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

[brightblue]

I'm saying I don't like doing business with organizations that don't have some level of participative leadership. I can't wholeheartedly support organizations that are operated from a top-down perspective. The issue is I have trouble giving money or time to an organization that isn't seeking to improve based on input from its stakeholders, who are alumni and undergraduates. I'm not asking for them to come calling me personally, but I would be more willing to support them if they offered everyone that opportunity.

Being four hours away from the nearest chapter has been the only thing that has kept me from interacting in that way.

And because the magazine seems extremely conservative in who they write about, it makes me wonder if the organization itself is that conservative. I haven't seen that the organization has changed much in the last 10 years as far as their programs for undergraduates, and that concerns me. It seems pretty obvious that they're not progressive.

As far as your question about if some NIC fraternities are more liberal or more conservative than others, I don't know the answer to that one. Maybe someone here does. I haven't seen a list anywhere, but I would bet that some lean more one way or the other. I'd be curious to know.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by brightblue

And because the magazine seems extremely conservative in who they write about, it makes me wonder if the organization itself is that conservative. I haven't seen that the organization has changed much in the last 10 years as far as their programs for undergraduates, and that concerns me. It seems pretty obvious that they're not progressive.

I guess I'll state the obvious...

You know who Alumni mags write about? People who send them articles/info about themselves. How is your fraternity supposed to know what you're up to if you don't TELL them? Why not write an article about a brother you know who's a bleeding heart, barefoot, tree hugging, granola eating, green company entrepreneurial Obama lover? You don't see those articles, because those kind of people don't write articles...it might kill a tree with that extra page of paper in the mag. The people who know how to network and self-promote are the people that WILL write articles in their Fraternity's magazine (or get their assistant to do it for them), so that's WHY those are the people you read about.

[Elephant Walk]

Originally Posted by brightblue

I'm saying I don't like doing business with organizations that don't have some level of participative leadership. I can't wholeheartedly support organizations that are operated from a top-down perspective. The issue is I have trouble giving money or time to an organization that isn't seeking to improve based on input from its stakeholders, who are alumni and undergraduates. I'm not asking for them to come calling me personally, but I would be more willing to support them if they offered everyone that opportunity.

None of this has anything to do with conservative v. liberal (if you want to ascribe to that sort of neanderthal concept).

Stalin could be considered "liberal" yet wasn't too interested in "participative leadership" in any real terms.

These are just excuses. And pretty poor ones.

[Firehouse]

This is fascinating. I agree that most national fraternities don't think of themselves as politically liberal or conservative, but some do lean to the right and some to the left in terms of their overall policies regarding expansion, promotion of the Fraternity 'identity' and support for and defense of their chapters.
I actually read other fratenities' magazines and follow their expansion policies (some people collect stamps...). None of the magazines are overtly political - I think everyone realizes that no one wants that. If an alumnus is elected to Congress, for instance, that fact is reported with pride, regardless of the political party. Brighblue, I don't know which fraternity is yours, but I imagine that the problem is with the magazine rather than the Fraternity in general. Several posters have suggested using Facebook and that's a great idea. In fact, YOU can start a Facebook page for your chapter alumni and spotlight the exceptional individuals you feel deserve recognitiion. It will be appreciated by all.

But getting back to tendencies...33Girl mentioned several fraternities and their 'leans'. She said: "Sigma Chis are moderate to liberal, Phi Sigma Kappas are mostly conservative, and the Crows are trending to the right of John Birch." I agree about Sigma Chi. I don't know much about Phi Sig or Crow. But based on my reading of the magazines and associated news articles, the expansion protocols and the general 'feel', this is what I see...

VERY right/conservative: DKE, Zeta Psi.
LEAN right: KA, Pike, Phi Kappa Psi, FIJI, maybe Sigma Nu.
MODERATE: Sigma Chi, *SAE, ATO, **Sig Ep, Pi Kappa Phi, Delta Tau Delta.
LEAN left: Phi Delt (alcohol and insurance policies), maybe Kappa Sigma.
LEAN further left: Lambda Chi Apha, Beta Theta Pi (I'm surprised, but Beta has definitely moved that way), TKE.
VERY left: Psi Upsilon, Alpha Delta Phi.

*SAE is interesting. Their management and magazine lean moderate/liberal, but the chapters definitely lean right.
**Sig Ep sends mixed messages. They operate on a solid buisiness model, but lately they're moving toward an esoteric 'community of scholars' chapter concept. Call it a work in progress.

No insult intended to anyone left off the list. I'm just not familiar with their publications and operation.

[33girl]

Ha ha, Firehouse, that was at my school only. I certainly don't want to make a blanket/inter/national statement about those groups. And I also just want to say (similar to what Lorne Michaels said about Al Franken) that it's really interesting to see where people were in their youth, and where they are now.