Other gender Advisors/Honorary?

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

Not wise if you want to preserve your single sex status, in my opinion.

As long as none are initiated and serve in a purely advisory capacity, there's no problem. Sometimes it's great to bring in outsiders so you can get some perspective you otherwise wouldn't have. At one time, I employed a young lady from a sorority at my chapter's school as a receptionist. I was able to use information from her to squelch a number of issues before they became issues.

Having someone in an advisory capacity wouldn't be any different. They are going to be privy to things your insiders are not. If I have my druthers, my house corporation BOD will have at least one NPC member on it because I will be the first to admit that they have Greek housing down to an absolute science compared to us.

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by Kevin

If I have my druthers, my house corporation BOD will have at least one NPC member on it because I will be the first to admit that they have Greek housing down to an absolute science compared to us.

As a former International Director of Housing for an NPC group, I have to agree with you here! I've talked with several folks at various NIC groups about how we do housing.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Titchou

As a former International Director of Housing for an NPC group, I have to agree with you here! I've talked with several folks at various NIC groups about how we do housing.

In the past few years, I've assembled, elected and written bylaws for a BOD with no house--just waiting and ready to act when things are right. Adding an NPC person with housing experience, probably someone who is also on a local NPC house corp is a priority of mine.

When talking with white hairs from another chapter about how we need to set things up, the advice has been to figure out what the sororities are doing and then copy them.

We have a pretty horrible system which requires each chapter to essentially reinvent the wheel. After having been established for over a decade on our campus, spending days in drafting contracts, organizational documents, bylaws and leases, I just had a sorority outbid us on a house we had overbid on to begin with just betting that they can fill the beds. I have every expectation that they will. They apparently have access to some major outside capital contributions from their HQ. We're on our own.

Organizationally, I think there are going to be fewer and fewer NIC groups in the future. Our NPC counterparts have really shown us how and where we need to evolve.

So back to the OP... you're foolish if you exclude what someone can offer simply because of their gender. We may be single-gender organizations, but that doesn't mean that the best ideas are always going to come from within.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Kevin

So back to the OP... you're foolish if you exclude what someone can offer simply because of their gender. We may be single-gender organizations, but that doesn't mean that the best ideas are always going to come from within.

I don't think the OP has any intention of doing so...the OP is quite open-minded, he simply wanted some context for things that happened in his (and my) formerly all-male, now coed, fraternity, back in the day. It is other posters in the thread that are being Debbie Downers about the concept.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Kevin

So back to the OP... you're foolish if you exclude what someone can offer simply because of their gender. We may be single-gender organizations, but that doesn't mean that the best ideas are always going to come from within.

What is foolish is people believing that what their GLO eats makes other GLOs defecate. GLOs do what works for them. If they only allow members to be advisors, they are advanced and equipped enough to get advice and access resources without every advice-giver and resource-provider being an actual advisor.

Delta chapters have primary advisors (Sorors) and, at the colleges/universities that require it, have faculty advisors (any faculty member who is not an asshole--if there are eligible faculty Sorors who are not assholes, that is even better). The faculty advisors for the Delta chapters (at the schools that require faculty advisors) are helpful for doing basic things like reserving rooms and setting their calendars. There are also faculty advisors who do absolutely nothing but have their name on the website or sign their name when rarely needed--that works for some chapters because these chapters prefer only using their off-campus primary/Soror Advisor.

The rest of the chapters that only have off-campus Soror primary advisors (no faculty advisor) do absolutely fine getting what needs to be done using the plethora of resources. These chapters (mine included) often do not want nonDeltas telling us what to do and how to do it, just point us in the right direction if we need/want your help with something. Afterall, that is what Student Activities and Greek Life offices are for at some campuses.**

**There are campuses where the Director of Greek Life is listed as the campus/staff advisor for every GLO--in addition to their off-campus advisor (member of the GLO). That is a necessary formality for these chapters to be recognized at the school but serves no purpose at some schools beyond quality control. This grates the nerves of some GLO chapters and their GLO member off-campus advisor.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

What is foolish is people believing that what their GLO eats makes other GLOs defecate. GLOs do what works for them. If they only allow members to be advisors, they are advanced and equipped enough to get advice and access resources without every advice-giver and resource-provider being an actual advisor.

Delta chapters have primary advisors (Sorors) and, at the colleges/universities that require it, have faculty advisors (any faculty member who is not an asshole--if there are eligible faculty Sorors who are not assholes, that is even better). The faculty advisors for the Delta chapters (at the schools that require faculty advisors) are helpful for doing basic things like reserving rooms and setting their calendars. There are also faculty advisors who do absolutely nothing but have their name on the website or sign their name when rarely needed--that works for some chapters because these chapters prefer only using their off-campus primary/Soror Advisor. The rest of the chapters that have off-campus primary/Soror advisors (no faculty advisor) do absolutely fine getting what needs to be done using the plethora of resources. These chapters (mine included) often do not want nonDeltas telling us what to do and how to do it, just point us in the right direction if we need/want your help with something. Afterall, that is what Student Activities and Greek Life offices are for at some campuses. There are campuses where the Director of Greek Life is listed as the campus/staff advisor for every GLO--in addition to their off-campus advisor (member of the GLO). That is a necessary formality for these chapters to be recognized at the school but serves no purpose at some schools beyond quality control. This grates the nerves of some GLO chapters and their GLO member off-campus advisor.

In addition:

Everyone who is helpful to a chapter doesn't need to have the title Advisor or have a formal relationship with the organization.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

In addition:

Everyone who is helpful to a chapter doesn't need to have the title Advisor or have a formal relationship with the organization.

How on earth can people get advice and resources without the advice-giver and resource-provider being a formal advisor or having a formal relationship with the organization? Say it ain't so!

/sarcasm