Let's Talk About the AI Forum

[LouisaMay]

For me, posting on my AI thread has been like keeping a journal. I don't care if I get a response to every message; I just enjoy keeping a record of my experience, and I appreciate the encouragment that I receive. Like Sister Havana mentioned, it is nice to read about the diversity among the AI hopefuls and AI successes. It is also fun to notice the similarities.

I would be very sad to see the AI sub-forum go. I think instead of debating whether or not the forum should exist, individual GC members need to decide for themselves how much or how little they feel comfortable contributing. If you are an alumna who doesn't feel right about directing potential AIs, simply do not post. If you are approached in a PM but you do not wish to participate, politely explain your stance and wish the GC-er a meaningful experience. Perhaps, another general statement that could be made would read something like this: "The initiation of alumni into Greek organizations is a sensitive issue. Individuals may or may not wish to offer specific advice due to personal convictions or national policies." (Looking back at the earlier posts, I now see that this general sentiment was already stated. Here is another potential wording.)

When the AI discussions really began to take off on GC (a few years ago), PNAIs were kindly advised to be cautious and discrete. We were advised to stay tight-lipped about names of organizations, and we were reminded that many GC alums were very active in their organizations so our words/actions could have very real impacts upon organizations' impressions of us. It seems to me that the "regular" PNAIs on here took this advice respectfully and with gratitude since in a lot of ways we are outsiders looking in. It seems that alumni should be able to remain as silent or as vocal as they wish as well.

Deleting the subforum will do nothing but clutter the general Alumni forum. I highly doubt that Greekchatters will just stop discussing the issue of AI.

LM

P.S. I agree with what adpiucf had to say about "official" representation, but I do believe that the majority of serious PNAIs understand that nothing that happens on a public messageboard could possibly be "official." This is nothing more than a discussion and a sounding board.