Students with disabilities?

[als463]

Originally Posted by AGDAlum

The Mizzou alumni magazine arrived this week. This woman's story is very inspiring. She's a Kappa:
http://mizzoumag.missouri.edu/2012-S...take/index.php

I wondered how many students with disabilities join NPC/NIC organizations.
When I was an undergrad the DU chapter had a blind member, and about the same time an Alpha Gam chapter (Marietta, I think) had a blind member.

I know there is a fraternity at RIT with members who are deaf. Also, my sorority has an incredible member that they did a story on a while back. She is wheelchair-bound and she uses one of those computer things to help her with speech. I forget the school but, it is at one of our more recent colonizations. She is an inspiration and so are the members of the RIT fraternity.

[AlwaysSAI]

Originally Posted by als463

I know there is a fraternity at RIT with members who are deaf.

My boyfriend is an RIT Greek alum. He was not in the deaf Fraternity, but we somehow got on the subject this past weekend. Sigma Sigma Sigma has a chapter there that he said was the "deaf sorority" (the majority of members were deaf) and that members of the two chapters often dated. RIT has an entire deaf school, from what Mr. KDR was saying.

[als463]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

My boyfriend is an RIT Greek alum. He was not in the deaf Fraternity, but we somehow got on the subject this past weekend. Sigma Sigma Sigma has a chapter there that he said was the "deaf sorority" (the majority of members were deaf) and that members of the two chapters often dated. RIT has an entire deaf school, from what Mr. KDR was saying.

The fraternity is Pi Kappa Phi. I think it is a great organization and apparently that chapter does a ton for their philanthropy (Push America). I love hearing that about Sigma Sigma Sigma because I have always thought they were classy women since going through recruitment at Penn State. This solidifies my belief that they must be classy all over the place!

Just a quick FYI Not all Deaf people consider themselves disabled. I am a deaf woman at Gallaudet University. 95% of our school is deaf students and we have a wonderfully thriving greek life.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by dz.lys.91

Just a quick FYI Not all Deaf people consider themselves disabled. I am a deaf woman at Gallaudet University. 95% of our school is deaf students and we have a wonderfully thriving greek life.

What I've found is that generally Deaf people don't consider themselves disabled and deaf people do.

(Fairly strong correlation between the capital D and those that don't consider themselves)

As for the Greek system at Gallaudet, I'd say that it is unusual in that I can't come up with many schools that have both *multiple* locals that have been around for more than a Century and national GLOs. However given the alumni support for the locals and *high* number of Gallaudet Alumni who now are employed by the school, I expect that those locals would be considerably more likely to survive a Risk Management issue that (for example) might cause University of Maryland to shut down an NIC fraternity.

(I expect that the only schools with a higher number of school alumni in high positions in the school would be the Military Academies).

I've visited Gallaudet looking for information on my fraternity there (Alpha Phi Omega), quietest library *EVER*....

Originally Posted by naraht

What I've found is that generally Deaf people don't consider themselves disabled and deaf people do.

(Fairly strong correlation between the capital D and those that don't consider themselves)

As for the Greek system at Gallaudet, I'd say that it is unusual in that I can't come up with many schools that have both *multiple* locals that have been around for more than a Century and national GLOs. However given the alumni support for the locals and *high* number of Gallaudet Alumni who now are employed by the school, I expect that those locals would be considerably more likely to survive a Risk Management issue that (for example) might cause University of Maryland to shut down an NIC fraternity.

(I expect that the only schools with a higher number of school alumni in high positions in the school would be the Military Academies).

I've visited Gallaudet looking for information on my fraternity there (Alpha Phi Omega), quietest library *EVER*....

The two biggest local frat/sorority on campus are Kappa Gamma and Phi Kappa Zeta. The reason their organizations have stood so long, like you stated, the alumni support is there forever for them AND what they stand for. Kappa Gamma and Phi Kappa Zeta are DEAF strong organizations. What I mean by this is, most of their members have deaf parents or some kind of affiliation with strong deaf lineage.
Kappa Gamma was actually suspended from campus in the 1900's and they had been running their fraternity and keeping it strong Off campus. Later when they asked to come back on campus as an organization, they marched in line wearing their colors (blue and gold) onto the campus, supposedly one of the largest groups ever.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by dz.lys.91

The two biggest local frat/sorority on campus are Kappa Gamma and Phi Kappa Zeta. The reason their organizations have stood so long, like you stated, the alumni support is there forever for them AND what they stand for. Kappa Gamma and Phi Kappa Zeta are DEAF strong organizations. What I mean by this is, most of their members have deaf parents or some kind of affiliation with strong deaf lineage.
Kappa Gamma was actually suspended from campus in the 1900's and they had been running their fraternity and keeping it strong Off campus. Later when they asked to come back on campus as an organization, they marched in line wearing their colors (blue and gold) onto the campus, supposedly one of the largest groups ever.

In some ways, Kappa Gamma and Phi Kappa Zeta are probably in the strongest position relative to an administration/Dean of Students as any Greek Letter Organization that I know of. It sounds like Kappa Gamma more or less ignored the suspension and continued to take on new brothers. I truly wonder whether the administration would be able to eject either group permanently for anything short of unrecoverable hazing (death or something like a permanent Coma) (See Gamma Phi Gamma at Wilmington College)

This certainly won't be true for the National groups (though I wonder to what degree Delta Zeta's focus on hearing issues as a National Philanthropy helps or hurts among those who consider themselves Deaf)

Originally Posted by naraht

In some ways, Kappa Gamma and Phi Kappa Zeta are probably in the strongest position relative to an administration/Dean of Students as any Greek Letter Organization that I know of. It sounds like Kappa Gamma more or less ignored the suspension and continued to take on new brothers. I truly wonder whether the administration would be able to eject either group permanently for anything short of unrecoverable hazing (death or something like a permanent Coma) (See Gamma Phi Gamma at Wilmington College)

This certainly won't be true for the National groups (though I wonder to what degree Delta Zeta's focus on hearing issues as a National Philanthropy helps or hurts among those who consider themselves Deaf)

I noticed that the national groups with strong bonds to their fellow chapters nearby have it better than those groups that do not. For example: Kappa Sigma Mu Iota chapter has strong bonds with the chapter of Kappa Sigma at University of Maryland and the newest colony at Catholic University. Last year, the Kappa Sigma brothers and alumni brothers hosted an ASL workshop for the chapters nearby. From the pictures, it looked like a fun event and everyone got the opportunity to get to know one another. As for Delta Zeta, and their national philanthropy, there is a somewhat mixed feelings at Gallaudet's chapter. Some women feel that Gallaudet should be taking a stand and educating other chapters, others feel that it is a national philanthropy and they should support their sisters no matter what.

I should also point out that the Deaf/deaf labeling is in the process of being thrown out of the window due to the complexity of labeling and where the line should be drawn. For example: Am I deaf because I was educated with hearing people and did not learn ASL until later or Am I Deaf because I chose Gallaudet University? The lines are extremely blurry so the use of D/d is fading.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by dz.lys.91

I noticed that the national groups with strong bonds to their fellow chapters nearby have it better than those groups that do not. For example: Kappa Sigma Mu Iota chapter has strong bonds with the chapter of Kappa Sigma at University of Maryland and the newest colony at Catholic University. Last year, the Kappa Sigma brothers and alumni brothers hosted an ASL workshop for the chapters nearby. From the pictures, it looked like a fun event and everyone got the opportunity to get to know one another. As for Delta Zeta, and their national philanthropy, there is a somewhat mixed feelings at Gallaudet's chapter. Some women feel that Gallaudet should be taking a stand and educating other chapters, others feel that it is a national philanthropy and they should support their sisters no matter what.

I should also point out that the Deaf/deaf labeling is in the process of being thrown out of the window due to the complexity of labeling and where the line should be drawn. For example: Am I deaf because I was educated with hearing people and did not learn ASL until later or Am I Deaf because I chose Gallaudet University? The lines are extremely blurry so the use of D/d is fading.

It's good that Kappa Sigma has such tight ties. I didn't realize that there were other KS chapters that close.

I'm taking ASL classes through my wife's church so I have a feeling for what could be taught in a workshop.

As for DZ, nothing like the conflicting issues of *being* a philanthropic target and not wanting it...

I think Deaf (or some other similar symbolism) will continue to exist as long as there are those who don't think of being deaf as something that needs to be fixed. (or at least until that percentage drops to where it is for the blind)