Greek Decline

[nachural]

Ok I thought to question of this board was why there is a greek decline. If some one wants to be greek and changes their mind because he doesnt want it to affect his grades why cant that be accepted. People are afraid of dropping their GPA and thus dont do it. There do exist people who organize themselves so that their grades wont be affected but there still are some interests who dont want to even chance it. I cant understand why some people are saying this is not a reason for the delcine of greeks. Is it because this has always been a reason people dont do it or what?

nachural

[sigmadiva]

**off topic a little**

Originally posted by nachural
Ok I thought to question of this board was why there is a greek decline. If some one wants to be greek and changes their mind because he doesnt want it to affect his grades why cant that be accepted. People are afraid of dropping their GPA and thus dont do it. There do exist people who organize themselves so that their grades wont be affected but there still are some interests who dont want to even chance it. I cant understand why some people are saying this is not a reason for the delcine of greeks. Is it because this has always been a reason people dont do it or what?

nachural

In general, membership in a GLO should not take away that much time from your daily routine. You should make time for your chapter and expect to work for your chapter. Here's a clue: most Greek Life offices publish the overall GPA for a chapter at that campus. If you are concerned that your grades might fall if you join the chapter, then check out the GPA. If the chapter GPA is low, then you may want to be concerned, but if not, then all will probably be okay.

On the other hand once you become a member, if you are spending too much time hangin' in your 'nalia just to be seen, then yes, your grades will fall. Don't use the org as an excuse for falling grades. Also, don't over commit yourself. If you are a member of the intra-mural (?sp) tennis team, a resident advisor, secretary for the journalisim club, president of the French club, you are PR chair for your chapter and have at least a 15 hour load, then don't blame your GLO for your falling grades because YOU overloaded yourself. Determine your priorities!!! You may have to step back from one or two activites for a while until your grades improve, and that may include your GLO. Just don't think that if you join a GLO then your grades will automatically fall.

***Disclaimer: Each chapter is different, so the exact time commitment during active membership may vary. Anyone wanting to know specifics on active membership for SGR or any other org should attend the rush meetings and ask questions!!!***

[nachural]

that is my point. We are trying to determine why there is a decline in membership, not whether pledging can be done while maintaining a high gpa. If you have a lot on your plate where your major is concerned- and the rumors are true , many people's gpas dropped the semester they pledged- then why would you want to risk it. Most people after initiation maintain a good average, but it;s the fear of that one semester that I believe is a good reason for the decline. There might not be a delcine in interests but like someone already said after screening there are only a few who qualify

nachural

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by MDE
I feel that Greek Lige is not on the decline. Becoming Greek is soooo important to me and I don't feel that any of the D9 orgs are "declining"...just that society is changing.

Much of the allure and mystery is fading because you have members who aren't discrete, who don't represent in the best manner possible, and who will tell you priviledged information as if it were their first name. I've seen it froms frats to sororities-D9 and otherwise. This madness has to stop. But that aside, because there's only a small % of Greeks who do that, we interests ultimately have to keep it real and step up to the plate or step aside.

I think at the core of many of these excuses lies a major theme: PURE LAZINESS!! That's due in part to our society's microwave mentality: Get it hot, get it fast, get in now, lose interest after 5 minutes. Folks don't want to work hard for anything anymore and what's worse is that they honestly feel that this mentality is okay.

So let's not even focus on these individuals. I'm sure the members don't want you in their orgs and I know I don't want your lazy bum dragging beside me while I'm trying to get mine. There are ladies and gentleman out there who will work hard to save for membership/intake fees, who will study harder to get & maintain the grades they need. So, a lot of these replies from my fellow interests are simply excuses. It kinda makes me mad....

Dayum!

[sigmadiva]

Originally posted by nachural


1. ...many people's gpas dropped the semester they pledged- then why would you want to risk it.

2. There might not be a delcine in interests but like someone already said after screening there are only a few who qualify

nachural

I think you have two different points here.

First, I cannot speak for all GLOs, but in general if the MIP is executed as outlined by the GLO National HQ, then your grades should not drop at all. People usually get into trouble because they may be soo excited about making it in the chapter, they loose focus for a while. **This is all I will say about MIP.**

Second, if there are only a few who qualify, then do what YOU need to do to qualify. Don't worry about other people. Getting into a GLO is a selective process, so not everyone will qualify. For example, in the Emabarrasing Rush Thread (DST Forum), someone mentioned a young lady who showed up to a Delta rush in pink and green. Now, do you really want someone like that in your org. If she can't even get the colors right, then how can she be expected to take on a leadership position.

[REIKI]

Originally posted by MDE
I feel that Greek Lige is not on the decline. Becoming Greek is soooo important to me and I don't feel that any of the D9 orgs are "declining"...just that society is changing.

Much of the allure and mystery is fading because you have members who aren't discrete, who don't represent in the best manner possible, and who will tell you priviledged information as if it were their first name. I've seen it froms frats to sororities-D9 and otherwise. This madness has to stop. But that aside, because there's only a small % of Greeks who do that, we interests ultimately have to keep it real and step up to the plate or step aside.

I think at the core of many of these excuses lies a major theme: PURE LAZINESS!! That's due in part to our society's microwave mentality: Get it hot, get it fast, get in now, lose interest after 5 minutes. Folks don't want to work hard for anything anymore and what's worse is that they honestly feel that this mentality is okay.

So let's not even focus on these individuals. I'm sure the members don't want you in their orgs and I know I don't want your lazy bum dragging beside me while I'm trying to get mine. There are ladies and gentleman out there who will work hard to save for membership/intake fees, who will study harder to get & maintain the grades they need. So, a lot of these replies from my fellow interests are simply excuses. It kinda makes me mad....

I think that in some respects that is an overgeneralization. Yes, there are some prospective members that may very well have the microwave mentality, but I am equally as sure that there are those that simply just don't want to be involved in drama (i.e., hazing, the disrespect, cattiness, etc.), but genuinely want to be a part of a fraternity or sorority. Having been through a military "intake" process (lacking physical abuse) I can tell you that no amount of "pledging" can make a man or a woman. It is knowledge, and furthermore the application of that knowledge in daily life, that makes you man or a woman. Working hard does not = enduring ABUSE. Until people clearly understand that, problems, as far reported hazing incidences is concerned, will continue to escalate. If the problem was only regarding fees, studying, and maintaining grades, there wouldn't be much of an issue to talk about, so I do think in that respect the problem cannot just be widdled down to those factors.

[nachural]

Originally posted by sigmadiva
I think you have two different points here.

First, I cannot speak for all GLOs, but in general if the MIP is executed as outlined by the GLO National HQ, then your grades should not drop at all. People usually get into trouble because they may be soo excited about making it in the chapter, they loose focus for a while. **This is all I will say about MIP.**

Second, if there are only a few who qualify, then do what YOU need to do to qualify. Don't worry about other people. Getting into a GLO is a selective process, so not everyone will qualify. For example, in the Emabarrasing Rush Thread (DST Forum), someone mentioned a young lady who showed up to a Delta rush in pink and green. Now, do you really want someone like that in your org. If she can't even get the colors right, then how can she be expected to take on a leadership position.

I dont think we are in any disagreement really. I just dont understand why this cant be used to explain the decline in the numbers. I thought that is what we weren trying to find out

[sigmadiva]

Originally posted by nachural
I dont think we are in any disagreement really. I just dont understand why this cant be used to explain the decline in the numbers. I thought that is what we weren trying to find out

Oh, okay, now I gotcha!!!

[encouraged1]

To AKA_Monet: Just out of curiousity, how long was your official pledge process? It seems like you an your line sisters were held to a higher standard back then.

I went to one school where the greeks on that campus voted people in the org. just because they wanted to have a line and their interest was dying down. They didn't care about perspectives grades, service or character. So they took people because they were obessed with 'pledging' them and showing out at the next step show with their neos. I actually had an acquaintance call me who was applying to a certain sorority. She asked me what programs and causes 'XYZ' sorority was involved in. She didn't know anything about the sorority, had a 2.5 gpa and she still made line!

I think decline in greek life today has to do with the decline in the quality of members that are in the organizations today.

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by encouraged1
I think decline in greek life today has to do with the decline in the quality of members that are in the organizations today.

With this statement, I am guessing that you are not interested in becoming a member of any organization.

[nachural]

Originally posted by AKA2D '91
With this statement, I am guessing that you are not interested in becoming a member of any organization.

I think/hope she was talking about the greeks at her school but not the organizations on the national level. I could have sworn that the presedents of all the D9 were listed as the most influencial black people in the US.

My sis, who's an AKA, was telling me that some greeks at her school rep real hard but have really bad programs that nobody goes to because the members there have bad reps. I guess if you rep you org. , you are not the "nicest" person on campus and your programs are not 'attractive', people won't support you stuff. That sucks...

[gamma_girl52]

Originally posted by dardenr
You know.....that's a good point.

I think non-NPHC fraternities and sororities have never been stronger.

I need to think about it more though.

Just to chime in...

I do feel that non-NPHC's, Service GLO's, MCGLOs and Latino/a orgs are gaining more membership. As someone mentioned, AA students have more choices these days when they are making a decision about greek affiliation. They don't feel so restricted...and actually many of the historically Latino/a orgs are promoting themselves as MCGLO's as well.

I can only speak for Gamma Sigma Sigma, and I think it's great that we have more people interested in my sorority. GSS is currently experiencing a tremendous amount of growth rirght now with new colonies as well as dormant chapters being revived again, and I feel it's going to only continue to grow. We are attracting lots of great women who are service-oriented and are also looking for a sisterhood that promotes service (not to deviate from any other greek org, of course).

However I feel that it's bad too. Too many of our chapters have this label of "the 2nd choice sorority" because they that have interests that join that don't meet the requirements of other greek organizations. They tend to use GSS as a "stepping stone" in order to get their service hours and work on their grades before moving on to ABC sorority. We don't want to get stuck with that tag but unfortunately we do. GSS is also a non-selective sorority...we don't have nor are allowed to have any process in which we can choose who we think is best for the chapter/organization. Sometimes it's good, sometimes not so good for the org.

I agree with most of the reasons given already as to why there is a decline. Just wanted to share from the other side of the fence.

[encouraged1]

"I think decline in greek life today has to do with the decline in the quality of members that are in the organizations today. "

Let me clarify. By saying decline in the quality of members TODAY I meant as of recent years but a lot of that is just what I've been exposed to. There's still a lot of quality members in greeks organizations but it seems that the emphasis is not on scholarship and character anymore for a lot of people. But alot of that just depends on the chapter.

I went to two different colleges so at first I was exposed to the ugly side of greek life and then I was exposed to the good. I feel as though black greek life as become too 'commerical'. There's too many stepshows, greek fests, picnics and beach parties.

There's nothing wrong with having parties but some orgs take it to another level. I know of one particular chapter of a frat that had a party called, "___'s Gone Wild." There were girls at the club stripping and they had it on video tape and they are selling it with the fraternities name on it! That has nothing to do with the purpose of XYZ fraternity. If a chapter has high standards they will get quality people. If not they'll end up with whoever.

[Steeltrap]

Originally posted by encouraged1
"I think decline in greek life today has to do with the decline in the quality of members that are in the organizations today. "

Let me clarify. By saying decline in the quality of members TODAY I meant as of recent years but a lot of that is just what I've been exposed to. There's still a lot of quality members in greeks organizations but it seems that the emphasis is not on scholarship and character anymore for a lot of people. But alot of that just depends on the chapter.

I went to two different colleges so at first I was exposed to the ugly side of greek life and then I was exposed to the good. I feel as though black greek life as become too 'commerical'. There's too many stepshows, greek fests, picnics and beach parties.

There's nothing wrong with having parties but some orgs take it to another level. I know of one particular chapter of a frat that had a party called, "___'s Gone Wild." There were girls at the club stripping and they had it on video tape and they are selling it with the fraternities name on it! That has nothing to do with the purpose of XYZ fraternity. If a chapter has high standards they will get quality people. If not they'll end up with whoever.

Thank you for clarifying. I'm a fairly new Greek and I think that I'm a quality member of my organization.

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by Steeltrap
Thank you for clarifying.

Thanks, encouraged1.