Plegdes wearing letters???

[SWTXBelle]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

Here's where I'm intrigued. If, as has been said in this thread, new members are members and, therefore, can wear letters, why can't they wear the badge or crest? Isn't that hazing too?

Many GLOs use the badge and crest as the symbol of a member who has gone through initiation. Therefore, a member who has not gone through initiation cannot wear them.
As an analogy, only Boy and Girl Scouts who have completed the requirements to earn certain badges or awards may wear them. All members may wear the uniform - only those who have gone through, for example, the Eagle Scout or Gold Award ceremonies may wear those symbols on their uniforms.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

And THIS, ladies and gentlemen, is where the real issue comes in. In NPCs, it is a generally accepted rule that new girls are new MEMBERS. Members is the key word in that sentence. In other organizations, this is not true - your pledges or aspirants or whatever the heck you call them are NOT members.

Exactly.

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I think it all depends on how you define "member". There are stages of membership in many GLOs. Some define some of the stages as non-member stages, some don't. NPCs consider their "pledges" as members from day one - other GLOs don't consider their "pledges" as members at all, but as aspiring members.

I think it is a bit odd to have someone who is sort of a member, but not really - it's kind of like being a "little" pregnant. To me, you either are or are not. You don't "know" what you know about the baby at 8 months when you are only 6 weeks along, but at both stages, you are pregnant.

The ole "different strokes" cliche.

LOL at a little bit pregnant. But here's why I'm not sure that analogy fits, at least for some groups.

There is a corrollary to fantASTic's observation that the crux is whether the new girls and guys are considered members or not. That corrollary is this: As has been observed in other threads, for those orgs who consider the new kids "members," it is generally assumed that, barring something drastic or their own choice to disaffiliate, they will be initiated. In other words, the decision to offer them a bid is essentially the decision to initiate them down the road.

Conversely, in many if not most of the groups that do not consider the new kids "members" (or full members), the decision to offer a bid is simply that -- the decision to pledge someone. Toward the end of the pledge period (or whatever it may be called), there is another vote on whether to initiate. Granted, bids may usually be offered with the assumption that everyone who pledges will make it to initiation (although some GCers have said that's not the case with their groups), but the point is that the organization reserves the right, after observing the pledge during the pledge period and getting to know him better, to say "Sorry, but we're not going to initiate you" or "Sorry, but you need to wait until the next go-around for initiation."

We use the term "probationary members" for that reason. We offer a bid and pledge a guy (we still use the term pledge as a verb) because we believe we see in him what we're looking for to be part of our chapter, and we pledge him with the expectation that he will be initiated. But until the end of the probationary member period, when the chapter votes to initiate him and then actually does initiate him, he is only a provisional member.

And SWTXBelle, I'll refrain from commenting too much on your Boy and Girls Scout analagy, where Scouts have to earn the right to wear certain insignia.

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Many GLOs use the badge and crest as the symbol of a member who has gone through initiation. Therefore, a member who has not gone through initiation cannot wear them.
As an analogy, only Boy and Girl Scouts who have completed the requirements to earn certain badges or awards may wear them. All members may wear the uniform - only those who have gone through, for example, the Eagle Scout or Gold Award ceremonies may wear those symbols on their uniforms.

The way things are going with the NPC and hazing, I foresee that the entire recruitment/education/initiation process will have to undergo an overhaul where women are initiated on bid day and have a brief orientation process. That's the only way to truly abide by the insane hazing guidelines where pledges have to have equal rights to full members. The only reasonable solution is to have no pledges.

[SWTXBelle]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

Here's where I'm intrigued. If, as has been said in this thread, new members are members and, therefore, can wear letters, why can't they wear the badge or crest? Isn't that hazing too?

No.

You brought up the idea of non-initiated members of some NPCs not being allowed to wear the badge or crest as hazing. It has been explained ad nauseum.

It has also been explained why some NPC groups have alternative policies.

prejciousjeni, I have to assume at this point you are just trying to be argumentative about the NPC.

[SigKapSweetie]

Only initiated sisters of Sigma Kappa may wear our badge or display our crest. Also, at my chapter, new members could wear letters but waited until initiation to receive their lavalieres, usually from their big sisters.

[Senusret I]

No, not really.

[SWTXBelle]

Yes, really.

eta - and an image of "Wink wink nudge nudge, say no more" just hit me! lol

[loveSK]

My heart sister, as long with all of the other heart sisters, lended all the new members a sweater with stitched letters on it until our big sisters got us our own..... on bid day.

I, being a new member, almost didnt want to accept the letters because i had no ideas what they meant, or if i was going to stick with the sorority.

I wanted to learn what they meant first and then be able to wear them.

My own opinion i guess.


But i know our school has some sort of rule against keeping your letters from your new members. Technically that doesn't mean you have to give it to them right away though.

I just hope that this fall recruitment we just give them a nice sigma kappa shirt instead of full on letters.

[ENsweetheartPM]

for us we wear print shirts with letters on them and carry bags and wear new member pins. we cant wear stitched letters till initiation. our bigs give us our shirts the nights we're initiated. i know that one of the fraternities on campus their pledges aren't even allowed to touch letters till their initiated.

[LucyKKG]

My chapter has never had a rule against this. (I mean, in our 2 years of existence.) It didn't seem to be a problem when we were a colony either.

[nisse07]

i really dont think that pledges or new members should be allowed to wear any form of greek letters of the sorority or fraternity they are wanting to join and become a part of. i think its better if they earn their letters until they become initiated...its also a better feeling knowing that you did what u had to do to earn your letters and you can wear them proud knowing that you earned ur letters and you truly love them

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by nisse07

i really dont think that pledges or new members should be allowed to wear any form of greek letters of the sorority or fraternity they are wanting to join and become a part of. i think its better if they earn their letters until they become initiated...its also a better feeling knowing that you did what u had to do to earn your letters and you can wear them proud knowing that you earned ur letters and you truly love them

and....who are you?

[AGDee]

I think people should follow the policies outlined by their inter/national organizations.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I think people should follow the policies outlined by their inter/national organizations.

The end.

(please, God)

[SWTXBelle]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

and....who are you?

Someone who hasn't read the thread.