Delta Gamma Eliminates Legacy Policy

[GoldenAnchor]

Originally Posted by TriDeltaSallie

Without input from members or voting. Apparently without warning. And announced it on social media to the general membership (read: a lot of the soon-to-be alienated middle).

On top of that, they directly tied the change to the most divisive developments in our culture at the current moment - identity politics, intersectionality, and critical race theory.

To address this part - this is a direct result of calls to action on the collegiate level, multiple collegiate chapters made this request of EO. Input directly from the members being impacting by this policy and seeing it in action in their recruitment spaces.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by GoldenAnchor

To address this part - this is a direct result of calls to action on the collegiate level, multiple collegiate chapters made this request of EO. Input directly from the members being impacting by this policy and seeing it in action in their recruitment spaces.

I would think, though, that this would come up directly after recruitment, not NOW, when people have other things on their minds to put it mildly. If in October or November they would have opened a discussion saying, many chapters felt hamstrung by our legacy policy this past recruitment season, they had to cut great women and many of these women were POC, etc etc, it would have been much more well received. Instead, it gets tied to the George Floyd murder and subsequent recent events and really does come across as virtue signalling.

[carnation]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I would think, though, that this would come up directly after recruitment, not NOW, when people have other things on their minds to put it mildly. If in October or November they would have opened a discussion saying, many chapters felt hamstrung by our legacy policy this past recruitment season, they had to cut great women and many of these women were POC, etc etc, it would have been much more well received. Instead, it gets tied to the George Floyd murder and subsequent recent events and really does come across as virtue signalling.

This a million times over.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I would think, though, that this would come up directly after recruitment, not NOW, when people have other things on their minds to put it mildly. If in October or November they would have opened a discussion saying, many chapters felt hamstrung by our legacy policy this past recruitment season, they had to cut great women and many of these women were POC, etc etc, it would have been much more well received. Instead, it gets tied to the George Floyd murder and subsequent recent events and really does come across as virtue signalling.

But if their alumnae were paying attention, they'd know that it isn't tied to that. Go back and read the Winter 2019 Anchora posted by DGalumna. It seems apparent that this isn't a decision that emerged out of thin air.

[GoldenAnchor]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

But if their alumnae were paying attention, they'd know that it isn't tied to that. Go back and read the Winter 2019 Anchora posted by DGalumna. It seems apparent that this isn't a decision that emerged out of thin air.

This!

Legacies have been a discussion for a long time, this isn’t coming out of nowhere. Last year they made another change regarding legacies that largely went unnoticed. We used to be required to call the legacy connection (sister, mom, grandma, etc) when a chapter chose to release a legacy, intended as a courtesy. This was changed last year because the alumnae who had to make these calls were not being treated well and it resulted in some chapters feeling like they couldn’t release a legacy without extreme backlash.

[TriDeltaSallie]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

But if their alumnae were paying attention, they'd know that it isn't tied to that. Go back and read the Winter 2019 Anchora posted by DGalumna. It seems apparent that this isn't a decision that emerged out of thin air.

I agree with this and it rather proves my bigger point.

I have no doubt that collegians and very young alumnae have only the best of intentions. There is no snark behind that. I mean it sincerely. They are looking at this from street level and see what they perceive as a real need in their immediate situation they want to address.

The alumnae who are upset are looking at this from a different perspective. It's like they are standing on the Empire State Building. They see the bigger picture because they have been a member longer. They also see how it may potentially impact them and their legacy. I would venture some are also upset because (from their perspective) it's One. More. Stupid. Thing. in their life that is in upheaval.

I'm trying to get people to look at this from 30,000 feet. To see the really big picture. The really big picture that is explained in detail in that video.

I agree that this has probably been in the works for some time in DG. They have already adopted a framework that includes critical race theory, intersectionality, and wokeness. Many of them may not even realize that is what they have bought into, but it's there in the language they use. Contextualization, "white ideals and perspectives" and so on.

So they may realize what they have bought into and the leadership is making the choice to fundamentally change DG in incremental steps. Their goal is to do away with everything that is not in line with these paradigms.

Or they may not realize the Pandora's box they have opened. I have no idea. I don't know them and I don't know DG enough in any way to have an opinion or any particular insight.

All I know is that those of us who have a ritual with "white ideals and perspectives" (read: significant Christian content and text) have real reason to be concerned. I'm telling you right now that our ritual will not survive a purging of "white ideals and perspectives" and any Tri Delta who is reading this knows exactly what I'm talking about.

[carnation]

Ditto on ours. And I will be frank, I have seen most of the NPC rituals because I have a friend who's a ritual collector-- and gutting their rituals will leave little as well.

[AnchorAlumna]

I really thought most sororities had eliminated Christian references in ritual years ago so that women of other faiths could be pledged, especially Jewish women. I was aware that some still included them.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

I really thought most sororities had eliminated Christian references in ritual years ago so that women of other faiths could be pledged, especially Jewish women. I was aware that some still included them.

It depends what you define as a “Christian reference.”

[33girl]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

But if their alumnae were paying attention, they'd know that it isn't tied to that. Go back and read the Winter 2019 Anchora posted by DGalumna. It seems apparent that this isn't a decision that emerged out of thin air.

I read it. And whether you were “paying attention” or not, whether they had this on their schedule back in March 2019 to announce this change on this date, you gotta read the room.

If this is what they want to do that’s fine but regardless of how long this has been being discussed, it’ll come across how it comes across.

[DGalumna]

Popping in one last time to thank the members who have responded publicly and privately with empathy and politeness and a willingness to understand. My goal is never to cause harm or sow discord but rather to provide a different perspective whether it apparently may be wanted or not.

A few things I do want to note that have come up:

1) Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure the Delta Gamma ritual has been tweaked in the past in order to eliminate or adjust pieces that may have not been taken properly. I've attended a number of initiations beyond my initial chapter as an advisor/friend of advisors and I can't say there has been a deep change in meaning and the ritual itself still resonates. So again this is work that they have been doing for a long time and is not a reactionary or virtue signaling measure and has spanned more than one generation of our Council. That may have more to do with what our ritual consists of and I obviously have not and have no desire to read any other organization's rituals who may have less room to adjust things. That is none of my business and is between you and your organization and your ritiuals.

2) One of the changes that has come that I don't necessarily agree with is the retirement of the option to do a lei ceremony for preference. I LOVED that ceremony. It moved me to tears when I attended as a freshman who wasn't sure if Greek life was for her. My undergraduate chapter even had a woman who was of Hawaiian descent and led the ceremony each year I was there. I spoke to her about it and she agreed that it was a bit reactionary and she didn't necessarily see it as "cultural appropriation", but understood that it may not read as well from other perspectives and if there was a reason to change it then she supports it. They've enlisted a variety of women to help them script a new ceremony that is wholly Delta Gamma and does not pull from other cultures. That said I'm still not removing my carefully dried lei from its shadowbox in my apartment any time soon.

3) Like it was mentioned, the legacy policy has been under discussion for longer than the last few weeks. I know friends who served as advisors who got screamed at by alumnae early in the morning when giving the courtesy call to let them know their daughter/granddaughter/sister was dropped. I know my chapter's president the year I joined was harassed over the phone and by email because a woman's daughter made it to Preferences and CHOSE another chapter (because obviously their membership selection was faulty if her daughter would willingly choose to chart her own path with a group of women who fit what she wanted out of a sorority). Regardless of how you feel about a legacy policy it is NOT okay to treat another woman let alone someone who is your sister that way.

So maybe the legacy policy feels reactionary to you. You may think it's a decision made lightly in response to what is going on in America. That is every much your right. It is also my right to have my own feelings, to admire the work DG has been doing for a long time, and to voice why I believe in what it's doing. Being at the top of the Empire State building is simply a different view and just as the woman on the top can see a wider picture she may very well miss important things that are going on below. And besides, if you ask around most people will tell you the view is better from Top of the Rock.

Thank you to those who have chosen to share and engage in debate in productive ways. I appreciate you and am proud to be your sister/Panhellenic sister. But I've said my piece and I have no more to add that will add to this conversation.

[carnation]

On top of the Empire State Building, we can see it all. Quite well. Adios.

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I read it. And whether you were “paying attention” or not, whether they had this on their schedule back in March 2019 to announce this change on this date, you gotta read the room.

If this is what they want to do that’s fine but regardless of how long this has been being discussed, it’ll come across how it comes across.

I agree and I am concerned that the timing is affecting the reception especially since 2020 has been an extremely challenging year for so many across the U.S. and the globe. We're entering into a school year that has families stressed regarding their student(s)' health, housing, in-person/virtual/hybrid instruction, and financial support. Recruitment for 2020 will be a very unique situation for all involved.



With hindsight typically being 20-20 (no pun intended) IMHO perhaps a year's delay in announcing legacy policy coupled with an incremental roll out of the policy change regarding our legacies would have been a better way forward.