Should more "mostly AA/Asian/Hispanic sororities and fraternities" be integrated?

[texas*princess]

I definitely agree with HederaNaturale. All the different GLOs were founded with different things in mind, and like adpiucf said, it's great to have so many different chapters and types of GLOs to choose which one you are most comfortable in.

I used to go to a school where minorites were actually the majority of the student population. Some people joined the "historically white" fraternities/sororities, and others joined the "historically LGLOs or BGLOs". It just really depends on what you are looking for in an organization. Some of my friends joined the Latin-based organizations because they really connected to the people in those chapters and they liked that could promote their unique culture... other friends of mine joined the professional GLOs on campus instead because they liked that they could connect with people that have the same majors or fields of study. So really, I think it's just what a pnm is looking for in an organization.

[TheEpitome1920]

Who says we aren't intergrated?

[msn4med1975]

I guess it depends on what you call integration, and I think I said the same thing in the OTHER thread, but our organizations are integrated. It's somewhat harder to make it into our organizations if you are not Black but it is not impossible. The last Iota page I saw had founding members of every racial background and I believe their original president was Caucasian. I'm not sure about the other eight NPHC orgs but part of our oath states we do not discriminate against anyone so anyone can apply. Will they? Probably not, because as with NPC/IFC groups are percieved to be only white, we are percieved to be only Black. I've met sorors that were white, Asian, Native American, Indian and I'm sure a whole host of things I don't know. Will they ever outnumber the number of Black women in the sorority? Probably not but they are most definitely welcome to apply.

[James]

The answer is a big emphatic NO.

[starang21]

Originally posted by msn4med1975
I guess it depends on what you call integration, and I think I said the same thing in the OTHER thread, but our organizations are integrated. It's somewhat harder to make it into our organizations if you are not Black but it is not impossible. The last Iota page I saw had founding members of every racial background and I believe their original president was Caucasian. I'm not sure about the other eight NPHC orgs but part of our oath states we do not discriminate against anyone so anyone can apply. Will they? Probably not, because as with NPC/IFC groups are percieved to be only white, we are percieved to be only Black. I've met sorors that were white, Asian, Native American, Indian and I'm sure a whole host of things I don't know. Will they ever outnumber the number of Black women in the sorority? Probably not but they are most definitely welcome to apply.

i met this hispanic delta one time...

oops, wrong thread.....

oh yeah...which chapter is that?

[James]

Also, your mission is pretty specific isn't it? Service for the African American Community? That would seem to limit interest a bt also.

Originally posted by msn4med1975
I guess it depends on what you call integration, and I think I said the same thing in the OTHER thread, but our organizations are integrated. It's somewhat harder to make it into our organizations if you are not Black but it is not impossible. The last Iota page I saw had founding members of every racial background and I believe their original president was Caucasian. I'm not sure about the other eight NPHC orgs but part of our oath states we do not discriminate against anyone so anyone can apply. Will they? Probably not, because as with NPC/IFC groups are percieved to be only white, we are percieved to be only Black. I've met sorors that were white, Asian, Native American, Indian and I'm sure a whole host of things I don't know. Will they ever outnumber the number of Black women in the sorority? Probably not but they are most definitely welcome to apply.

[starang21]

Originally posted by James
Also, your mission is pretty specific isn't it? Service for the African American Community? That would seem to limit interest a bt also.

well, our organizations were founded on the tenets of service, specifically torwards the black community. if people of other races want to join, this is something they have to get used to.

[suntzu1963]

Originally posted by msn4med1975
I guess it depends on what you call integration, and I think I said the same thing in the OTHER thread, but our organizations are integrated.

There are people of all backgrounds in HBGLOs. Just like they are people of all backgrounds in HWGLO's/HLGLO'S/HAGLO's/MGLO's. I think it is an issue of comfort level and choosing what organization fits you best (like Tom Earp said earlier). Iota fit ME best so an IOTA Man is what I am.

[suntzu1963]

Originally posted by msn4med1975
The last Iota page I saw had founding members of every racial background and I believe their original president was Caucasian.

Are you talking about a specific chapter or Nationally?

[starang21]

Originally posted by suntzu1963

Iota fit ME best so an IOTA Man is what I am.

get it said, frat!!!

[suntzu1963]

This quote from one of our Honorable Founders (John Slade), represents the mindset of our organization:

"I wanted to form an organization which would make the American dream a reality. I know it sounds like a pat answer, but I wanted Iota to be a national fraternity which has an impact on the whole of America, not just African-America."

[LatinaAlumna]

Originally posted by Tex1899
Sort of off topic...why do most BGLO and Hispanic GLO chapters tend to be smaller than NIC/NPC groups? I'm not too familiar with traditionally Asian groups...do they tend to be smaller?

If I had to guess, I would think Hispanic and Asian GLO's would be bigger in California...

I can't speak for all LGLOs but mine strives for quality over quantity.

I think some of the sororities in other councils are required to keep up their numbers because they have housing issues to consider (I could be wrong). Many cultural GLOs do not have campus housing, so the issue of needing to make rent on a house is non-existent.

What I have noticed in CA is that the AGLO chapters typically seem to be larger than the NPHC and LGLO chapters. Also, CA has a very high population of Asian students in higher education as compared to other groups, so that could have much to do with it.

For LGLOs in CA, there is the "political" factor (although it is not as strong as it was in the 1980s or 90s). What I mean by this is that many Latino students in higher education have a hatred for greek organization (any type) because of past treatment of Latinos by certain fraternities or sororities on some of the larger CA campuses. Some also feel that joining a GLO of any kind is "selling out." If you are going to join one, you may encounter opposition on campus (or even from your own circle of friends), so you have to be willing to put up with that. Many people are not willing to do so. Other people are just not willing to work for their membership. I see more and more of that nowdays.

[suntzu1963]

Originally posted by Tex1899
Sort of off topic...why do most BGLO and Hispanic GLO chapters tend to be smaller than NIC/NPC groups? I'm not too familiar with traditionally Asian groups...do they tend to be smaller?

If I had to guess, I would think Hispanic and Asian GLO's would be bigger in California...

IMHO, BGLO's, LGLO's, and AGLO's tend to be smaller because of a couple of factors:

1) The preception that our organizations only accept members of our racial/ethnic backgrounds. This relates to local-level marketing (sad, but true in many areas....members do not openly look to market toward all members of the campus) and the historic reasons for which the organization was founded.

2) The size of our racial/ethnic groups on most college campuses for which our orgs. normally attract as potential members.

Because of these reasons (and others that are likely campus-specific), our organizations tend to be smaller. Also, our selection processes (like all GLO's) are stringent so even all of those who are interested are not selected. Consequently, schools where there are larger numbers of certain racial/ethnic groups, organizations may likely still end up being smaller or mid-size (whatever one would consider the size being in those categories).

At some schools, our organizations tend to be larger (ex: HBGLO's at HBCU's) where the population has larger concentrations of those groups that our organizations have historical ties too. And HWGLO's that have chapters are these schools tend to reflect the same smaller chapter numbers that the other organizations do at other schools.

[TheEpitome1920]

I also think our process of membership selection is a reason why our chapters at certain universities are smaller. Not saying that other councils aren't selective but our processes are just different and will yield different results.

And I love to put up this quote so here it goes.

Founder Viola Tyler was oft quoted to say "[In the ideal collegiate situation] there is a Zeta in a girl regardless of race, creed, or color, who has high standards and principles, a good scholarly average and an active interest in all things that she undertakes to accomplish."

[Munchkin03]

Well, since most "AA/Asian/Hispanic sororities and fraternities" never had discriminatory clauses, neither expliciltly or implicitly, integration was probably never an uphill battle the way it still is in some cases today.

Also, with the increasing number of non-black students taking advantage of the specific academic opportunities offered by HBCUs (great programs in architecture, pharmacy, agriculture, and engineering, as well as ample scholarship opportunities), we'll probably see even more integration of NPHC groups.