UK official urges 'segregated' Greeks to cooperate

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally Posted by Firehouse

I don't suppose it's possible that they would just leave everybody the hell alone (?).
My large IFC chapter has maybe 8-10 black guys, but there's no doubt that we are culturally white. There's no doubt that the black fraternities are culturally black. We all - black and white fraternities and sororities - get along, and we're all very happy with who we are. I don't think anyone is overtly turned down for membership because of their race. Let people be happy and participate in the culture with which they most identify. Probably too much to ask for from the aggressive politically-correct crowd.

You said it.

[LatinaAlumna]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

I never thought about it this way. That's like the episode of Good Times where they wanted Thelma because she was "a black." LOL

LOL! I remember when they came to the Evans home and said: "We already have an oriental, and a chi-can-a in our sorority..." I went around for a couple of weeks saying, "I am a chi-can-aaaaa." after I saw that episode!

And speaking of women not being welcome into sororities (and of GLOs performing together):

Several of my Founding Mothers attempted to sign up for recruitment here in CA in the mid-1980s, but were turned away from the table and told that it was "not for them." This is one of the incidents that prompted them to establish my sorority, which became the first Latina sorority on the west coast, and the third established in the nation. Luckily, my Founding Mothers had support from some of the other GLO members, including the sisters of Delta Sigma Theta on their campus, who were among their greatest allies. The Delta members even invited them to join in a unity step in front of the campus community!:

http://www.lambdathetanu.org/culture/stepping.html

[cuteASAbug]

Yay! Please do! ALAM <3!

[TSteven]

Photo from The Kentucky Kernel

Leading in Diversity

This year [April 2005], The Epsilon Chi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. held their first annual Stomp-a-Palooza. This event is a Stepping Competition open to various Greek Letter Organization at the University of Kentucky. What made this competetion differ from any other step show in years past at UK was the fact that all the teams participating were from historically White Greek letter Organizations. Albeit some question the degree of diversity on UK's campus, EX has been interacting with historically White Greek letter Ogrs for years. This event especially, exemplifies that EX is a trailblazer when it comes to breaking down the barriers of race among Fraternities and Sororities at the University of Kentucky.

[Senusret I]

heyyyy my friend is a recent alum from that chapter.

I think he was a stepmaster at one point.

[DZRose]

Originally Posted by TSteven

Photo from The Kentucky Kernel

Leading in Diversity

This year [April 2005], The Epsilon Chi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. held their first annual Stomp-a-Palooza. This event is a Stepping Competition open to various Greek Letter Organization at the University of Kentucky. What made this competetion differ from any other step show in years past at UK was the fact that all the teams participating were from historically White Greek letter Organizations. Albeit some question the degree of diversity on UK's campus, EX has been interacting with historically White Greek letter Ogrs for years. This event especially, exemplifies that EX is a trailblazer when it comes to breaking down the barriers of race among Fraternities and Sororities at the University of Kentucky.

As an alumnae of the DZ chapter at UK, I'll add that while I was there, we always made efforts to participate in activities with the "traditionally black" sororities/fraternities. My roommate pledged Zeta Phi Beta and we used to love to discuss the similarities and differences between our sisterhoods (man, the new member gifts she got from her sisters after pledging was AMAZING!!!). It's nice to see the women of the chapter continuing that tradition in the article above. And it's a little weird to see a pic of the basement of the house on GC!

[UGAalum94]

In the example of no new NPHC groups being able to charter at a particular campus in the 1970s because of no housing, were NPC/IFC groups chartered by NPHC groups were denied? Or were there no new GLOs period?

[barbino]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

In the example of no new NPHC groups being able to charter at a particular campus in the 1970s because of no housing, were NPC/IFC groups chartered by NPHC groups were denied? Or were there no new GLOs period?

Assuming you mean specifically UK---
It seems that there were no new IFC/NPC chapters on this particular campus in the 1970's other than the fraternity AEPi, (1972) which is now inactive, according to Wikipedia. Since I can't remember it, I have no comment on its housing situation. I can remember a recolonization of Phi Delta Theta, which supposedly had wealthy alums and secured an smaller, older house on the outskirts of campus (1978-80?). Other than that, IFC/NPC expansion seemed nonexistent until the 1980's. In 1982 - AOPi came on, and in 1989, Sigma Kappa, according to Wiki.

Before the 1970's, the DG's & the Pi Phi's came on and they built their own new houses (1962-63). These chapter houses were not supplied by the University as with the other sorority houses. Kappa Kappa Gamma still has the stately old mansion that it has owned for many years. In the mid-seventies Gamma Phi Beta's house was new (the chapter is now inactive). The Alpha Chi Omega house was also new, and this chapter is also inactive. These houses were then used by other GLO's. UK seems to have had a shortage of houses, because those owned by the University were filled quickly by other groups. The new ones that were built to house GLO's that did not continue were always reoccupied by other GLO's (Alpha Chi Omega's house became the Sigma Pi house). I forget who got the Gamma Phi's old house.

The last time I visited the campus about 2 1/2 years ago, there were several new houses. I remember the Sigma Chi house was new. The KA house of the late seventies had become a parking lot. This was strange because the other University-owned fraternity houses seemed to still be there. But a few years ago UK announced plans to rebuild its campus and become a top research institution. The changes to the campus were extensive. Hope that this answers your question.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally Posted by TSteven

Separation of white and black Greek communities on campus begins at the top, Rafiuddin said. Each Greek organization has separate assistants who have graduated that oversee their community.

The Interfraternity Council oversees white fraternities, the Panhellenic Council oversees white sororities and the National Pan-Hellenic Council oversees both black sororities and fraternities.

Maybe it's just me but it sure sounds like she wants them all to be overseen by one Council.....

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by SmartBlondeGPhB

Maybe it's just me but it sure sounds like she wants them all to be overseen by one Council.....

You may be right.

Currently, The University of Kentucky has the Inter-Greek Programming Assembly (IGPA) which regulates and schedules all programming that is sponsored for the UK Greek Community. IGPA also helps to unify the Greek Governing Councils of the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Pan-Hellenic Council (PHC), and the Panhellenic Council (PC). And the IGPA coordinates all joint-programming efforts of IFC, PHC, and PC.

[MrKnowItAll1906]

Originally Posted by TSteven

You may be right.

Currently, The University of Kentucky has the Inter-Greek Programming Assembly (IGPA) which regulates and schedules all programming that is sponsored for the UK Greek Community. IGPA also helps to unify the Greek Governing Councils of the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Pan-Hellenic Council (PHC), and the Panhellenic Council (PC). And the IGPA coordinates all joint-programming efforts of IFC, PHC, and PC.

The IGPA is not effective in anyways to bridge the gap between black and white greeks. Having been a the past president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council at UK and attending some of these meetings, it does not effectively unify anyone. You can put all the flyers you want in a mailbox or even have black greeks do a Greek tour but that still isn't going to get whites to come to black events and vice versa. At the end of the day, the two will always be separated.

I don't necessarily see the separation as a means of color but because the cultures and methods of operation of the two are COMPLETELY different. Our membership intakes is different, our programs are different, our rituals(both secret and non-secret) are different as well as many other things. Because black greeks are smaller in number compared to their white counterparts, blacks greeks are often pressured to assimilate into the practices of white greeks. I can recall many times filling out forms and speaking with Dean West on matters that are not applicable to Black Greeks.

When I was working with Student Affairs to work on a means of bridging a gap, there was so much talk and not enough action. So my fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha (who has been at UK since April 1, 1965) started the Stomp-A-Palooza show as well as ate dinner and many of the white sorority houses. Although all events were successful, yet the seperation still persists. There are numerous white greeks at UK who don't even know that they are historically BGLOs at UK. Like I said before, we have been there since 1965 and Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta (chartered on the same day) have been there since May 9, 1975.

From reading the brief article, I just wonder what means will they try different. The person whom the article opens with is not even Greek so how would she know about issues that are relative to this venture? I am not an advocate of segregation but considering the histories and cultures of the two groups, they should remain separate. I just find it hard to believe that Becky Sue, from a wealthy souther white family will join a historically black sorority who sponsors programs to combat African American Student Rentention; it's simply not going to happen!

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by MrKnowItAll1906

The IGPA is not effective in anyways to bridge the gap between black and white greeks.

Of course not. As I understand it, UK's Inter-Greek Programming Assembly's (IGPA) concept of "helping to unify the councils" has to do with programming and not attempting to bridge any gap between the councils.

IGPA simply serves as a "clearing house" (for lack of a better phrase) for GLO events. So as an example, registering with the IGPA keeps Sigma Chi's Derby Day form being held at the same time as Alpha Phi Alpha's Stomp-A-Palooza or Chi Omega's Greek Sing. Also, the IGPA coordinates "general programs" for the benefit of all the GLOs. For example, these might be alcohol awareness, campus safety or perhaps hazing. Issues that affect any GLO - regardless of the council. Perhaps this is why Ms. Rafiuddin felt a need to develop the Inter Greek Relations Project.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by _Lisa_

This is the point:




Diversity does NOT restrict itself to race only, so saying that even a 100 member chapter is not diverse strictly because the race "breakdown" may not be 50/50, would be untrue.


(And for the record, as if I'm not careful enough to be as specific as possible already, I'm not referring to ANY chapter/school, I'm only referring to UK.)

OK so we know that "diversity" means more than along the lines of race. but in the context of the article, and when talking college politics, we ALL know were talking about race (if not race, class/social status). And to be even more honest, at face value, the primary impression one would get looking for "diversity" when looking at greek orgs is going to be race. No one goes to round robin and says, "Oh wow, XYZ has so many people with different majors, i thought they were all English majors!"

of course we know, for the most part, chapters are going to be diverse along different characteristics. but seeing is believing. if the "diversity" makes itself visible (versus having to look for it) the more likely one could feel comfortable associating with said chapter.

but that's just me.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by SmartBlondeGPhB

Maybe it's just me but it sure sounds like she wants them all to be overseen by one Council.....

Yes.

I hate when people shoot off their mouths about things they know nothing about. I really wonder, for example, if she understands the differences between NPC and NPHC rush.

[MrKnowItAll1906]

....oh and I forgot to mention that it really irritates me that some people believe that in a chapter full of about 500 people, if you have 5 blacks, 3 hispanics and 1 asian that they are considered diverse!

I don't think so!