Liberal and creative alumni - is there a place at the table?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by brightblue

However, if our national fraternity happens to be more conservative than most, and might be that way for some time, I guess I feel like I didn't exactly give my informed consent to that (i.e. I didn't know!), and I don't really buy-in to that set of values. That wasn't in the brochure. If the nationals only picture "adult success" one way, then it makes it more difficult for me to proudly support the national fraternity as an alumni... even though I want to be involved, and I care.

NIC and NPC members-to-be, for the most part, choose their fraternity based on the people they interact with at their college's chapter. If you would have known that (random example) KDR was the most tree hugging, socially conscious fraternity out there, but you couldn't stand any of the KDR brothers at your campus, would you really have joined that group? By the same token, would you give up the good friends you did make through your fraternity because of what you believe your nationals think?

I say this and ask...have YOU contributed to your national magazine? Have YOU been a national volunteer? For the most part, the squeaky wheel gets the greasin. People in suits are the ones sending their pictures in, plain and simple. If you allow yourself to be intimidated or made to feel left out, that's a problem you have to work out with your own psyche.

[brightblue]

Originally Posted by 33girl

NIC and NPC members-to-be, for the most part, choose their fraternity based on the people they interact with at their college's chapter. If you would have known that (random example) KDR was the most tree hugging, socially conscious fraternity out there, but you couldn't stand any of the KDR brothers at your campus, would you really have joined that group? By the same token, would you give up the good friends you did make through your fraternity because of what you believe your nationals think?

Perhaps! I've joined other groups/organizations because of their national/global outlook. If fraternities differentiated themselves by what they offer... and made this known to new members, they really could start attracting the vibe of people that they want. In 1996-1997 when I joined, there was no differentiation between fraternities other than the people who happened to be in the chapter.

But for sure, I would still have joined one of the three fraternities where I felt most comfortable with the people. The thing is, I had no information to differentiate between the three nationals. It could have been my deciding factor, if one had stood out from the others. But at that time, they were all the same, or at least marketing themselves all the same way.

Being in my fraternity didn't preclude me from being close friends with people from other fraternities and non-Greeks. The friendships I have with my fraternity brothers are special because of who they are and the experiences we have had together, but, had I met them in daily life on campus there's a good chance we would have been friends anyway.

Originally Posted by 33girl

I say this and ask...have YOU contributed to your national magazine? Have YOU been a national volunteer? For the most part, the squeaky wheel gets the greasin. People in suits are the ones sending their pictures in, plain and simple. If you allow yourself to be intimidated or made to feel left out, that's a problem you have to work out with your own psyche.

When your national fraternity doesn't seem to welcome written contributions to their magazine, doesn't have op-eds, doesn't have a forum on their website for alumni, doesn't have a letter page in their magazine, doesn't have a "suggestion box"... how many people are really going to feel comfortable contributing? My impression based on all the literature and email interactions that I've received from them in the past 2-3 years since I started paying attention to this, is that they are a top-down organization that doesn't really take much input or have many participative processes. I don't have a problem sending them correspondence, but in an organization that seems to be operated and organized that way, is it really going to do any good? It doesn't feel any more warm and welcoming than the national conglomerate I worked for last summer.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by brightblue

When your national fraternity doesn't seem to welcome written contributions to their magazine, doesn't have op-eds, doesn't have a forum on their website for alumni, doesn't have a letter page in their magazine, doesn't have a "suggestion box"... how many people are really going to feel comfortable contributing? My impression based on all the literature and email interactions that I've received from them in the past 2-3 years since I started paying attention to this, is that they are a top-down organization that doesn't really take much input or have many participative processes. I don't have a problem sending them correspondence, but in an organization that seems to be operated and organized that way, is it really going to do any good? It doesn't feel any more warm and welcoming than the national conglomerate I worked for last summer.

You're assuming a lot. For a lot of groups, the magazine is just assuming less and less importance as other forms of communication take over. Ditto an alumni forum on the "official" website. Are you part of your org's national Facebook group? Do you check it regularly and begin and participate in discussions? That's really where everything is nowadays.

I guess this would all make more sense to me if you were 60 or so and never used a computer, but you're young enough that your focusing so much on what goes in the magazine is just, well, odd to me.

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by brightblue

Perhaps! I've joined other groups/organizations because of their national/global outlook. If fraternities differentiated themselves by what they offer... and made this known to new members, they really could start attracting the vibe of people that they want. In 1996-1997 when I joined, there was no differentiation between fraternities other than the people who happened to be in the chapter.

But for sure, I would still have joined one of the three fraternities where I felt most comfortable with the people. The thing is, I had no information to differentiate between the three nationals. It could have been my deciding factor, if one had stood out from the others. But at that time, they were all the same, or at least marketing themselves all the same way.

Being in my fraternity didn't preclude me from being close friends with people from other fraternities and non-Greeks. The friendships I have with my fraternity brothers are special because of who they are and the experiences we have had together, but, had I met them in daily life on campus there's a good chance we would have been friends anyway.



When your national fraternity doesn't seem to welcome written contributions to their magazine, doesn't have op-eds, doesn't have a forum on their website for alumni, doesn't have a letter page in their magazine, doesn't have a "suggestion box"... how many people are really going to feel comfortable contributing? My impression based on all the literature and email interactions that I've received from them in the past 2-3 years since I started paying attention to this, is that they are a top-down organization that doesn't really take much input or have many participative processes. I don't have a problem sending them correspondence, but in an organization that seems to be operated and organized that way, is it really going to do any good? It doesn't feel any more warm and welcoming than the national conglomerate I worked for last summer.

Have you written to the editors of the magazine to see if they are interested in freelance or staff writers? Of course, this means you might write more than just "a letter to the editor" type things, but it's a start. I was asked, because of my writing history, to write for one of my national publications, and was asked for writing samples. Since I have been sick, I haven't been able to do that, but as soon as I am up to it, I will pursue it.

And yes, if you want a wilderness man, peace keeper, world adventurer to be featured - you or otherwise, suggest it to your magazine's editors. They might ask you to write something or give them more info so that they can contact the person of interest. Ten bucks the lack of stories you want to heat haven't been told because no one suggested them. 33 is correct, the stuff that talks about alumni are usually self-submitted. I know that the stuff in my college and (private) high school newsletters are, because I have personally submitted a few things.

Stop making up excuses and self-imposed barriers. Your org might not be as "bipolar" as you think. And talk to THEM, not us, about changes you want to see.

[33girl]

Personally, I think the leadership NOT doing a webinar is a good thing. Those are a complete waste of time.

Again, I'm a little amazed that you're younger than me and I'm telling you this, but MANY groups are using Facebook more and more in an official capacity. To say it's an "informal" communication route these days just shows that you're out of touch with what's going on. Many people are advisors, volunteers etc from a huge distance away. You don't have to live in the same time zone.

And even as far as those things are concerned...AlphaFrog can back me up on this. We were bitching one day on our sister forum about chapters closing and we didn't like the manner in which it was done (long story short). Several months later, I was contacted by one of our magazine's editors about a story on closed chapters. I was quoted (Jess, I forget, were you in it too?) along with a picture of our chapter, other women from closed chapers were as well, the editor wrote a wonderful piece, and many people said it was very healing and cathartic. So the moral of the story is, don't shut your big mouth.

As far as who's what, I can only tell you about my fellow alums (small public school in the northeast) from a very unscientific self-study on Facebook. Sigma Chis are moderate to liberal, Phi Sigma Kappas are mostly conservative, and the Crows are trending to the right of John Birch.

[AlphaFrog]

I don't think I was quoted in the Closed Chapters article, but I have been quoted before. Why? Because I use our sorority's social networking sites, and I'm VOCAL there.

I'm also applying for a grant through our foundation, and one of the requirements for the grant is including your picture and a bio for the magazine, should you be awarded the grant.

[zinnia]

BrightBlue, sometimes big donors are recognized/rewarded by being featured in alumni magazines. I know that's the case at Wharton/UPenn. Also, sometimes if they want a big donation from someone they'll feature them in the magazine, ask them to be a speaker at the school, etc. So for your alumni magazine, maybe they're featuring the people who give the most $$$$....

[kddani]

By the way, the very people that you're complaining of are the ones that keep nonprofits open by donating and sitting on the board of directors to those nonprofits. They're also the ones that patronize the arts, donate money to your fraternity to keep it running, etc.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by zinnia

BrightBlue, sometimes big donors are recognized/rewarded by being featured in alumni magazines. I know that's the case at Wharton/UPenn. Also, sometimes if they want a big donation from someone they'll feature them in the magazine, ask them to be a speaker at the school, etc. So for your alumni magazine, maybe they're featuring the people who give the most $$$$....

That's not true.

One of my chapter sisters has been a consistent and huge donor for 35+ years and I have yet to see her "featured" in our magazine. By the same token, the features we do have are often about people who are far from being big donors.

College magazines are different than fraternity and sorority magazines.