Dual Membership?

[Senusret I]

Originally posted by SoTrue1920
Dardenr: NPHC organizations are community service organizations, not specifically social organizations (even though we have social aspects). Because we're looked upon as service organizations, that's one of the reasons why I wondered whether a person would be allowed to hold membership in an NPC/NIC organization.

SoTrue, while I understand that NPHC members are taught that they are community service organizations, with all due respect, that is not true. This has nothing to do with any personal judgment of the work of the NPHC, but the law.

Title IX, passed in 1972 I believe, was passed to ensure equity between men and women in various aspects, including collegiate athletics, forcing colleges to have equal resources allocated to both men's and women's sports. For example, it is not equitable for the men's basketball program to be Division I while the women's basketball program is Division III.

Title IX also ensures that student organizations on campuses receiving federal funds of any kind (usually interpreted to include federal financial aid) are equal to both men and women. This means that if there is a Home Economics club, it must be open to both men and women.

There are many organizations that are exempt from Title IX, allowing them to remain single-gendered, such as youth movement's like the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Boy's Nation. Also exempt from Title IX are SOCIAL Fraternities and Sororities.

Service Fraternities and Sororities are NOT exempt from Title IX, therefore, they may not exclude applicants on the basis of gender. Examples of this are Alpha Phi Omega, the National Service Fraternity, coed since 1976, and Gamma Sigma Sigma Sorority, which has a handful of male members.

Therefore, if any organization on the NPHC was a service organization, then they could not bar membership from someone of the opposite gender.

I apologize for sounding like a know-it-all, but being a Brother of Alpha Phi Omega, I have to be well versed on what is "service" and what is "social" in the eyes of the law.

I wonder, though. . .I know that Zeta Phi Beta and Phi Beta Sigma are separate entities. Since you are constitutionally bound, however, I wonder if Zeta and Sigma could be the only NPHC groups legally considered service organizations. Only Zeta and Sigma would apply in this case because if a man wanted to be a Zeta, Sigma exists as the legal alternative.

It's like if a woman wanted to play basketball in college. .. legally, she would HAVE to try out for the men's team if there was no women's team. But if a women's team existed, the men's team has the right to turn her away.