Cardinal Rule Broken by Our Greek Advisor ;-(

[Greek_or_Geek?]

Originally Posted by Kevin

So you think it's a good idea to advise this woman who is the president of her student body to conduct her own investigation by contacting alumnae at both her old undergrad NPC group and with her NPHC group to verify her story and that in doing so, she could safely protect her own identity and not appear to be some sort of stalker and also not have the fact that she is making inquiries leaked back to the Greek Life Adviser?

Someone who is "completely uninvolved" won't know what is going on and won't have any reason to make inquiries on the behalf of a stranger. This is not a good idea.

No. I'm not saying that at all. I'm saying that she needs to make sure the story is actually correct before reporting it anonymously to the NPHC organization if that's what she ultimately decides to do.

As an NPC member, I have been asked on multiple occasions to check and see if someone is a member. It takes about three seconds online and it isn't a strange request, particularly at this time of year. Or like others in this thread mentioned, college yearbooks are online. A look through a few of those may also easily answer this question.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Greek_or_Geek?

No. I'm not saying that at all. I'm saying that she needs to make sure the story is actually correct before reporting it anonymously to the NPHC organization if that's what she ultimately decides to do.

I may overplay my hand with this lane swerve, but it'd seem a lot more appropriate for the OP to make her report to the NPHC organization allow them to conduct their own internal investigation. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I really doubt they'd want some non-member poking around in their affairs.

I can tell you that if someone asked me whether someone was a member in good standing, I'd be happy to share that information. If, however, they wanted to know the circumstances of a member's joining and what, if any inquiries were made to HQ re dual membership, I'd tell them to tell me what they know and not expect to get any information or even a call back from me unless I needed more information, but that I would be handling things from there. I doubt that OP would fare any differently by making direct inquiries. Now, I can say that I would definitely not contact this person nor would I reveal any information given to me in confidence, but not everyone can be trusted to do that and there's a chance things will get out of hand and there's a chance of retaliation.

As an NPC member, I have been asked on multiple occasions to check and see if someone is a member. It takes about three seconds online and it isn't a strange request, particularly at this time of year. Or like others in this thread mentioned, college yearbooks are online. A look through a few of those may also easily answer this question.

That's fine and I'm sure those requests are above-board if you're checking recs and such. This case is asking for quite a bit more information than whether this person is a member in good standing.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by Kevin

I may overplay my hand with this lane swerve, but it'd seem a lot more appropriate for the OP to make her report to the NPHC organization allow them to conduct their own internal investigation. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I really doubt they'd want some non-member poking around in their affairs.

I can tell you that if someone asked me whether someone was a member in good standing, I'd be happy to share that information. If, however, they wanted to know the circumstances of my joining and what, if any inquiries were made to HQ re dual membership, I'd tell them to tell me what they know and not expect to get any information or even a call back from me unless I needed more information, but that I would be handling things from there. I doubt that OP would fare any differently by making direct inquiries. Now, I can say that I would definitely not contact this person nor would I reveal any information given to me in confidence, but not everyone can be trusted to do that and there's a chance things will get out of hand and there's a chance of retaliation.




That's fine and I'm sure those requests are above-board if you're checking recs and such. This case is asking for quite a bit more information than whether this person is a member in good standing.

This. If someone called me asking pointed questions about a sister and our rules, I'd ask, "And who are you? And how is this your business?"

[Greek_or_Geek?]

Once again, because apparently I am not making myself clear here. I am not saying the OP should conduct an investigation and contact members of sororities and ask pointed questions about policies, detailed information about a sister or anything else specific. I am merely suggesting that she make a discreet attempt to confirm that this isn't a tall tale before contacting the NPHC organization with a vague story about someone who might have membership in some NPC organization if that's what she ends up deciding she wants to do.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Greek_or_Geek?

Once again, because apparently I am not making myself clear here. I am not saying the OP should conduct an investigation and contact members of sororities and ask pointed questions about policies, detailed information about a sister or anything else specific. I am merely suggesting that she make a discreet attempt to confirm that this isn't a tall tale before contacting the NPHC organization with a vague story about someone who might have membership in some NPC organization if that's what she ends up deciding she wants to do.

I don't care what you call it, that is conducting an independent investigation in which she must poke around in affairs which are none of her business to get the information she seeks. How do you propose she finds out whether an HQ was contacted during membership intake to clear the dual membership issue in an alumnae organization without contacting any members of that organization?

Impossible.

If she does anything, she can report what she knows to the NPHC organization and let them conduct their own internal investigation. That is assuming that she is allowed to disclose information she obtained during the interview process (she may have signed a non-disclosure or there might be some state law on that issue). In such a case, it would certainly be reasonable for the accused to speculate that OP was the source of the information.

Also, OP cannot count 100% on the discretion of the national office if she reveals her information. If she doesn't reveal her information, she can't count on the fact that the national office is going to put much time tracking down a report from an anonymous source.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Greek_or_Geek?

Once again, because apparently I am not making myself clear here. I am not saying the OP should conduct an investigation and contact members of sororities and ask pointed questions about policies, detailed information about a sister or anything else specific. I am merely suggesting that she make a discreet attempt to confirm that this isn't a tall tale before contacting the NPHC organization with a vague story about someone who might have membership in some NPC organization if that's what she ends up deciding she wants to do.

Do you mean tall tale as in, the Greek advisor herself made this up and she was never in an NPC?

Wouldn't that be kind of like going to apply for a job with a zoo and showing them your beheaded hyena collection? Unless, of course, she was so deluded as to think that this would help her "connect" with NPC sorority members and win them over.

Then again, the rest of the hiring committee thought this was OK fine, so it really makes me question the regard in which the school holds Greek life to begin with.