Great Article on NPHC Sororities

[lovelyivy84]

Originally posted by AOII_LB93
I don't know about other NPC orgs, but a lot of the time if it weren't for our alumnae, AOII wouldn't be as strong as it is now. AOII alumnae are encouraged and welcomed to continue their bonds of sisterhood through the international organization and various alum groups. Speaking for myself, I am advising a chapter and helping out with their redevelopment as well as being part of an alum chapter. It's not like I don't have a say in what direction my fraternity goes, because I do. All alums do, some are just more vocal than others.

That's really great but it's just different for us.

I don't know if I can really even describe it. I'll say it like this- our orgs are not centered around college life, although that is a major part of their functioning. They are centered around service, and life-long service at that. Almost all of the major positions are for grads. The major service projects are spearheaded by grads. Grads have their own seperate pledge process which brings in a large percentage of the members, as opposed to the occasional few that are what I have seen to be the norm in NPC orgs. Their involvement with UGs is advisory, but that is the least of what they do.

Our grads are really the functioning body of our orgs on many levels. And they would never, ever allow such a thing.

[Sistermadly]

Originally posted by BobraFCD

What do you all think?

I think it's nice in theory, but it would NEVER work, for lots of different reasons. But what I would like to see more of is interaction between NPC/IFC/NPHC at the (Inter)National level.

[AXWhoah]

Well Bobra while that is a nice idea it could never work. First of all as organizations NPC and NPHC are set up for two different reasons. NPHC is first and foremost about community service and while NPC orgs stress that as well they were founded as social organizations. Plus I think that the two different kinds of orgs are run very differently have different goals in mind. Plus how could they join up and not have to follow each other's recruitument/intake rules. Would be just abolish the NPC Greenbook?

[BobraFCD]

Originally posted by lovelyivy84
That's really great but it's just different for us.

I don't know if I can really even describe it. I'll say it like this- our orgs are not centered around college life, although that is a major part of their functioning. They are centered around service, and life-long service at that. Almost all of the major positions are for grads. The major service projects are spearheaded by grads. Grads have their own seperate pledge process which brings in a large percentage of the members, as opposed to the occasional few that are what I have seen to be the norm in NPC orgs. Their involvement with UGs is advisory, but that is the least of what they do.

Our grads are really the functioning body of our orgs on many levels. And they would never, ever allow such a thing.

I'm not seeing much difference in my involvement in my alum chapter as my mom's involvement as an AKA alumna. We're doing the same kind of service projects.

Most organizations in both conferences have alumnae initiation programs. Admittedly, it's a newer concept for NPC, but that's one area where I see NPHC being a mentor since they are stronger at that.

Likewise, I think there are some areas where NPC could mentor and strengthen NPHC.

We'd have to get over the competition thing--there are plenty of amazing women in the world for every organization to have an abundance of members.

People are people--across the board their reasons for joining are both social and service related. Maybe Sistermadly said it better-
If they can't be one conference, they certainly can have a stronger interconference relationship.

[zchi2]

Originally posted by Sistermadly
I think it's nice in theory, but it would NEVER work, for lots of different reasons. But what I would like to see more of is interaction between NPC/IFC/NPHC at the (Inter)National level.

I agree. Even though I am apart of neither... It just doesn't seem like it would work. How would recruitment be done...

[Shelacious]

I don't know if it would "never" work. I don't think we would ever meld the conferences into one, for a whole host of reasons (including the fact that the NPHC conference is composed of both male and female organziations). The two conferences (NPHC and NPC) are about as different in mission and scope from each other as the NIC and NPC are from each other, IMHO.

However, this is not to say that the NPHC sororities and the NPC sororities could not have a bi-yearly roundtable, forum or workshop on fostering some sort of relationship between the two groups. I agree with an earlier poster that mentioned that the "old school" of the NPHC might have a difficult time understanding why we would want to foster any sort of relationship: many of them went to HBCUs where the point was moot (no NPC groups) or recall the mood at the time they joined. I was listening to an album recorded at occasion of my Sorority's 50-year celebration, and I recall our Basileus at the time mentioned she has called up presidents of the NPC and NIC [I don't know how many], and said that one of the NPC presidents told her "we didn't have a chance." Now, I don't know that was in reference to, but the point is that the members that were privy to that type of behavior (accurate or not) are still alive and well in the Sorority.

I do think, though, that its time that the groups of sororities begin to have a more formalized relationship with each other, even if it's just information sharing and knowledge gathering.

[Girlene]

Originally posted by Shelacious
I don't know if it would "never" work. I don't think we would ever meld the conferences into one, for a whole host of reasons (including the fact that the NPHC conference is composed of both male and female organziations). The two conferences (NPHC and NPC) are about as different in mission and scope from each other as the NIC and NPC are from each other, IMHO.

However, this is not to say that the NPHC sororities and the NPC sororities could not have a bi-yearly roundtable, forum or workshop on fostering some sort of relationship between the two groups. ....
....I do think, though, that its time that the groups of sororities begin to have a more formalized relationship with each other, even if it's just information sharing and knowledge gathering.

WELL SAID!

[Senusret I]

DITTO!

[Munchkin03]

Communication, yes. Conglomeration, no.

There are also some NPC alumnae who wouldn't let this happen, either.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

I think that there ought to be more communication among all groups, NPC, NPHC, NIC, IFC, and the multicultural groups. We have many of the same concerns, problems, interests, and goals. I think that our similarities outweigh our differences. I think that through increased communication, we all can better understand and learn from each other and work together. I do think it is important to respect our differences as individual organizations and conferences. The NPC was an idea that seems to have worked well and has lasted for over a century. Maybe there will be another umbrella organization for all greek letter organization in the future.