letters worn by non-members

[FuzzieAlum]

I don't see how the local store could really verify it. What if they were sisters from out of town or something? They can't really maintain a list of every chapter in the nation.

Anyway, if the girls are hell-bent on getting letters, there are a million online stores to get them from.

While I agree the store might at least want to ask if purchasers are sisters, I think the real root of the problem is that PNMs are even considering doing this. It needs to be stamped out there - made clear that girls who do this will not be offered membership, for example.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Sorry to barge in on this post, but I agree with FuzzieAlum. I don't see how this store can verify whether or not a person is a member of a particular GLO. Just like FuzzieAlum said they could be members from other chapters, or what if it was a friend purchasing a shirt or item with letters on it for another person who was a member of that GLO?
I think the only way to deal with this situation is if you suspect someone is wearing you letters and is not a member confront them about it. Let them know how hurtful and disrespectful it is to you and you organization that someone is pretending to be a member.

[FuziCrayon]

Okay, so there are LOTS of places to buy greek stuff. Is Greek Gear cheaper than Phi Mu's webpage store?? which one do you think is better quality/price?? I used to buy all my Delta stuff at Greek Gear.

Thanks

[CatStarESP4]

FuzzieAlum and Lady Pi Phi, you got me there! What I said were merely suggestions on how to deal with nonmembers wearing a GLO's letters. I guess I should have mentioned that visiting chapters could buy at that local store or on the internet (my bad!). However, no suggestion or idea is 100% perfect. If the nonmembers continue, by all means confront them and ask why are they doing this and tell them how it is disrespectful. They could be doing terrible things in the GLO's name/letters. I apologize if I was misunderstood in some way, shape or form and I hope this clarifies matters.

[FuzzieAlum]

Don't worry, CatStar! I think your idea is a fine one up to a point - like the collegiate Greek store is already doing it by checking names. I just think the ultimate responsibility needs to come from the students, since they're the ones with an interest in keeping their letters in the right hands.

[pinkladibug1]

If you have any type of Intro program for freshman as far as an orientation or RAs giving information then I would contact the person in charge of that. While they are being told how to register and get mail the person in chage can explain campus organizations and that althought the freshman mean it as a compliment to the group to wear the letters that they are for members only and they need to wait for rush!

[phimualumnc]

....this is a side note to a part of this thread.....

and welcome to all the wonderful new ladies at Shorter College - Nu Chapter. We're thrilled to have you join us.


....as a point of reference for FuzziCrayon- Phi's and Members alike are allowed to wear Phi Mu letters - stitched on or screen printed. Some chapters have taken on the un-official policy of Phi's not wearing stitched on letters. This is a constant question at convention and leadership that gets answered the same way - we can not discourage them (Phi's) from wearing letters or disallow them from wearing letters (stitched or otherwise). As I continue to tell my chapter - why wouldn't you want all those wonderful new Phi's wearing letters?? I know that I'm from the old school - but the first thing we all did after accepting our bids was to buy up Phi Mu letters and accessories. We plastered the campus 'pink'.

Have a wonderful summer everyone and good luck with the upcoming Fall Recruitments!!

[PM_Mama00]

I like the idea of only initiated Phi Mus wearing "letters". Our Phis are allowed to wear shirts with Phi Mu spelled out, or their Bid Day shirts. On initiation day is when they get their actual letters. Thinking back to my Phi period, I think I like it that way too.

[AXO Alum]

A few comments....

1) Congrats to the Nu chapter at Shorter -- we can tell that you are so excited to be a part of Phi Mu!

2) The store thing -- I would be some kinda mad if I went to purchase something that didn't have a legal restriction for age (ie, alchohol, cigs, porn...just kidding hahaha!) and someone asked me for ID. Hello? This guy/girl could be a serial killer who secretly records the names of his/her next victims!!

Seriously though - I have purchased lots of other greek merchandise in my life for friends who joined other orgs (including BEFORE I became greek) -- the only thing I don't buy for them is crests because they haven't been initiated. But I don't think it would be disrespectful of me to buy another orgs crest and give it to a person who I know has been initiated. Usually they just get a new member gift from me though.

3) The stitch-on letters thing -- gotta agree 110% with phimualumnc on this -- why in the WORLD would you NOT want to show off those great new members? And the best way is to put them in some sporty chapter letters (if you have them). I guess AXO is just very strict about its new member program -- you are a SISTER from the moment you accept your bid -- the only difference is you do not yet know ritual. We don't get girls in to treat them like crap for 8 weeks or so -- we get them in to introduce them to what we consider is the most wonderful sisterhood on the planet....so why would we want to treat them differently, including what they wear?

On bid day, our Alpha Angel (who is our "guide" until our bigs are assigned) loaned us her letters until we got ours made. Of course usually our bigs would give them to us on big/lil night.

Sorry...I just don't like the idea of telling people what they can and can't wear!

4) KissASinfonian said "We are also going to have a sort of "Honor System" that says if you get caught wearing something that isn't yours you will have to do some service with that sorority or fraternity's philanthropy." -- I don't get this at all. What in the world would you be "caught" wearing?? I guess I must be misunderstanding this or something. I mean, what do you do, walk around all day in Phi Mu letters until someone says "Hey - you're an Alpha Chi!" --

NOW BACK TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED TOPIC.......

I believe the original question was what to do IF someone was not a member and was seen wearing letters or something. The first thing I would do would be to go introduce myself (ie, Hi I'm Sally, an AXO here at Acme University...what AXO chapter are you from?) If it wasn't our letters they were wearing, then I'd keep my mouth shut -- you don't know if they are a transfer member or an alum or whatever. That would be really embarrasing to go and say to someone if you had no way to "prove" that they weren't a member.

[33girl]

Originally posted by AXO Alum
4) KissASinfonian said "We are also going to have a sort of "Honor System" that says if you get caught wearing something that isn't yours you will have to do some service with that sorority or fraternity's philanthropy." -- I don't get this at all. What in the world would you be "caught" wearing?? I guess I must be misunderstanding this or something. I mean, what do you do, walk around all day in Phi Mu letters until someone says "Hey - you're an Alpha Chi!" --

It's not that sorority ABC is wearing XYZ's letters. The problem is that people who aren't Greek AT ALL are walking around wearing letters. If someone does something illegal/immoral/generally foul while sporting the letters, the chapter has no way to punish them since they're not a member, but the chapter will most likely have their image soiled or get in trouble (I'm envisioning a televised fight at a bar with non-members in letters - can you imagine your HQ seeing that and trying to explain "they're not members, honest!"). The philanthropy idea sounds great. If these people want to wear letters, they should realize there is some meaning behind them - they're not Abercrombie shirts.

Also, at a 3000 student campus, believe me you know who is a member and who is not - it's not like a Penn State or IU where there are tons of transfers who might have been in a GLO at their previous schools.

[AXO Alum]

Originally posted by 33girl
It's not that sorority ABC is wearing XYZ's letters. The problem is that people who aren't Greek AT ALL are walking around wearing letters. If someone does something illegal/immoral/generally foul while sporting the letters, the chapter has no way to punish them since they're not a member, but the chapter will most likely have their image soiled or get in trouble (I'm envisioning a televised fight at a bar with non-members in letters - can you imagine your HQ seeing that and trying to explain "they're not members, honest!"). The philanthropy idea sounds great. If these people want to wear letters, they should realize there is some meaning behind them - they're not Abercrombie shirts.

Also, at a 3000 student campus, believe me you know who is a member and who is not - it's not like a Penn State or IU where there are tons of transfers who might have been in a GLO at their previous schools.

Thanks, 33, on the clarification of that -- my brain just wasn't functioning on that train of thought! I still don't know what you could do about it though -- I mean seriously, some random person runs up to me and says "Oh, you are wearing XYZ shirt and you aren't one, you have to do something for a charity" -- I'd be like "uh, yeah right" -- I just don't see how you can enforce that. Its not a written law that people can't wear stuff...I mean, yeah, WE know its wrong and in bad taste, but how do you make another person adhere to that?

I got my grad degree at a small suitcase campus -- I wore my letters intentionally on the first day to get some recognition -- I even had class with some other greeks in letters, and no whispering or conspiring was going on. I finally had another sister come up and introduce herself to me very nicely and I told her where I was from. I had met some of the other members before I started school, but she wasn't there that day. But if she had coming running up to me screaming "TAKE MY LETTERS OFF" like Cinderella's wicked stepsister or something, there woulda been a HUGE discussion at chapter -- just goes to prove that you NEVER know where a sister or brother will turn up!