BGLO and GLO

[kathykd2005]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

I second this.

Can't we just delete this thread? Some GCers are a little naive and stupid when they first sign on....

I fail to see how discussing legitimate societal issues is stupid.

[kathykd2005]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

Were you posting for entertainment or to actual discuss the topic?

Obviously if you were reading my comments you would know the answer to that question.

[kathykd2005]

Originally Posted by jubilance1922

My point is that NPHC orgs are extremely visible in the African-American community. So by the time most African-American students make it to college, they have at least a passing knowledge of these orgs and what they do in the community. To be honest with you, I had never heard of any NPC sororities until my sophmore year of college. I didn't get any info about rush my freshman year (maybe cause I'm black? ). But then again, you don't see me on GC talking about how much "better" the NPHC is than NPC/NIC the way some others do...

Some schools are just really bad about getting information out about their recruitment. I sincerely hope it wasn't due to your skin color.

[Langox510x]

Originally Posted by kathykd2005

Some schools are just really bad about getting information out about their recruitment. I sincerely hope it wasn't due to your skin color.

I'm not saying anything about racism, but the truth is that many fraternities do look at minorities and assume that they wouldn't even be interested in the first place, which that is not always the case. I know it goes both ways too, because unless someone who wasn't black really stood out at a lot of black fraternities they probably would be written off as someone who wasn't that fraternities material either.

I mean Kathy, can you honestly say that a black person with a strong ethnic upbringing, someone truly conscious about who they and their ancestors are and had much pride, but at the same time was a true lady about it would have the slightest chance of "fitting in" with your sorority??

I'm so glad I found the right fraternity on campus (which isn't black either) otherwise I possibly wouldn't have pledged for anything.

[KAY10]

Originally Posted by mccoyred

Don't call them 'WGLOs' 'cause they will have a fit. Be prepared for some flack.

Yeah, I feel ya on that.

[KAY10]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

No. He shouldn't not call us "WGLOs" because we will have a fit.

He shouldn't call us "WGLOs" because that's not what we are.

WGLO

[KAY10]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

I agree with this outsiders assessment. There does seem to be some sense of cultural superiority when it comes to traditionally white Greek-letter organizations. It is suupremely ironic in that the reason for the push towards desegregating GLOs was because of their exclusive attitudes, not only racially but religiously and in terms of class also. Now, many act as though history doesn't matter and that BGLOs and other groups are prejudiced and exclusive. Wow!

In reality, there are people in all groups who favor racial exclusivity and most who don't.

Amen. Preach Brother! Preach!

[mccoyred]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

There is nothing saying you are not right.

But why isnt there more HBGLOs on Camupuses?

With the presence there, would it not give the chance to join a HBGLO? If it or they isn't there, then it doesn't does it?

My School has one only HBGLO, while I was there, it had four, two Male and two Female, now, only one Fraternity.

So, I want to know why is that?

Whose fault is it?

The fact is that at PWIs (yes, I said it) the overall population of Blacks tends to be small, esp at private colleges. The percentage of that population that is even interested will be smaller, the percentage that qualify will be smaller still, the percentage that apply will be smaller than that, then the percentage that will actually cross/join will be even smaller. This already small population to begin with leads to small chapters. That being said, there are membership minimums that must be met in order to sustain a chapter. Often times these minimums are not sustainable.

In addition, as previously mentioned, the majority of us in NPHC orgs know which organization we want to join BEFORE rush (sometimes are early as middle school). With our orgs, as a general practice, we don't just join whichever one gives us a 'bid'. It is frowned upon to actively pursue more than one NPHC org; I am not saying it happens, but it can reflect badly on an interest. So if I want to join Delta but there is no Delta chapter on campus, I would not join AKA just because they are on campus, I will wait for Delta even if it means joining an alumnae chapter. So you take that population of interests mentioned above and whittle it even further to exclude those whose org of choice is not on campus (not chartered, died out, suspended, etc.) then you have an even smaller population still.

Now take California and Proposition 29 which dramatically decreased the already small number of Blacks in the public university system and the target population is small to begin with.

Here are some examples for those who need the visual:

- PWI University has a population of 1000 students, 7% of which are Black and 10% of which are other minority (Hispanic, Asian, etc.) leaving 83% Caucasian (hence the PWI categorization).

830 Caucasians
70 Blacks
100 other minorities

- There are 5 NIC fraternities, 3 NPC sororities, 2 NPHC frats and 2 NPHC sororities.

- Lets take a raw percentage of 40% of students are interested in Greek Life, or 200 of the total. Lets apply this percentage to each ethnic group: 332 Caucasians, 28 Blacks, 40 other minorities.

- Of those interested, only 60% of them have the GPA. Leaving 199 Caucasians, 17 Blacks and 24 other minorities.

Even though I can whittle down further, lets stop here. So you have 199 Caucasians or an avg of 25 members per org (NPC and IFC combined) and 17 Black or an average of 4 members per org (all NPHC orgs). Lets allocate 80% of the other minorities to NPC/IFC orgs and 20% to NPHC orgs, then we have 218 in NPC/IFC orgs or an avg of 27 members and 23 in NPHC orgs or an avg of 6 members.

Not taking into account those who will apply and be rejected or those who will join an org other than their predominant racial category, NPC/IFC orgs are almost five times as large on average! If you throw in multicultural orgs, the Black population joining NPHC orgs gets smaller still.

Disclaimer: The above numbers were derived from a real life situation.


I say all that to say that it is a numbers game.

[KAY10]

Originally Posted by Deltazeta4ever

I know this is a little off topic, but I'm shocked to find out that NPC and NPHC sororities don't "mingle" anymore. Back when I was an active, Delta Zeta and Alpha Kappa Alpha cosponsored a lecture series on women's health every year. (The slogan was cute... "Two sisterhoods sharing two colors and one goal: Educating women"). All GLO's participated in Greek Week, regardless of their ethnic status, and every fraternity participated in our Greek God contest.

Wow... times have changed

See, this kind of stuff I know nothing about. I pledged at a Historical Black College. There weren't any WGLOs there. That was cool though, the two of you making something positive happen.

[KAY10]

Originally Posted by kathykd2005

This statement really makes me sad. Although a lot of sororities and fraternities were founded by caucasion individuals, that doesn't make them "white" GLOs. I think everyone should just join whatever GLO they feel comfortable in. I guess I am just a bit naive though.

I agree with your thinking. I think people should join what they feel comfortable with, but the reason why I refer to WGLOs as WGLOs is because when African Americans tried to join those organizations around the turn of the 20th Century they weren't allowed. So the WGLOs obviously saw skin color. That's in the past, but I was reading two books one was called "Wrongs of Passage" and the other was called "Pledged." Both books talked about how today at some chapters blacks aren't excepted in WGLOs. Sad but true. Since they still discrminate and see skin color, I refer to WGLOs as WGLOs.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Deltazeta4ever

I know this is a little off topic, but I'm shocked to find out that NPC and NPHC sororities don't "mingle" anymore.

* on some campuses

[KAY10]

Originally Posted by GDIfly

While it doesn't "make them white GLOs," these GLOs do have a history of being predominantly white. Whether they have a history of excluding members of other colors and races or not (and I believe that most of them did, at one time), all of the NPC and NIC GLO's have historically catered to a vast majority of caucasian men and women and continue to do so. Similarly, the D9 have historically catered to a majority of black men and women. If we are going to call NPHC organizations "black GLO's" it only makes sense to call the NPC and NIC organizations "white GLO's."

FTR, I agree that everyone should join whichever GLO they feel comfortable in and we shouldn't force segregation, but the historical origins are important to the continuing identities of the organizations as well.

Thank you.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by kathykd2005

I don't think ANY GLOs should be designated "Black" or "White." It implies racism from either side.

Some people think everything is racism.

[KAY10]

Originally Posted by kathykd2005

While history's implications are definitely important, I was always baffled when individuals I knew and was friends with wouldn't join a Greek organization on campus because it wasn't a traditionally African American sorority. We also had several women decline bids ONLY because KD was not a traditionally "black" GLO. I don't think ANY GLOs should be designated "Black" or "White." It implies racism from either side.

I agree with you but that's not the way it is.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Tom Earp

There is nothing saying you are not right.

But why isnt there more HBGLOs on Camupuses?

With the presence there, would it not give the chance to join a HBGLO? If it or they isn't there, then it doesn't does it?

My School has one only HBGLO, while I was there, it had four, two Male and two Female, now, only one Fraternity.

So, I want to know why is that?

Whose fault is it?

You can figure out this answer on your own, Tom. What does it take to get a charter and what does it take to keep a charter and/or active chapter?