Service Greek Orgnizations

[RedRover]

Correct me if I am wrong, emb021, but a dozen or so APO chapters do not admit women as members

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by RedRover

Correct me if I am wrong, emb021, but a dozen or so APO chapters do not admit women as members

That is changing, per action of the 2006 National Convention.

[KAPital PHINUst]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

That is changing, per action of the 2006 National Convention.

Fortunately or unfortunately.

[emb021]

Originally Posted by RedRover

Correct me if I am wrong, emb021, but a dozen or so APO chapters do not admit women as members

Be quite happy to.

When APO went co-ed in 1976, we left this up to each chapter to decide if they wanted to go co-ed. New chapter, however, had to be co-ed. Over time, we now have about a dozen or so chapter that are still all male. While at many schools we faced the very real threat of loosing chapters if we did not go co-ed, at several schools the administration were quite happy to allow our chapters to stay all-male. That's kind of the thing with Title IX. Somethings things are only an issue when people make them an issue. I've also been told that some groups had issues working with us because while we are co-ed nationaly, we still had those dozen or so all-male chapters.

HOWEVER, around 2004/2005, the National Board took a look a things, and felt that legally, we were not in compliance with our own governing documents, and that the remaining all-male chapters had to go co-ed. They worked to create a transition effort to help these chapter achieve this.

A lot of people were not happy about this. This was a big issue at our 2006 National Convention, the results were that YES, all the all-male chapters must go co-ed by our 2008 National Convention.

[Senusret I]

Just wanted to throw in the "good faith effort" part that was stressed among the people I spoke with.

It will not be enough (nor will it be acceptable) to just send in paperwork for women but not actually recruit, pledge, or initiate them.

Certainly it will be a struggle to change the culture on these campuses, but it can be done. If there is not at least an attempt, there will be consequences.

[RedRover]

I heard this story third or fourth hand, so I don't how much of the story is true but I will tell it any way.

A woman joined APO in her freshman year. Due to financial reasons, she was forced to transfer to a college closer to home (in fact, my alma mater). The APO chapter at her second college didn't admit women. She contacted the regional director to see if she could affiliate with another APO chapter at any of the nearby colleges. She was told she couldn't. She was told that she was still a member of APO in good standing, but she wasn't a member any college chapter. Needless to say, she now has negative feelings towards APO.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by RedRover

I heard this story third or fourth hand, so I don't how much of the story is true but I will tell it any way.

A woman joined APO in her freshman year. Due to financial reasons, she was forced to transfer to a college closer to home (in fact, my alma mater). The APO chapter at her second college didn't admit women. She contacted the regional director to see if she could affiliate with another APO chapter at any of the nearby colleges. She was told she couldn't. She was told that she was still a member of APO in good standing, but she wasn't a member any college chapter. Needless to say, she now has negative feelings towards APO.

She was considered an Alumna at that point and could have joined or started an alumni association. At the time, the chapter at the school to which she transferred was within their rights.

She could have sued the school and probably won, but she didn't, so oh well for her.

[KAPital PHINUst]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

It will not be enough (nor will it be acceptable) to just send in paperwork for women but not actually recruit, pledge, or initiate them.

Certainly it will be a struggle to change the culture on these campuses, but it can be done. If there is not at least an attempt, there will be consequences.

BOM BAHM BOM BAAAHHHHHMMMMMM!!!

[KAPital PHINUst]

Originally Posted by emb021

Be quite happy to.

When APO went co-ed in 1976, we left this up to each chapter to decide if they wanted to go co-ed. New chapter, however, had to be co-ed.

THAT WAS NOT [IMMEDIATELY] TRUE; it wasn't until 1986 that new chapters had to be co-ed. That is one APO urban legend that needs to be put to bed, along with the whole "Gentlemen's Agreement", but I digress.

A lot of people were not happy about this. This was a big issue at our 2006 National Convention, the results were that YES, all the all-male chapters must go co-ed by our 2008 National Convention.

As much as I despise this ruling, in all fairness the all-male constituency had more than an ample opportunity to kill this where it stood. All they needed were six delegates from 3 active chapters and this issue would've been squashed flat! And mind you, the all male constituency getting the needed votes in their favor that they did get was not easy at all.

I have always thought the all-male constituency needed to form their own brotherhood anyway. Not to say that this will happen, but this debate has been raging on for at least 15 years and needs to be put to rest one way or another. Forcing the chapters to go co-ed really isn't effective in doing this. Oh well. I wish them all the best.