viewed this as a limiting view and have never understood it. If you look at people from our parents generation, many of them, both in college and afterwards, were involved with several different groups. Each met certain 'needs' for them, and many felt it important for making connections with different groups of people.

I always look back at my parents. My dad is a member of a social and two professional fraternities (business and law) in college. For all I know, he was probably involved in other groups there as well. After college, he was active as an Elk, Optimist, and Rotarian (even being an officer in several of these groups at different times), as well as being a member of a country club and sailing/yacht club, and probably a few others. I am sure many of these groups he join for their networking/connections, etc., but these were only some of the reasons.

I'm involved in several other groups, and if you look at many of our national officers, the same is true to them. As I mentioned, I have yet to figure out the original of this 'you can be in only one' attitude that too many GLO members have.

This guy was not loyal to APO at all. He only pledged because his big from the organization was also a member of the organization. I think that if you are a pledge you should try to show enthusiasm towards the organization you are trying to join. In my opionion he took advantage of the fact that we let anyone join if they want. He was a serious case.

You may be a member of mulitple orgs and be equally loyal to all of them, but this is NOT the norm at all. If you can do it, beautiful, but this is not how it is normally in our generation...

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by ErinKathleenNJ

I think that if you are a pledge you should try to show enthusiasm towards the organization you are trying to join. .

This sounds SO familiar...... is it part of some sort of national policy or standards?

I totally agree, btw.

And I think I am loyal to both my orgs, sometimes moreso to APO because it's cheaper, LOL

I don't know if it is written down anywhere...but it's just what I think.

[Quala67]

People pledge for all sorts of reasons...it's why they stay active and IF they stay active that's important.

I myself was accused of 'pledging for the wrong reasons,' b/c I'd recently broken up with a bf and wanted to make some new friends outside of my little circle, and nearly got voted out at the midpoint of pledging because of that. It was said that I was "in it for the wrong reasons," and that I'd "never have anything good to offer the Brotherhood." I was also very involved in the Baptist Student Union at the time, and they couldn't understand why I wanted another organization, and APO couldn't understand why I couldn't give them all my time, either. So, I see 'multi-org'ed' not just as belonging to multiple GLO's, but multiple orgs that require time. Ok, so I wasn't Super Pledge or Super Brother when active, but I've definitely stayed involved in the Fraternity for nearly 20 years....so much for never having anything good to offer, huh?

Sometimes I feel as if it's taboo to mention the name of another organization while spending time with my Brothers...we have a few Brothers who are multi-orged, but they rarely, and I mean rarely mention anything about the other organization. However, they are still just as active with our chapter as they were before they joined the other organization.

Currently, I'm in the process of going through recruitment with another organization and I am planning to keep my loyalty to APO, not only because I'm an e-board member, but because it's an organization that I joined because I liked the purpose, the history, and the people within it. I know that it will be a tough job if I do become a part of the second organization, but I also know that G-d will show me if I've overwhelmed and will help to guide me along the right path.

[REE1993]

Sorry to hijack

Is it now considered hazing for pledges/new members to wear pledge shirts or your colors to meetings?

(showing my age here)

[tbdumpsterdiver]

Originally Posted by congruouscharm

Currently, I'm in the process of going through recruitment with another organization and I am planning to keep my loyalty to APO, not only because I'm an e-board member, but because it's an organization that I joined because I liked the purpose, the history, and the people within it. I know that it will be a tough job if I do become a part of the second organization, but I also know that G-d will show me if I've overwhelmed and will help to guide me along the right path.

Good luck with recruitment for your other org. I guess I am super multi-org'd. Haha. I just have a lot of interests and enjoy every organization I am in. Just like Jamie said, being multi-org'd doesn't always have to mean just other GLO's. All the way through undergrad I was in every organization I thought was interesting and that I had time to work with. I continue my involvement with APO and Alpha Kappa Alpha because I enjoy being in both organizations. I had to cut down on the other things just because grad school doesn't exactly give you much free time. Be proud to be in the organizations you are in - no matter what others do to make you try feel bad about being in another or how much they don't understand. You might sometimes feel the stress and strain of being heavily involved and at times feel closer to one organization than another. Just always remember why you joined and it will keep you refreshed and able.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by REE1993

Sorry to hijack

Is it now considered hazing for pledges/new members to wear pledge shirts or your colors to meetings?

(showing my age here)

This is something that could vary from school to school, state to state and of course your answers may be different in APO & GSS.

I know of at least one chapter, Mu Alpha, that at least of 10 years ago, expected the pledges to show up for pledge line meetings dress more or less identically, but I think the pledges chose the "uniform", the one semester I remember they were all in white t-shirts and jeans.

I think part of the split is just how often the chapter affects how the pledge is dressed *and* whether their dress is likely to cause ridicule. There is a difference, for example, between making social fraternity pledges were blue one night a week and making them go to class in a tutu.

YiLFS
Randy

[emb021]

Originally Posted by REE1993

Sorry to hijack

Is it now considered hazing for pledges/new members to wear pledge shirts or your colors to meetings?

It depends.

There is an attitude in part of the 'GLO world' that 'making' a pledge 'do' 'anything' is hazing.

this can include:

*wearing a pledge pin or other means of identifying pledges
*making them learning about the organization & testing them
*making them do anything, like attend meetings, do service, etc.

Personally, what making something hazing is WHAT you make them do and WHY. Thus to me, making pledges do something is not in and of itself hazing, but what you are making them do and why.

Within reason, making a pledge wear a pin is not hazing. As I expect Brothers to wear their APO pins, I would expect pledges to do the same. As in APO, certain things can NOT be worn by pledges, I don't think most in APO would expect pledges to 'wear our colors' as they are not yet pledges. Some chapters may do pledge t-shirts, but it may not be reasonable to expect all pledges to wear them at all meetings. I would view pledge t-shirts as something I would expect them to wear at service events, if possible.

[LUC Kappa]

I am happy to represent my sorority and APO, they both have spots in my heart!!!!!!

[naraht]

Originally Posted by LUC Kappa

I am happy to represent my sorority and APO, they both have spots in my heart!!!!!!

Rock On!