Plegdes wearing letters???

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

You cannot "earn" the right to be a Gamma Phi Beta. It is an honour to be invited to membership, and after careful preparation to be initiated into full sisterhood.
The ability to drink copious amounts of alcohol, do strenous exercises, sucumb to peer pressure, fit a physical stereotype, endure humiliation, or any other of dozens of "tests" sometimes put forth as a way to earn Greek letters is not what we look for in our potential members. Sincerity, dedication, intelligence, depth of character, and yes, love, learning, labor and loyalty are the distinquishing characteristics of our members.
Our pledges are allowed to wear our letters from day one, although the crest is reserved for initiated members, as is our badge. I am proud to be a member not because it means I have successfully run an obstacle course, but because I am a part of an organization of women whose creed means more to me with each passing year.

*applause* I don't think that I could say this any better.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

You cannot "earn" the right to be a Gamma Phi Beta. It is an honour to be invited to membership, and after careful preparation to be initiated into full sisterhood.
The ability to drink copious amounts of alcohol, do strenous exercises, sucumb to peer pressure, fit a physical stereotype, endure humiliation, or any other of dozens of "tests" sometimes put forth as a way to earn Greek letters is not what we look for in our potential members. Sincerity, dedication, intelligence, depth of character, and yes, love, learning, labor and loyalty are the distinquishing characteristics of our members.
Our pledges are allowed to wear our letters from day one, although the crest is reserved for initiated members, as is our badge. I am proud to be a member not because it means I have successfully run an obstacle course, but because I am a part of an organization of women whose creed means more to me with each passing year.

Is this typed verbatim from some member manual?

[SWTXBelle]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Is this typed verbatim from some member manual?

Nope, just me ranting.

[Jessiekinns]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

You cannot "earn" the right to be a Gamma Phi Beta. It is an honour to be invited to membership, and after careful preparation to be initiated into full sisterhood.
The ability to drink copious amounts of alcohol, do strenous exercises, sucumb to peer pressure, fit a physical stereotype, endure humiliation, or any other of dozens of "tests" sometimes put forth as a way to earn Greek letters is not what we look for in our potential members. Sincerity, dedication, intelligence, depth of character, and yes, love, learning, labor and loyalty are the distinquishing characteristics of our members.
Our pledges are allowed to wear our letters from day one, although the crest is reserved for initiated members, as is our badge. I am proud to be a member not because it means I have successfully run an obstacle course, but because I am a part of an organization of women whose creed means more to me with each passing year.

Ironically my sister is GPhi and Right before I graduated we, as in Greek Senate voted yes on a new chapter! I am very aware of the process and reputation as well as the commitment and dedication to community service and upholding academic standards. GPhiB was one of the 2 that where approved for new chapters on campus (the other being sigma pi fraternity) in my time on the board. You def speak the truth. Your attitude toward your sorority is similar to the girls who I know personally and who I know on a business level (the ones who came to request the new chapter) this is part of what lead us to the approving verdict. I think its great.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

You cannot "earn" the right to be a Gamma Phi Beta. It is an honour to be invited to membership, and after careful preparation to be initiated into full sisterhood.
The ability to drink copious amounts of alcohol, do strenous exercises, sucumb to peer pressure, fit a physical stereotype, endure humiliation, or any other of dozens of "tests" sometimes put forth as a way to earn Greek letters is not what we look for in our potential members. Sincerity, dedication, intelligence, depth of character, and yes, love, learning, labor and loyalty are the distinquishing characteristics of our members.

It really doesn't have to be either-or. Sure, oftentimes when people say "earn letters," they mean survive hazing, so I can see why people might very well want to steer clear of talking about "earning" letters. But there's no reason to assume that "earning" = hazing. Earning letters can also mean demonstrating "sincerity, dedication, intelligence, depth of character," and a desire to learn about and contribute to the fraternity.

We've had this discussion many times, but I'll say it again: Unlike NPC sororities, most fraternities with which I'm familiar (NIC or non-NIC) have two votes on new members -- one on whether to issue a bid and pledge the guy and a second at the end of the pledge period on whether to initiate him. Under this set-up, there is built in to the process a decision on whether the pledge has demonstrated that the chapter was right in offering him a bid and pledging him. So even without any hazing at all, there is still a sense that the pledge has "proven his worth" and is deserving of the honor of initiation. (And I won't make this post even longer than it is by going into my theory on why the idea of earning initiation and proving worth has a very real, deep-seated resonance for males.)

The general regulations of my fraternity state that only initiated brothers are permitted to wear our letters. There are, as I see it, two reasons for this. First, until the probationary member is initiated, he is not a brother and there remains the chance that he won't be initiated. Second, until he is initiated, he does not know what the letters mean; only those who know what they mean wear them.

And another questions I've asked before: why is wearing letters different from wearing or owning anything with the coat-of-arms? I've seen many say that their new members can certainly wear letters (sometimes suggesting that it's hazing not to allow them to do so), but that the coat-of-arms are reserved only for initiated members. What's the difference?

This isn't an issue about who's right and who's wrong -- it's simply about recognizing the different orgs do things in different ways. If allowing your new members to wear letters fits in with your understanding of the "preperatory" experience leading up to initiation, great! Go for it! But there's no need to assume that other orgs are wrong because they approach things differently.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

It really doesn't have to be either-or. Sure, oftentimes when people say "earn letters," they mean survive hazing, so I can see why people might very well want to steer clear of talking about "earning" letters. But there's no reason to assume that "earning" = hazing. Earning letters can also mean demonstrating "sincerity, dedication, intelligence, depth of character," and a desire to learn about and contribute to the fraternity.

I agree.

Then again, the amount of restrictions and weight that has been placed on little pieces of fabric on a sweatshirt in the last 10 or so years is insane to me.

[SWTXBelle]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

It really doesn't have to be either-or. Sure, oftentimes when people say "earn letters," they mean survive hazing, so I can see why people might very well want to steer clear of talking about "earning" letters. But there's no reason to assume that "earning" = hazing. Earning letters can also mean demonstrating "sincerity, dedication, intelligence, depth of character," and a desire to learn about and contribute to the fraternity.

We've had this discussion many times, but I'll say it again: Unlike NPC sororities, most fraternities with which I'm familiar (NIC or non-NIC) have two votes on new members -- one on whether to issue a bid and pledge the guy and a second at the end of the pledge period on whether to initiate him. Under this set-up, there is built in to the process a decision on whether the pledge has demonstrated that the chapter was right in offering him a bid and pledging him. So even without any hazing at all, there is still a sense that the pledge has "proven his worth" and is deserving of the honor of initiation. (And I won't make this post even longer than it is by going into my theory on why the idea of earning initiation and proving worth has a very real, deep-seated resonance for males.)

The general regulations of my fraternity state that only initiated brothers are permitted to wear our letters. There are, as I see it, two reasons for this. First, until the probationary member is initiated, he is not a brother and there remains the chance that he won't be initiated. Second, until he is initiated, he does not know what the letters mean; only those who know what they mean wear them.

And another questions I've asked before: why is wearing letters different from wearing or owning anything with the coat-of-arms? I've seen many say that their new members can certainly wear letters (sometimes suggesting that it's hazing not to allow them to do so), but that the coat-of-arms are reserved only for initiated members. What's the difference?

This isn't an issue about who's right and who's wrong -- it's simply about recognizing the different orgs do things in different ways. If allowing your new members to wear letters fits in with your understanding of the "preperatory" experience leading up to initiation, great! Go for it! But there's no need to assume that other orgs are wrong because they approach things differently.

My main problem with the term "earn" is when, for example, you earn a paycheck, you are given money in return for completing certain tasks. Becoming a member of a GLO is almost always far more complex than that. Perhaps it is simply a matter of semantics, but just about every time some talks about "earning their letters" there seems to be an undercurrent of hazing.

The crest is reserved for initiated members because it is a symbol of a member who has gone through initiation. Circular, I know, but there you go.
The first day you accept your bid you have an idea of what the letters mean - an incomplete understanding, of course, but at least an elementary one. Through your new member education period you will come to know more, and of course at initiation all will be explained. The crest serves, as does the badge, as a symbol of a member who has completed their education and gone through, if you will, their graduation. Consider it a form of diploma!

[33girl]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

The first day you accept your bid you have an idea of what the letters mean - an incomplete understanding, of course, but at least an elementary one.

This isn't true for every group - which I believe is why some NPCs don't allow pledges to wear letters.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

My main problem with the term "earn" is when, for example, you earn a paycheck, you are given money in return for completing certain tasks. Becoming a member of a GLO is almost always far more complex than that. Perhaps it is simply a matter of semantics, but just about every time some talks about "earning their letters" there seems to be an undercurrent of hazing.

I see your point, and I'm not so much arguing in favor of the word "earn" as noting that it can be used in a completely nonhazing context.

The crest is reserved for initiated members because it is a symbol of a member who has gone through initiation. Circular, I know, but there you go.

I actually don't think it's circular at all; it makes perfect sense to me. We just treat our letters the same way.

The first day you accept your bid you have an idea of what the letters mean - an incomplete understanding, of course, but at least an elementary one.

Not so with us, unless one wants to argue that anyone should have an idea of what our principles are by how we conduct ourselves.

The crest serves, as does the badge, as a symbol of a member who has completed their education and gone through, if you will, their graduation. Consider it a form of diploma!

It is so considered.

Just curious -- would you say that you earned your college diploma through study and hard work, or was it an unearned honor bestowed on you?

Sorry, I just couldn't resist.