Not allowed to wear letters

[teke4life]

archangel,
i don't know if this is helpful, but... our orientation leaders would always try and remember some of the guys from the tour sessions and then after orientation they would go look them up. the frosh were usually impressed that they knew an upperclassmen (other than their RA, your probably the first non-frosh thats bothered talking to them). RA's are good for this too. i can't tell you how many guys i know joined a certain house b/c their orientatioon leader or their RA brought them around "the guys" or to a party.
second point... if freshman can't pledge 1st semester it doesn't mean you can't rush them. all our pledges this semester pretty much knew where they were going b4 christmas break.

[shadowstar]

i think it's really strange, and unfair, that at some places schools can give out info at orientation for some groups and not others. it should be an all or none type of thing. we have deferred rush as well, but that doesn't mean you aren't allowed to reveal your Greek affiliation at orientation or any other time. every year, water bottles are given to all the freshmen girls that have the sororities lettters on them. this year, any Greek who helped out with moving people in was allowed to wear their letters, and there was information on Greek life given out at orientation. if freshmen are allowed to learn about all the other groups they can get involved in, i see no reason why Greeks can't show their spirit and get the word out even if rush doesn't happen until spring. and wearing letters or giving out info is not recruitment, it's exposure and info. i think some things definitiely need to get changed!

[douthit]

I am going to be an Orientation Leader this summer at my school, and we also wear a blue polo shirt as a uniform, so there isn't much leeway for wearing letters. The coordinators encourage us to share what we are involed in, whether it be Greek Life, Student Government, RHA, etc.

As far as the Freshman Move-In, greeks last year for the first time were asked to help. We had a particular shirt to wear, and couldn't wear letters. However, one chapter did, as well as stuff rush information for their chapter inside of closets and the like. This stunt landed them in some hot water and set back our relations with Residence Life for possibly a very long time.

[ADPiViolets]

We have the same kiind of setup at my University, and all of the Greeks find that it works just fine.

[astroAPhi]

I guess I'll explain the situation at Florida Tech.

Orientation counselors are allowed to be Greek. The woman who runs Orientation is actually the Greek Advisor. But no one is allowed to wear letters on campus until Friday, for Meet the Greeks. Orientation counselors are allowed to wear their letters too at that point. Greeks do help out at Greek Move-in though, but they wear specific shirts with everyone's letters on it. You can't say which group you're with, but you're allowed to encourage the freshmen and transfer students to go Greek.

I don't see how this is a violation of your free speech. The emphasis is on getting the freshman used to their new college environment, and I don't think it's outrageous that they ask you to put your Greek affiliation aside for a week. The freshman don't have time to be worrying about being Greek... they have placement tests to take and all that other crap.

We use orientation week to set up for Recruitment anyway. We work on it for several hours a day, and those of us who are Orientation Counselors and Greeks have to do that on top of doing all the b**** work for the Orientation staff.

[bruinaphi]

I don't understand how you think your right to Freedom of Speech has been violated. The first element to a 1st Amendment violation is State Action. That means that it has to be the government restricting your speech or an entity fulfilling a traditional governmental purpose. It is hard to argue that a private religous university providing orientation to its own incoming students is fulfilling a governmental purpose.

[IvySpice]

A rule like this almost certainly would not implicate the first amendement even at a public university, which is a state actor.

All the Greeks I'm familiar with agree in advance to follow their local IFC/Panhel's local rules when they join. If you never made any kind of agreement with your chapter that you were going to follow the rules, and you're at a public university, then you may have an argument, but seems like at most chapters, you have to agree to follow the rules when you pledge. An agreement like that is a voulntary relinquishment of free speech in whatever narrow areas are affected.

Ivy, JD

[madmax]

If you attend a private school, you really don't have a case. If you were at a public school things would be different. http://www.dke.org/quarterly4.html

[valpogal99]

I can sympathize with the frustration of not being able to wear your letters. Certain positions on our campus were not allowed to wear their letters or have any identifying Greek symbols visible (RA's couldn't even have it in view in their room). The argument that was always made is that these people could place undo influence on people. For example, an RA could say, join AAA and you can have extra freedom in the dorm. Unfortunately it is the fact that some people will abuse the power they have to help their organization so rules had to be put in place. On our campus it went so far that before and during recruitment, RA's could not wear their letters or attend recruitment events. It was a frustrating situation because they wanted to be part of the activities but couldn't.

Orientation leaders were not able to display their affiliation or discuss the particulars of their fraternity/sorority during freshman orientation. However, after the official orientation phase was over, all rules were off. When they were giving tours to perspective students, they could wear their letters and discuss their groups freely. The idea of strategically placed members is also key. Several groups would strategically place members of their organization on the "tour route" in their letters and the tour guide would say hello and appear to have a friendly "visit" with them. It would usually be along the lines of, "are you coming to the meeting tonight?" or "do you have a date for formal yet?" It was always something to point out they were a member of that group without the guide ever having to say they were. When the freshman asked if they belonged they would say yes but that they were unable to discuss specifics about any Greek organization during orientation but they would be happy to talk to them about it after the week ended. It always proved to be VERY helpful.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Jen
<>Alpha Delta Pi <>

[ADPiViolets]

I personally think you are taking this way too seriously. Just suck it up, and wear "Go Greek" shirts for a bit instead of your letters. It's really not that big of a deal.

[valpogal99]

ADPiViolets - I think that is part of the problem, they are not even able to wear Go Greek Shirts. The way I understand it is that they are not able to identify themselves in any way as a member of a fraternity yet other (non-greek) organizations don't have those restrictions. That is where the "unfair" advantage comes in.

<>Jen<>
Alpha Delta Pi

[ADPiViolets]

Originally posted by valpogal99
ADPiViolets - I think that is part of the problem, they are not even able to wear Go Greek Shirts. The way I understand it is that they are not able to identify themselves in any way as a member of a fraternity yet other (non-greek) organizations don't have those restrictions. That is where the "unfair" advantage comes in.

<>Jen<>
Alpha Delta Pi

Okay, that's different. I retract my response then.