NPHC Secretiveness, Insularity, Etc.

[L.O.C.K.]

Child,

Hazing is across the board (Black, White, Latino, Asian, Purple, Green, whatever)

It is present in MANY cultures over the past thousands of years and has manifested itself in many different ways.

Whether or not hazing happens is purely on a chapter basis for NPHC and NPC/NIC. I know of NPHC orgs that haze and ones that don't haze. I know of NPC/NIC orgs that haze and ones that don't haze. You can't make blanket statements like that and expect people to take your words first hand.

Also, another reason for small numbers is the proportion of Black, Latino, Asian students on campuses across the country. Except for HBCUs, HSIs, and some California schools, all are major minorities at most institutions...hence numbers will be smaller.

Are there other issues that contribue to smaller numbers? Of course. Is hazing one of them? Yes, it could be, but it depends on the chapter.

Hazing is still very very prevalent in all orgs across the board, and just trying to ban it has never worked and won't work until the culture of what it means to be "Greek" is changed. End of story.

Pledging and hazing have been thrown together into one basket, and now it's a crime to make a kid memorize your history or something. So, hazing will continue because members value their history and "traditions".

NPHC and NPC/NIC have strong anti-hazing policies, but if you look at say DST's website for example you will see lists of people who had their membership snatched or fined, etc. for issues like hazing. The list is not like one or two people either. (Sorry for callin DST out, but it's site that sticks out in my mind the most about members who got in trouble w/ IHQ)

As for secrecy amongst NPHC orgs...yea it's there. Why is it there? I am sure there are many contributing factors:

-anti-Black sentiment on campuses throughout the past century forcing undercover operations

-the sense of empowerment the individual gets being part of something exclusive (this obviously is not limited to NPHC orgs)

-"traditions" building up over time

-probably a lot more too

As AKA Monet said, a lot of the misunderstandings come from much bigger issues like segregation (both self-segregation and intentional segregation) or stereotypes or whatever.

Greek life has the potential to be bridges between various cultures and backgrounds. Unfortunately, right now it magnifies the barriers in many cases (per my research).

It's up to us to change it.

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by ChildoftheHorn

I understand the D9 *hush*, but the point is also that many people are confused and mislead by lack of knowledge.

There are none of the information meetings or discussion at all about the organizations (to the best of my knowledge).

Why not have an open hall during New Student Week where evey org has a few people and a sign/banner/board where they talk about their philanthropy/values/history for a couple of hours?

Lack of knowledge? I don't agree. Of course interested individuals wil not know EVERYTHING about any NPHC org before intake, but they know enough....I did.

My campus has Greek Speak each semester where all NPHC groups tell attendees thier history, chapter history, requirements for membership (as stated on the website) and this event is REQUIRED by the university to make sure that interested individuals are made aware of what the university stance on hazing is as well as their desired organization stance on hazing.

AKA also has 'the General Information for the Collegian' brouchure that ALL interested ladies are welcome to that tells them what is allowed and what is NOT. To me that is pretty cut and dry. As stated on our website and at my campus, "Any one being a participant in hazing WILL be denied membership!" ......That is cut and dry.

With that being said there is no need for me to coach little Jane as how she should become a member.....I didn't have a coach and I am doing well.

[brownsugar952]

Originally Posted by L.O.C.K.

Also, another reason for small numbers is the proportion of Black, Latino, Asian students on campuses across the country. Except for HBCUs, HSIs, and some California schools, all are major minorities at most institutions...hence numbers will be smaller.

Thank you so much for pointing this out. I hear this all the time. If an organization is meant to serve a particular segment of the population, they are probably going to attract mostly people who belong to that segment of the population. I'm pretty sure on most campuses if you look at the statistics, white students join greek organizations just as often as non-white students.

If there are only 2,000 minorities on your campus, I doubt that there will be chapter sizes of 50-60 for each organization.

[nwu43]

Hi childofthehorn! I had no idea you go to northwestern.. are there other GC'ers who go to NU?

Originally Posted by ChildoftheHorn

Annual step show is SOLD OUT+ every year. You will see a lot of the MGC groups there, some people from the PNC, and very few IFC.

We were invited and were supposed to perform the previous year but we had our Midwest Brotherhood Rally at the same day unfortunately You will see us next year for sure